Creamy White Bean Lemon Orzo Soup
Warm up with a bowl of comfort as you delve into the creamy richness of our White Bean Lemon Orzo Soup. This hearty blend of tender white beans, tangy lemon zest, and comforting orzo pasta offers a comforting embrace on chilly days or any day you need a little cozy meal, promising a deliciously nourishing experience that's both soothing + satisfying. Completely Vegetarian + Slow Cooker Option.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 151kcal
Ingredients
SOUP:
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (15 oz.) can organic white beans, drained and rinsed (See Post above for types of white beans)
- 1 ½ cups dried orzo
- 6 cups vegetable stock, organic
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, organic
- ½ cup chopped kale
- 1 lemon, freshly-squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
TO MAKE THE SOUP:
- In a medium-sized dutch oven pot over medium high-heat, add the olive oil and butter. Once heated and the butter has melted, add the chopped onions and garlic, sautéing until fragrant and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the white beans, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, stirring until combined. Add in the veggie stock, heavy cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, orzo, and chopped kale, stirring everything together until combined. Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the orzo pasta is tender and swells in size.
- NOTE: The soup will thicken as the pasta cooks, which is why you only need 1 ½ cups of orzo.
- Stir in the freshly-grated parmesan cheese until soups become creamy.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately into prepared bowl(s) and with a side of garlic bread or Naan bread, if desired.
- Bon Appétit!
Notes
- STORAGE: Leftovers can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, for optimal freshness. Can also be frozen for 4-6 months. To defrost, simply place soup in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature before re-heating on the stove top to serve.
- SLOW COOKER OPTION: To make this soup in the slow cooker, simply sauté garlic and onions before adding everything (excluding the heavy cream + parmesan) into your slow cooker and cooking on a low setting for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally---until all the orzo is tender and cooked through. In the final 30 minutes or so, add the heavy cream and parmesan, stirring to combine.
- OIL: If you'd like to use an alternative to olive oil, you can also use unsalted butter, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil.
- GREENS: Instead of kale, you can use spinach, collard greens, or bokchoy as substitutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 1624mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1325IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 0.4mg