Pesto Orzo White Bean Soup

4.67 from 6 votes

This soup is so comforting, but not too heavy. It's full of veggies, orzo, and some delicious flavorful pesto mixed in right at the end. Enjoy with some crusty bread!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Arugula, One Pot, Orzo, Soup

Servings:

Author: Carolyn Stilwell

Equipment

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Fennel dice the bulb; reserve the fennel fronds to garnish
Kosher Salt to taste
1 Shallot thinly sliced
4 cloves Garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes optional; adjust to taste
5 cups Chicken Broth or broth of choice
1 can White Beans I used a 15.5 oz can of Great Northern Beans; drained and rinsed
teaspoon Black Pepper to taste
3/4 cup Orzo Pasta uncooked
1/2 Lemon additional to serve
1/2 cup Basil Pesto homemade or store bought
3 cups Arugula can also use spinach or kale
Parmesan Cheese freshly grated to serve

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a Dutch Oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the diced fennel bulb and cook for 5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the shallot, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
Pour in the broth, drained/rinsed white beans, and season to taste with black pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the uncooked orzo. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat to low. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the basil pesto. Stir to combine. Finally, add the arugula and stir to combine. The arugula should wilt right away.
Serve immediatly. Top with fennel fronds, additional lemon juice, and parmesan cheese as desired.

Video

@carolbeecooks
Next recipe in my Fall Soup Series will be this Pesto Orzo White Bean Soup 🤍 so comforting on a cold day! #soup #souptok #orzo #pesto
♬ original sound - Carolyn | Easy Recipes

Nutrition