Description
This Summery Orzo Soup is a vibrant and hearty Mediterranean-inspired dish that combines fragrant garlic, caramelized tomato purée, roasted vegetables, and tender orzo pasta in a flavorful vegetable stock. Finished with a fresh and tangy feta, olive, parsley, and lemon zest topping, this soup is perfect for a light yet satisfying meal on warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 350g roasted vegetables (such as bell peppers, courgettes, aubergines)
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 200g orzo
- 200g can sweetcorn, drained
Topping
- 100g feta cheese
- 75g pitted green olives, roughly chopped
- Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Garlic: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the crushed garlic cloves for 2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Add Tomato Purée and Seasonings: Stir in the tomato purée, dried oregano, and a pinch of sugar. Reduce the heat if necessary and cook for 4-5 minutes more until the tomato purée caramelizes and darkens in color, infusing rich flavor.
- Add Vegetables, Stock, and Orzo: Add the roasted vegetables, vegetable stock, orzo, and drained sweetcorn to the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Soup: Let the soup simmer for 8-10 minutes until the orzo is just al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Feta and Olive Topping: While the soup simmers, combine the crumbled feta, chopped green olives, finely chopped parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Serve the soup hot, scattering the feta and olive mixture over the top for a fresh, tangy finish.
Notes
- You can roast your own vegetables using a mix of bell peppers, courgettes, aubergines, and red onion drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.
- If you prefer a richer soup, add a splash of cream or coconut milk at the end before serving.
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute the feta with a plant-based cheese alternative or omit it completely.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Orzo tends to absorb liquid over time so you may need to add extra stock or water when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: orzo soup, Mediterranean soup, summer soup, vegetarian soup, feta soup, roasted vegetable soup, easy stovetop recipe
