Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup
My Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup is one of those bowls of sunshine that tastes like summer. There’s just something about that ziiiiing when you take that first bite and your eyes open a little wider and then you have the comfort from the broth. It’s truly a delight to enjoy no matter the time of year.
Now, when I first started making this soup, I was thinking of a soup like “Chicken Noodle” minus the chicken obviously, with a good ol’ mirepoix base. And then as it started coming together, I thought, “Oooohhhh some cream would go really nicely in this”….and then the lemon came to mind….and then I decided to throw in a little spinach. I will have to remember this soup, if I’m ever feeling under the weather. It’s the perfect feel good pick me up type of soup. And I imagine it will also be great for nursing a cold by adding a little turmeric to it and leaving out any dairy products.
To make this soup a little heartier, feel free to add in some cooked white beans or chickpeas and adjust the broth/liquid as needed.
Looking for other great soups and stews? Give these delicious recipes a try!
- White Bean and Kale Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash and Gnocchi Soup
- Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
- Creamy Mac and Cheese with Broccoli Soup
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Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope that you enjoy my Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup. The full printable recipe is below. Enjoy!
Get the Recipe: Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup
Ingredients
- a good drizzle of olive oil, extra-virgin
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- a pinch red chili flakes, optional
- 6 cups vegetable broth, or more if needed
- ½ heaping cup orzo, dried pasta
- 1 cup half and half, can be substituted with a non-dairy creamer such as unsweetened coconut milk to make this soup vegan
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 medium lemon , a bit of zest and juice
Optional Toppings:
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- fresh herbs would also be nice
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven
Instructions
- Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add in the
- Add in carrots, onion, celery, and saute until the vegetables start to soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and red chili flakes, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in vegetable broth and bring soup to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the orzo and boil just until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Once settled, stir in the half and half and add in salt and pepper to your liking. Add in the spinach and simmer just until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and zest in a bit of your lemon and a give a few squeezes of lemon juice and stir that in.
- Ladle soup into your bowls and garnish with Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
Won't the lemon and half and half curdle?
I haven't experienced any problems with curdling with this soup. It seems to hold together really well. Maybe because it was only a little bit of lemon juice and half and half vs veggie broth. Not sure.
I found this on Real Simple Instagram and obsess with it! Made it last week and made it again tonight for meatless Monday. Thanks for the quick and easy recipe!
Aww…Thanks so much Iris! That makes me happy! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Really easy soup to make. I used the coconut milk and I have to say that the coconut milk took it to a different level of amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! So happy that you enjoyed it! I use Coconut Milk a lot in dishes so I'm sure it tasted amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!
That makes me so happy Lesley! And you've got a Lemon Tree?!? That's awesome! Thanks so much for sharing and glad your husband enjoyed it. My other half enjoyed it as well. 🙂
I made this tasty and easy soup for lunch. A big hit with my husband…he loves this soup. We have tons of lemons on our tree this year.
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I made this soup and LOVED it!!!!! I’ve already sent the recipe to three people!
Awww! Well that makes me so happy! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing! 🙂 <3
I really liked this soup! Love the lemon flavour and added white cannellini beans for more filling heartiness. This will be a staple for me for sure
Aww…well thank you. So glad you liked it! The additions of beans sounds like an awesome idea! I will definitely have to give that a try! Thanks again! 🙂
I stumbled upon Supper with Michelle on Instagram. What a beautiful, vibrant, lovely account! I am a soup person so I started following her and kept scrolling! Bam! I saw this lemon orzo soup! I substituted and added couple things based on what I have in my pantry. Tried coconut milk instead of half and half, grated carrots instead of slicing, and added some chicken for extra protein! My goodness! If you love zesty, creamy, hearty soup, this is your recipe! I suggested this soup to a handful of people as well. Ahhh! So good!
Aww! Wonderful!!! Love what you did! You made it your own!! Thanks you so much for sharing and for stopping by and glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely amazing! I added chicken to mine. The red chili flakes added a pop of flavor and the right amount of heat. Yummy on this cold Atlanta day! Michelle your recipes are so easy and delicious!
Wonderful! Sounds like you added your special touch to it and I love that! Thank you Anika and neighbor!! 🙂
I love this soup so much!! It’s become a new staple in my household. So nurturing and delicious. Thank you Michelle!
Hi again Willa! Aww…I love this one as well. And elated that you’ve made it your own by welcoming it into your home! Thank you Willa!!!
This soup is really tasty! I enjoyed the flavor and it was perfect for a dinner on a cold day. I’m really digging spinach in my soups lately! I would definitely recommend using the red pepper flakes. It gives the soup a nice kick. I added extra carrots and celery because that’s just how I like my soups!
Hi Amy! Wonderful!!! Love your additions!! Thanks again!! 🙂
This soup is amazing. We’ve made it quite a few times and each time I’m saying “I could literally make this every week.” Everything we’ve made from Supper with Michelle has been great!
Aww! That makes me so happy Christina! Thank you so much!!!
This recipe is perfection as is!! Wonderful addition with orzo!!
Warmed my tummy and I plan to share it with love.
Thanks so much Christina! Happy you enjoyed it!
Made the soup for dinner yesterday and it was so delicious. I added coconut milk instead of half and half and added one can of garbanzo’s for protein and added fresh thyme which I had in the fridge. Squeezed extra lemon and chili oil on top😋 Thank you so much sharing the recipe.
Hi there! Oh wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
This soup is so vibrant and delicious, it tastes like summer. Subbed coconut milk because that’s what I had on hand, and it came out perfectly!
Love your substitution. Sounds absolutely delicious!! Thank you!
This was a great recipe. I followed one post and added a can of white beans,
.
Wonderfuly Judy!! Love your addition! Thank you for giving the recipe a try!
Hi Michelle,
With the half and half, do you know if this soup freezes well? Thanks in advance!
Hi Lex! Unfortunately, I have not tried freezing this before.
I make this soup weekly! It reminds me of warm summer days and that spring is coming. Our toddler also loves this soup and enjoys slurping the orzo. The flavors are so lovely and balanced! Truly a taste of summer all year long!
Oh wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it!
I cannot get enough of this soup. It’s super versatile. I often throw in whatever veggies or broth I have around the house. Always comes out great.
Hi Michelle! So happy to hear that!! Thank you for making it your own! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Another home run! I didn’t have orzo so I used penne and I’m super happy with how it came out.
Hi Liz! Oh wonderful! Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!!
Sooo yummy!! Used coconut milk and added some extra lemon juice! Love this and will definitely be making it all the time!
Hi Sam! Oh wonderful!! Thank you for giving the recipe a try!
I love this soup! I made it exactly as written, and took the suggestion to add white beans. My new FAVORITE soup!! I’ve tried other recipes and couldn’t get it quite right…but this recipe is perfect for my tastes (I changed the servings to 8, so it upped everything…I zested and squeezed 2 lemons, but instead of adding it all, I added a little at a time and taste tested until it was the “lemon-ness” I wanted, ended up with about 1 zested and squeezed lemon). Thanks Michelle!! Even my picky seven year old loved it. When she took her first bite, her eyes lit up! What a fabulous feeling 💓 thanks again!
Hi Lori!! Oh wonderful!!! So happy that you were able to make this soup your own! And happy that your family enjoyed it as well!! Yaay!