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.
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 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.
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.
Insanely good. Followed recipe almost exactly, subbed spinach for kale and added shredded chicken from stock carcass. Forgot to add milk but no one noticed (too busy eating). Threw in some hot, crusty rolls and, taadaa, supper! Thanks
Hey there,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
Loved this! My family thought it was too lemon-y so I’ll use less lemon juice and/or less lemon zest next time (I used a large lemon).
Oops! Forgot to add that I didn’t have orzo so I used rice instead. Still turned out delicious.
Hi Christy,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback! xx
Hi Tieghan! I need to make this vegan…can i use vegan butter and 1 cup of nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan?
Thank you, love your recipes, excited to try this!
Hi Nacia,
Sure, that will work well for you. I hope the recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Tieghan, I made this tonight and used 1 cup nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan and it was incredible – super easy and SO tasty! Appreciate your response and thanks again for your amazing recipes!
Hi Nacia,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
This recipe is simply delicious! Super comforting, filling, and so fast to make. I used a bit of heavy cream instead of milk (I didn’t have any!) and it still was so good! Thanks for sharing. Awesome job!
Hi Melina,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xxT
Made this for dinner last night — another big hit! The only change my family asked for was to add more lemon flavor, which was easy to do because I had some lemon juice in the fridge. I added an additional 2 tablespoons of juice. An easy, quick and flavorful weeknight dish! Thanks again!
Hey Renee,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing your review!? xT
Omg tieghan this recipe is so good and came together so fast. Thank you for sharing this with us ❤️
Hi Esther,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I am so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing your review!? xT
Delicious! Didn’t have kale so used fresh spinach added at very end with the pesto etc, was great!! Thank you!
Hi Ellie,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving it a try!! Have the best day:) xx
Hey, was just wondering if I could substitute the orzo for Israeli couscous that I have on hand?
Hey Natasha,
Yes, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This recipe was so easy and so delicious! Definitely makes alot, so we will be taking leftovers for lunch. Very tasty on a cold day.
Hi Sami,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! Even my husband who says he doesn’t like soup kept saying how good it was. Will definitely be making this a lot.
Hi Lana,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
I made this soup and it was delicious. I was surprised at how much I liked it. Definitely going to work it into the weekly routine.
Hi Quincy,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
We loved this! Our daughter has a coconut allergy so we subbed oat milk for the coconut milk and it still came out so delicious! Never would have thought to put pesto in soup but that’s exactly why I always come back to your recipes 🙂 ty!
Hi Sarah,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I am making this soup as I send this review. I did a quick taste for seasoning & had to control myself from doing more tasting. I love the suggestion of Sundried Pesto. I have some Sundried Tomatoes I am going to add. I believe this is a winner & will be a hit for my Lunch quest today.
Hi Debbie,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xxT
This was incredibly delicious; a new comfort food for me! Thanks for posting!
Hey Alison,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I love this recipe! I doubled it and added chicken. Can I freeze it after it is cooked?
Hey Louann,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Sure, that will work well for you. ?xTieghan
Great soup. My family decided to rename it Shrek soup. Going to add to our soup rotation. We love soups. Thanks for sharing.
Hey Amanda,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xx
Made the soup for lunch – it was great!
Halved the recipe and substituted sun dried tomato pesto
I had in my pantry
Hey Nancy,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for trying it out!! xx