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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. Itโs warm and creamy, swirled with basil pesto, and finished with parmesan and a pinch of black pepper. Doesnโt get simpler or more delicious.
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Sometimes itโs the simplest of recipes that really do turn out the most delicious. And thatโs definitely the case with todayโs recipe. Itโs perfect for this time of year when weโre still craving comfort food on these cold winter days, but also wanting something lighter. It also makes for a nice Valentineโs 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, itโs delicious.
When my sister-in-law Lyndsie was in town over Christmas, she pretty much begged for a white bean soup. Itโs one of her favorites and she said I never make anything with beans, which isnโt a lie. The family thatโs 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 Iโm 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.
Thatโs 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.
Itโs different, but so, so good. And who couldnโt love such an easy Monday recipe? Especially after the Super Bowl. I feel like we need this today! Happy Valentineโs day!
Looking for other quick recipes? Here are my favorites:ย
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, donโt 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
Ingredientsย
- 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
Instructionsย
- 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.ย 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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Good soup! Will make again. I used less orzo and added shredded chicken. Is this really 1300 calories per serving?
Hey Whitney,
Happy Friday! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your thoughts, so happy it worked for you!
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. Itโs not something weโd prefer to be using. We are required to. Iโm sorry for the trouble, we do our best!
This is my absolute favorite, love to make for company. It calls my name on those cool fall days. Lunch or dinner. So much flavor and pretty simple to make
Hey Arlene,
Happy Sunday!! I am so glad to hear this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks for choosing to make it!
Love!! This. I made a vegan version and my husband who is not Vega, still loved it. Thank you
Hey Kim,
Wonderful! Iโm so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for choosing to making it!
I think this soup has great potential but the lemon flavor was so overpowering, I couldnโt taste anything else. I used the โjuice and zest of one lemonโ as the recipe calls for but next time I think I would just add a much smaller amount for a hint of lemon. Maybe the lemon I used was just too large and had too much juice or something?
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear about the lemon, next time you could absolutely reduce it.
The flavor profile is delicious; however, it is way too much orzo to call it soup. I would use half the amount of Orzo next time. I also added some rotisserie chicken meat and it was a great dinner with a side salad.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear you will make it again!
I need to make this gluten free this time (Loved it the first time I made it !!)
Any ideas?
Hey Gail,
Happy Monday!! Love to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it and taking the time to comment!
You could use a gluten free orzo, that will work nicely for you!
10/10
Hey Isabela,
Love to hear this! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and taking the time to comment!
I have made this loads of times, and usually wind up sharing the recipe because it’s requested. So easy if you use pre-made pesto!!
Thanks so much, Pam! I love to hear this recipe is always enjoyed and thanks for sharing with others!
This so delicious but we eat it as a side dish as I let the orzo absorb most of the liquid and it is so yummy!
Hey Maria,
Wonderful! I appreciate you making this recipe and taking the time to comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
Have a great weekend!