Creamy Lemon Orzo Soup

A twist on Greek Lemon Rice soup. Lemony, creamy and full flavoured. I shared this soup with the lovely ladies that I work with. A special treat, a reward for all the hard work that they do. I doubled the recipe and heated it in a slow cooker on low for about four hours. It was perfectly heated for lunch time and hit the spot, bang on.

As with so many recipes, this one starts with carrots, celery and onions. Dice the veggies and cook them in a bit of canola oil. Add some salt and pepper and simmer on medium low for five or ten minutes or until the veggies are tender.

Add the minced garlic and stir a bit.

Add the chicken stock and oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the veggies are very tender.

When the veggies are nice and tender, I like to blend the soup a bit with an immersion blender. You don't have to do this, but I like the consistency and texture that blending creates.

Add the orzo. Simmer on medium low heat, string often, until the pasta is cooked though.

Add the lemon juice and zest. Taste to see if it needs more salt.

Last step, add the cream. Great, full flavoured, comforting soup.

Watch me make it on You Tube

Creamy Lemon Orzo Soup

Serves 4-6. Doubles well.

1 large onion, diced
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup orzo noodles
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice from one lemon
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, sauté onions, celery, carrots salt and pepper in canola oil over medium low heat until softened, about 10 minutes.

 Add garlic to pot and cook for a few minutes.

Add chicken stock and oregano to pot, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. I like to blend the soup with an immersion blender, just a bit, to break the veggies into smaller bits.

Add the orzo noodles at this point. Cook mixture over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.  Stir them often as they like to sink to the bottom of the pot and stick.

Add the zest, lemon juice and whipping cream. Mix well and serve.

Orzo Soup

Just a few ingredients can make an awesome meal. Wholesome and satisfying, your family's gonna love it.
Chop the carrots, celery and onion. Sauté in the oil for about 5 min. Add the garlic. Sauté for a few more minutes.

Add tomatoes, stock and herbs. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer fro 20-30 minutes.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add pasta and cook uncovered, stirring often until the noodles are tender.
Watch me make it on youtube.

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery, chopped
• 1 28oz can tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup orzo noodles

Saute onion, carrots and celery in oil until onions are translucent. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender. Add noodles and simmer on low until pasta is tender.