Name: Lemon Orzo Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil; 1 onion - chopped; 3 thin carrots- sliced; 1 garlic clove - diced; 2 cups vegetable broth; 2 cups of water; 1 cup orzo pasta; 1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt; 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 2 handfuls of baby spinach; 2 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Jump to Recipe

Our Lemon Orzo Soup features veggies, baby spinach, and orzo pasta along with a delightful lemon flavor. The simplicity of our lemon orzo soup is what makes it special. It’s easy to make and very tasty! Best of all, it is ready in 20 minutes.

A spoonful of lemon orzo soup over a white bowl.

Tell Us About This Lemon Orzo Soup

This Lemon Orzo Soup is an ideal soup for family and friends. It is not only colorful and flavorful, it’s very satisfying too. It offers a lovely scent of lemon in every spoonful. The tender orzo pasta along with sliced carrots gives this soup an upgrade to texture and flavor. Everyone in your family will enjoy this lemon orzo soup as much as we do. You can serve it with some crusty bread, and a green salad as a side for a complete meal.

Best of all, this soup will make a great starter if your entertaining guests. You can easily prep the soup in the morning, but “hold the orzo.” Keep it covered. Then, when your guests are ready to sit at the table, you can easily bring the soup to a full boil, toss in the orzo, simmer and serve when orzo is al-dente.

We enjoy switching things up when making soups, and this lemon orzo soup is one of them. If you love Italian favorites, then try our classic Easy Pasta Fagioli, and Classic Italian Minestrone Soup. And, don’t miss our Tuscan Swiss Chard and Beans Soup.

What is Orzo?

Italian pasta called orzo is a small pasta (also known as risoni) and it is shaped like a large grain of rice. We love it because orzo pasta is traditionally made with semolina, a type of flour made from durum wheat.

They are sold in every supermarket. But, Trader Joe’s sells packages of Italian Orzo Pasta (a product of Italy) for the best price: $1.00 per package. (…you can’t beat that!) 😉

A closeup photo of spoonful of orzo, spinach and carrots soup over a white bowl.

Ingredients You Will Need:

For this Lemon Orzo Soup recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

Extra virgin olive oil
Onion
Carrots
Garlic clove
Vegetable broth
Water
Orzo pasta
Salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
Baby spinach
Lemons
Grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make This Lemon Orzo Soup?

If this is your first time to making our lemon orzo soup, no worries, it is very easy and straightforward. First, gather all your ingredients. Plus, our full printable recipe card is located at the bottom. But first, let’s run through these steps so you can understand what’s involved before you start.

1. This recipe starts with sautéing onion, garlic, and carrots for 2 minutes.

2. Next, pour in all the liquid, both water, and broth, and bring it to a boil. Toss in orzo pasta, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes.

3. Simmer the soup until the orzo pasta is al-dente.

4. Finally, toss in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach and simmer until it wilts. Stir in lemon juice and cheese and the soup is ready to serve!

*PRO’s TIP: The longer the soup sits and waits to be served – keep in mind, that the orzo pasta will continue to cook and absorb most of the liquid.

A soup ladle filled with lemon orzo soup in a pot.

FAQ’s

Can we use chicken broth? Yes, if you prefer, you can use chicken broth.
Can we toss in additional spinach? Absolutely! You can toss in more spinach to your preference.
Need it to be Vegan? Omit the grated cheese at the end.
Add additional lemon juice? This is optional, and only if you prefer a punch more of lemon juice.
Can we make it Gluten-Free? Yes, just look for your favorite GF orzo pasta.
How to store this soup? Simply allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an air-tight container, and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Can we freeze this soup? Yes, it freezes well, but only up to 1 month.
How to thaw if frozen? Thaw the soup overnight in your refrigerator. Then transfer to a pot and slowly reheat it on “low heat” on stove top.

A white bowl filled with orzo soup, with veggies.

A Delicious First Course…

Your family will love this easy lemon orzo soup!

This is such a flavorful dish and one you’ll enjoy making over and over again. The flavor of lemon is mild, not overpowering, giving this soup a lovely lemon scent. It’s delicious!

Try it and ENJOY!

Hi friends! Are you cooking with us? If you make our Lemon Orzo Soup, we’d love to know how it turned out! Please let us know by leaving a review and a star rating below. Hashtag it on Instagram @2sistersrecipes, or Pinterest. We’d love to share your photos with the world!

More Italian Soup Recipes!

Lemon Orzo Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Lemon Orzo Soup features veggies and baby spinach along with a delightful lemon flavor. The simplicity of our lemon orzo soup is what makes it special. Quick, easy and very tasty.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
1 onion - chopped
3 thin carrots- sliced
1 garlic clove - diced
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups of water
1 cup orzo pasta
1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 handfuls of baby spinach
2 Tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a soup pot, heat olive oil and saute chopped onion, carrots, and garlic for two minutes, until softened.
Pour in vegetable broth and water.
Bring to a boil, and add in orzo pasta, salt, and crushed red pepper. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer the soup until orzo pasta is al-dente, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in baby spinach and lemon juice. Simmer for an additional minute. Turn off the heat. NOTE: here is where you stir in parmesan cheese. Then taste the soup, and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
Serve in soup bowls with additional grated cheese at the table.
yields: 4 servings

Notes

If you need more servings, you can easily double the ingredients.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 servings Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 8.7gCarbohydrates: 41.1gFiber: 3.6gSugar: 5.2gProtein: 9.3g

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 🙂

thanks for stopping by…

xo anna and liz

Welcome! From Anna and Liz

We believe the kitchen is the center and the heart of the home. It is where we cook, eat, and unwind with family and friends, creating memorable traditions! Read more…

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