Zucchini Orzo Soup
User Reviews
5
Zucchini Orzo Soup
Description
Zucchini Orzo Soup starts by softening a mix of aromatic vegetables including onion, celery, and carrot in olive oil, then enriching the base with garlic, oregano, and concentrated tomato paste for depth. Adding low-sodium vegetable broth and canned diced tomatoes creates a light yet flavorful liquid. Orzo pasta cooks quickly in the broth, absorbing flavors while providing a delicate chew. Fresh zucchini slices cook until tender but retain slight firmness. Allowing the soup to rest lets the orzo swell and thicken the broth, offering a satisfying mouthfeel. Fresh basil leaves sprinkled on top add brightness and a slightly peppery finish. This soup delivers a balance of mild acidity from tomatoes and mellow sweetness from the root vegetables, with herbal undertones from oregano and basil. It works well as a light lunch or a starter to a main meal and can be seasoned to taste with additional salt if needed. The preparation involves straightforward stovetop cooking and a resting period to develop texture and flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped, medium
- 3 celery cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices, stalks
- 3 carrot halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
- 2 garlic finely chopped, cloves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups vegetable broth low-sodium
- 1 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes canned
- ½ cup orzo dry
- 2 zucchini halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
- ¼ cup basil fresh leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano and salt, and cook until the tomato paste is darkened and starting to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes.
- Bring to a boil, then add the orzo and simmer until almost tender, 5-6 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until the zucchini is tender and the orzo is fully cooked, 5 minutes more.
- Remove from heat and allow to rest until the orzo thickens, about 20 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary. Serve topped with fresh basil.
Notes
- Cut carrots and zucchini into uniformly sized pieces to ensure even cooking and prevent some pieces from becoming over or underdone.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 178 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 178kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Sodium | 643mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 774mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 5537IU | 111% |
| Vitamin C | 24mg | 27% |
| Calcium | 78mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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