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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.
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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
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
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.
This is absolutely outstanding! It’s a chilly
day here and this is the best comfort food!
I added some rotisserie chicken for protein.
A perfect meal for a chilly day. Thank you again! You are so talented!
Hey Michele,
I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try!! xxT
Super delicious! Quick fast easy meal to make, all done in my instant pot. I substituted the kale for spinach and next time I would actually chop the garlic so there isn’t big chunks of garlic. A definite do again recipe, served with French bread *chefs kiss*
Hey Alysia,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
10/10 this was so flavorful and delicious! I pretty much exclusively make Teighan’s recipes at this point and this is now at the top of my list. The prep was so simple (usually this is not the case!) and I happened to have all of the main ingredients on hand. I did substitute orzo for risotto pasta and parmesean with another white cheese. So yummy!! Will definitely be making this again!
Hey Hannah,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Flavors are spot on. I ended up adding more lemon because the orzo soaked up the liquid so quickly! I should have added more broth from the get go. My daughter (9) loved it too!
Hey Kendall,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Great flavor and very filling. I had 6 cups of homemade turkey broth with bits of turkey meat in the freezer so that’s what I used. Also used spinach as that’s what I had on hand. Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Toni,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This was EXCELLENT!!! Made tonight for the family and everyone absolutely loved it?
Hi Jessica,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Delicious beyond your imagination! Full disclosure…. my husband wasn’t sure about it being meatless, so I added bacon. ? He just keeps filling his bowl Lol. Make it with or without bacon you won’t regret it! Fast and delicious.
Hi Teresa,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This was delicious. I used oat milk as that was all I had. It was perfect.
Hi Casey,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Amazing flavor!!! This has to be one of the best soup recipes I’ve ever had! I used spinach, Northern white beans and lite coconut milk as my substitutes. Next time I will just use one cup of Orzo.
Tieghan, well done ?
Hey Sara,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Delicious!! I used spinach instead of kale. It was quick and easy!!
Hey Samantha,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This soup was fast and delicious! I love the lemon and pesto flavor. I served it with my homemade focaccia bread, dinner was a big hit tonight!
Hey Lori,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This was AMAZING!! The only thing I changed was I only juiced 1/2 the lemon. Really great recipe. The boyfriend is still commenting how good it was. Thank you
Hey Victoria,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
So delicious & easy to make!
Hey Annie,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Super tasty and filling. I only used 1 cup of orzo and that was perfect.
Hey Tamar,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This is good. I questioned the 2 cups of orzo and it was really thick so I added more stock. When I make this again, I will add chopped basil instead of pesto. I love the lemon and coconut milk.
Hi Mary,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan