20-Minute Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Soup Recipe With Spinach & Pesto by Donna John

When the first chill hits the air in fall, soups make a big appearance in my recipe rotation. I love Mediterranean flavors and soups that don't have to simmer all day on the stove. Enter this easy Mediterranean lemon orzo soup recipe that cooks in 15 minutes. The only prep is chopping some cherry tomatoes in half. Nice, right?

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this flavorful lemon orzo soup. Here is your short shopping list: orzo, olive oil, chicken or vegetable broth, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, milk, pesto, Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes (optional, but recommended). The soup cooks in one pot in about 15 minutes.

Serve this bright, refreshing soup for lunch or for dinner. I added some garlic toast and a salad on the side. This is one soup recipe you'll want to make again and again.

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links.

Cuisine: Mediterranean 
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups orzo (uncooked)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half 
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/2 cup whole milk, half and half or evaporated milk 
• 1/2 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Helpful Products

• Lemon Juicer
• Soup Pot
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Soup Bowls
• Salt and Pepper
• Airtight Containers
• Pepper Grinder
• Mesh Strainer

Recipe Notes

• Homemade pesto or a good-quality jarred pesto adds so much flavor to this soup.

• A simple way to add the lemon juice without getting seeds into the soup is to squeeze the lemon through a mesh strainer directly into the soup pot.
  

• You could add some shredded cooked chicken or shrimp to this recipe. If you do add a protein, I recommend reducing the orzo to 1 1/2 cups.

• To make this recipe vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

• Store any leftover soup in an airtight container for up to five days.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the uncooked orzo and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
   
2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for about 8 minutes or until the orzo is al dente.
   
3. Add the tomatoes and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
   
4. Add the lemon juice, milk, pesto and crushed red pepper flakes, to taste.
   
5. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
   
   

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 400

Total Fat: 15g

Saturated Fat: 3.3g

Cholesterol: 10mg

Sodium: 957mg

Total Carbohydrate: 49.4g

Dietary Fiber: 3.6g

Total Sugars: 7.3g

Protein: 17g

Vitamin D: 0mcg

Calcium: 165mg

Iron: 3mg

Potassium: 400mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily.