Hearty Beef And Orzo Soup (Printable)
Tender beef and orzo pasta with fresh garden vegetables in a rich, savory broth—perfect for cozy meals.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tablespoons 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 into 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) 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 tablespoon tomato paste
→ Spices & Herbs
16 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
17 - 1 teaspoon 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:
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.
03 - Stir in red bell pepper, zucchini, and green beans. Cook for another 3 minutes to begin softening.
04 - Return beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, beef broth, water, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until beef and vegetables are tender.
06 - Add orzo pasta and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until pasta is al dente.
07 - Stir in fresh spinach leaves and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard bay leaves.
08 - Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The orzo pasta absorbs all that beef broth flavor while keeping its perfect texture, turning every spoonful into something surprisingly satisfying
- My husband who claims to hate soup went back for thirds the first time I made this, then asked when were having it again
02 -
- The orzo will continue absorbing liquid and softening as it sits, so if meal prepping, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it when reheating
- I once forgot to trim the excess fat from the beef before searing and ended up with an oily slick on top, so take those extra two minutes to trim your meat well
03 -
- Give your pot a quick scrape with a wooden spoon after searing the beef to incorporate all those flavorful browned bits into the vegetable base
- If the broth seems too thick after adding the orzo, splash in some extra water rather than letting it reduce further