Next Post
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Fried Avocado.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Warming 20 minute Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup. Kind of like creamy risotto, kind of like soup, and so DELICIOUS. This is wholesome but comforting and the easiest to make using just one pot and 20 minutes. It’s warm and creamy, swirled with basil pesto, and finished with parmesan and a pinch of black pepper. Doesn’t get simpler or more delicious.
Sometimes it’s the simplest of recipes that really do turn out the most delicious. And that’s definitely the case with today’s recipe. It’s perfect for this time of year when we’re still craving comfort food on these cold winter days, but also wanting something lighter. It also makes for a nice Valentine’s Day recipe too.
This is a great mix. Originally when I set out to make this I was thinking it would be more of a soup. And it is, but this is an ultra-creamy soup.
A bit of a cross between soup, creamy pasta, and rice stew. So just as you would expect, it’s delicious.
When my sister-in-law Lyndsie was in town over Christmas, she pretty much begged for a white bean soup. It’s one of her favorites and she said I never make anything with beans, which isn’t a lie. The family that’s here is not the biggest fan of beans. But I do love to experiment with them when Lynds and/or my cousins are in town.
Anyway, I never got around to making the soup over Christmas. But once I had this idea, I knew it would be delicious, Lyndsie fully agreed.
The details
With a 20 to 30 minute start to finish time, you can imagine the steps are pretty simple. First up, you only need one pot. No sauces, nothing extra, just one pot.
Start with olive oil, shallots, and garlic. To keep things simple, I just used smashed garlic cloves to infuse the oil. Then some butter goes in and then the orzo.
Any time I’m cooking with orzo, I love to toast it in butter before adding in any liquid. This just adds another layer of flavor as the butter cooks around the orzo.
Then comes the chicken broth or veggie broth, along with white beans, and kale. You could easily use spinach in place of kale. From here, simply simmer until the orzo is al dente and things are becoming very creamy.
Stir in the pesto and lots of parmesan and finish it off with lemon.
That’s it. Absolutely nothing fancy, but totally delicious.
For serving
I usually add a little fresh dill and black pepper, but parsley or basil work really well too.
Then, some crusty bread on the side is a must.
It’s different, but so, so good. And who couldn’t love such an easy Monday recipe? Especially after the Super Bowl. I feel like we need this today! Happy Valentine’s day!
Looking for other quick recipes? Here are my favorites:
Baked Sesame Orange Cauliflower
One Pot Stove-Top Mac and Cheese
Skillet Chicken Adobo with Coconut Rice
Lastly, if you make this Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy White Bean Lemon Pesto Orzo Soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1331 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed
- red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups dry orzo pasta
- 6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can white beans
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/2 bunch kale, finely shredded
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1/2 cup whole milk or canned full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Drop in the butter, then stir in the orzo. Cook until golden, 1-3 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the beans and kale. Season with salt and pepper. If you have one, add a parmesan rind. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente, stirring often. It should become very creamy.2. Stir in the pesto, milk, parmesan, and lemon, cook another few minutes until warmed through. 3. Divide the orzo and broth among bowls and add additional parmesan and black pepper. I like to add some fresh dill, parsley, or basil too!
Notes
Thickening: the orzo will soak up the broth over time. If eating leftover, add additional broth to thin. It should be creamy, but with just a touch of liquid.
This post was originally published on February 14, 2022
Soooo tasty! I made with spinach and it was absolutely delicious. Definitely will be making again soon! 😊
Hey Gina,
Awesome! Love to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it!
10/10 I love this recipe especially with the coconut cream adds a nice layer of flavor
Thanks so much, Courtney! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it!
I like this recipe when made fresh. Although the next day it was just a stodgy mess unfortunately. I would recommend to eat all at once if possible!
Hi Sarah,
I’m grateful you tried the recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out! Happy Sunday!
I love this recipe! We’ve made many times! Thinking of trying it without kale. I’ve tried it before and enjoyed it- just trying to switch it up. Anyway try it without the kale and find it still tasted good?
Hey Alex, So glad to hear this recipe is always enjoyed! Thanks for making it and your comment. You could totally omit the kale, spinach would also be a nice option. Happy Sunday! xx
Would it work to substitute orzo with cauliflower rice?
Hi Zoe! I haven’t ever tried this with cauliflower rice before so I can’t say for sure! Let me know if you give it a try! xT
Will fresh spinach leaves work as a substitute for kale?
Hi Cecily! You can definitely use spinach if you’d like! Hope you love the recipe! 🙂 xT
I love this recipe, made it earlier this week, and I have been making it weekly during the winter months for the last few years. I’d like to make it for my extended family, but it’ll have to be gluten-free. From what I’ve tried with gluten-free pasta and chickpea pasta, I don’t think they would hold up very well as replacements for the orzo. Do you have any suggestions for what I could replace the orzo with? If I try rice, do you have any advice for altering the recipe to allow the rice to cook through?
Hi Susannah,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad you have been enjoying it! I have never tested this recipe with rice, I’m assuming it would work for you, I just don’t have the exact instructions. Please let me know if you give it a try! xx
1331 calories per serving – that’s too much for a bowl of soup.
Hi Karen,
I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
I have made this several times now and every time I make I need to print out the recipe for whoever I have made it for. Absolutely delicious!
Hey Claire,
Amazing! So glad this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it so often and sharing with others! Have a wonderful weekend!💐
My daughters makes this soup all of the time and absolutely loves it. I’m wondering if you have ever tried to freeze it.
Thanks so much, Beth! Yes, you could definitely freeze this, I would just wait to add the orzo until it’s thawed. I hope this helps! xx
I have made this in the past (family fav). Your recipes are always reliable. I like the white bean lemon soup recipe too. I went in the kitchen and had all the ingredients for neither but most for both. I combined them. WOW, it was a big hit.
Hey Eileen,
Such a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing and trying both of the recipes:) Have the best week!
This was so delicious! Not too heavy but very filling. I used spinach instead of kale as they didn’t have any at the store & it was certainly a good substitute.
Thanks so much, Julie!! Love to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a try! xx
My all time favorite recipe of yours, we eat it regularly! Only modifications I usually make are to use 2x dried beans and halve the orzo. And yes, you’ll likely want to add extra broth to leftovers as the orzo will soak up liquid, no big deal.
Hey Lindsay,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks for making this recipe so often, so glad to hear it always turns out nicely for you!
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Hi Audrey,
So sorry, I have not tested that with this recipe. Here is one that you might enjoy:
https://fett-weg.today/crockpot-tuscan-white-bean-and-lemon-soup/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
this one was pretty good. I only put half the orzo recommended in (1 dry cup) and it came out much better than if I had used 2 dry cups (last time I tried a recipe using 2 dry cups of orzo I ended up filling up my cast iron dutch oven to the rim with orzo!
Hey Julie,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making this recipe, love to hear it was a hit! Have the best weekend:)