Hearty Beef And Orzo Soup (Printable Version)
Comforting soup with tender beef, orzo pasta, and fresh garden vegetables in savory broth.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 zucchini, diced
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
11 - 4 cups beef broth
12 - 4 cups water
13 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
→ Pasta & Pantry
14 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta
15 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
→ Spices & Herbs
16 - 1 tsp dried thyme
17 - 1 tsp dried oregano
18 - 2 bay leaves
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef stew meat and sear on all sides until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Remove beef from pot and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and become fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced red bell pepper, diced zucchini, and cut green beans. Cook for another 3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables.
04 - Return browned beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, beef broth, water, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients and dissolve tomato paste.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes, or until beef and vegetables are tender.
06 - Stir in orzo pasta and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until orzo is cooked al dente.
07 - Add fresh spinach leaves and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.
08 - Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top as garnish. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Its a complete meal in one bowl with tender beef, satisfying pasta, and a whole garden of vegetables
- The broth gets incredibly rich from the beef bones and tomato paste, making each spoonful better than the last
- It makes the house smell amazing and yields enough for dinner tonight plus lunches all week
02 -
- The orzo will continue absorbing liquid as it sits, so if youre meal prepping or planning leftovers, you might want to cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl
- Resist the urge to rush the initial beef sear—those browned bits on the bottom of the pot are what give the soup its deep flavor
- This soup actually tastes better the next day, so make it ahead if you can and let the flavors meld overnight
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables into similar sizes so they cook evenly and you get a bit of everything in each spoonful
- Taste your broth before adding salt—between the beef broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste, it might already be perfectly seasoned