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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. 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.
Very tasty soup. I halved the recipe (perfect for two) and added crumbled/browned Italian sausage. Will make again!
Hey May,
Happy Monday!! I truly appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it was enjoyed! xx
Is the calorie count on this actually correct?? 1331 PER SERVING?? Yikes! How’s that possible?
Hi Doris,
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
Just made this soup for dinn — heaven! I had the last minute thought to do some oven crisped prosciutto (something I learned from your fall harvest salad recipe) to top the soup and it was insane. Highly recommend!
Hey Lara,
I am so glad to hear that this recipe was tasty for you and appreciate you giving it a try! xxT
This was truly one of the tastiest recipes I’ve ever made! Can’t wait to make it again.
Hey Lindsay,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this dish and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week! xx
I have a question about the beans. Which type of white beans do you think would work best? Navy?
Cannellini?
Great Northern?
I’m trying to decide which to use when I make this for dinner tomorrow night with my soup group. Thanks!
Hey Kelli,
You can use any of those, that’s the great thing about this recipe! Let me know if you give it a try, I hope you love the soup! xTieghan
Thank you thank you thank you! I just made this today and it was ahhhhmazing and perfect for an easy Monday meal. This is going to be a staple in our house come fall/winter. ❤️
Hi Elise,
Amazing!! Thanks a lot for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was tasty for you! xT
Amazing!! I will be adding this to my regular recipes. I cooked 2 cups of rice on the side. Then I added it cooked to the tender shallot/garlic/ red pepper.
Used coconut milk. Unreal!!!
Hi Caitlin,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! xT
This soup is incredible! Even better the next day. It’s hearty and delicious ??. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us Tieghan.
Hi Lucy,
Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
So good!! The first time I made it, the orzo seemed to absorb all the liquid from the soup (still tasty but more of a pasta dish than a soup) so the next time I halved the orzo and that worked well for me. Looking forward to making again this fall!
Hi Melanie,
Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xT
Going to the store, but don’t know if I should do whole milk or the coconut milk! Do you have preference?
Hi Mary,
I like to use whole milk:) I hope you love the recipe!! xx
This has become a staple in our home. Quick, easy, delicious and filling! A perfect meatless weeknight dinner (+ leftovers for lunch!)
Hi Mikayla,
Happy Wednesday!? Thanks so much for making this recipe so often, I am so glad it is always enjoyed! xxT
Love this recipe! Just made it for the second time. Could this be served as a cold orzo salad in the summer?
Hey Kaela,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe:) I am so glad it was enjoyed! Hmmm, would you just skip the liquid? I’m not really sure the best way to do that. Here are some summer orzo recipes you might like:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/orzo-carbonara/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/brown-butter-corn-and-feta-orzo/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/lemon-herb-chicken-avocado-orzo-salad/
Hope you’re off to a great Monday! xxT
I made this today. I was home alone and I just wanted soup. I am gluten sensitive and I can’t find gluten free orzo, so I had some GF Barilla Rotini pasta. I put it in a plastic freezer bag and beat it with a rolling pin to get smaller pieces. This worked perfectly and my soup was great!
Hey Deborah,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for trying it out! I hope you had a great holiday weekend!?
Hi Deborah –
Banza makes a “rice” which ends up turning out similar to orzo and jovial makes a GF orzo. Both work better being cooked separately then added vs cooking according to the directions here. They make the soup gummy and bitter when cooked in the actual soup.
Thanks for sharing Taylor!!
Hi Deborah! I saw your comment and wanted to share that Jovial makes a GF cassava orzo. I’m about to try it out!
Sooo flavorful and delicious! My husband usually isn’t too picky, but didn’t seem excited when I told him I was making this… flash forward to dinnertime and he absolutely loved it! Making it for the second time tonight.
Hi Laura,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for your review:) Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xx
I have made this multiple times now and I love it. It just feels wholesome and satisfying and is super fast!
Hi Claire,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
Can’t wait to try this! What would you recommend using in place of kale? I have everything but the kale on hand.
Hi Megan,
Spinach would be great to use in place of the kale. I hope you love this recipe:) xT