Lemon Orzo Soup

Let’s make lemon orzo soup! This recipe has quickly become a favorite in our house this winter, a new go-to dinner for busy weeknights. I love that it’s cozy enough to feel warming and satisfying on a cold day, but that it’s still healthy and fresh. A bright lemon broth surrounds tender orzo pasta, flavorful vegetables, and creamy white beans. A sprinkle of dill or parsley takes it over the top.

Like all the best weeknight dinners, this lemon orzo soup is easy to make. It comes together in one pot with simple ingredients and cooks up in about 30 minutes.

I hope this recipe is as big a hit in your house as it has been in ours. Even Ollie, my four-year-old, can’t get enough of it. He loves to help make it too. His favorite job is manning the pepper mill, which means that our soup is always very, very well peppered. 🙂 Hey, if he’s excited to eat vegetables, I’ll take it!

Lemon Orzo Soup Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this lemon orzo soup recipe:

Orzo, of course! Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta. Its quick cooking time makes it perfect for using in soups like this one!

Onion, garlic, carrots, and celery – These vegetables create the soup’s flavorful base.

Vegetable broth – Make homemade vegetable broth, or use store-bought.

Fresh thyme – It adds woodsy, earthy depth of flavor to the soup. Feel free to substitute dried thyme if you don’t have fresh on hand—1 teaspoon will do the trick.

Cannellini beans – Filled with fiber and protein, they make this soup a satisfying meal.

Fresh spinach – For an extra veggie punch. I love the silky texture of the leaves in this soup.

Fresh lemon juice – It adds bright, citrusy flavor to the broth.

Fresh parsley or dill – Optional, but recommended! They make this soup feel especially light and fresh.

Recipe Variations

I love this soup as written, but there are all sorts of ways you can change it up! Feel free to vary the ingredients based on what you’re craving or what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Replace the celery with fennel.

Use a leek instead of the onion.

Use rosemary or dried Italian seasoning instead of thyme.

Replace the spinach with kale or Swiss chard.

Substitute cooked lentils or other white beans for the cannellini beans.

Replace the orzo with another small pasta, like ditalini or small elbows, or even cooked rice.

How to Make Lemon Orzo Soup

This lemon orzo soup recipe is an easy one-pot meal. Here’s a quick overview of how it comes together:

Start by sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook until they soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic.

Next, simmer the soup. Add the orzo, beans, thyme, and broth and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the orzo is tender.

Something I love about this soup: As the orzo cooks in the soup, it releases starches into the broth. They thicken it slightly, giving it a really comforting, almost creamy texture. So good!

Finish the soup with the lemon juice and fresh spinach. Once the spinach wilts, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with fresh herbs!

Tip: For an extra-lemony soup, top your bowl with lemon zest too.

What to Serve with Lemon Orzo Soup

We often enjoy this soup for dinner on its own, with some crusty bread on the side for sopping up the lemony broth.

For a larger meal, pair it with a simple arugula salad or a green veggie like roasted green beans or roasted broccoli.

Storage Tips

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The orzo will absorb the broth as it sits in the fridge, so you’ll likely need to thin the soup with water when you reheat.