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 risotto. 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.
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 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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I made this and it was a hit! Yum! Thanks for an awesome recipe 🙂
Our whole family loves this recipe, including our kids (3 & 5 y/o)! My husband especially loves what the lemon zest does for this dish so he always has me add more :). As for myself, I now have a new found love for orzo!
We made a big batch for our annual Christmas party and everyone loved it as well. We make this pretty regularly and have officially added it to our family recipe book now. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you sooo much Tanya! Love to hear that! xT
This soup. Let me just tell you that it is fabulous ❤️
I can’t wait to make it for everyone I know
I’m not lyin
Thank you so so much! xT
Wow this soup is amazing! Very easy to make. I subbed spinach for kale. Also used half & half instead of whole milk. Only used 1 cup dry orzo and it was perfect amount. This was delicious, and I will definitely be making this again. Thanks Tieghan!
Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! I really hope you loved it! 🙂
A delicious fall soup, I love the tanginess the lemon adds (I put double in 😉 I also added carrots, and replaced the kale with chard. Turned out wonderfully and excited to add this to my rotating soup recipes! Great recipe Tieghan!
Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂 xT
So good! I added some turkey meatballs and homemade croutons!
Thank you so much Colby! xT
Great! I def 2 chopped zucchini to the shallot sauté (and extra oil) and this turned out very delicious. Bc I had so much veggie I did 1.5 cups orzo and it turned out so great. Lots of compliments.
Thank you for giving this recipe a try! So happy to hear you enjoyed it! xT
Thank you for sharing this recipe. This was delicious. This was simple and full of flavor. Absolutely loved it.
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Have a great day! xT
Are there really 1,331 calories per serving??!!?? It looks delicious, but yikes.
Hi! I was also curious if this calorie count per serving was accurate? Thanks!
I’m wondering the same, how is this possible?