Easy Orzo and Vegetable Soup

For me, November heralds in soup season.  Overcast skies, crisp temperatures, and gusty winds have me longing some something warm and comforting.  Imagine settling down in front of a fireplace with a bowl of wonderful flavors?  What could be better?  Well… how about having soup ready to eat in an hour from start to finish?

This orzo and vegetable soup is my grownup version of alphabet soup.  In this recipe, my childhood canned soup is reinvented using fresh vegetables, rice-shaped pasta, and significantly less salt.  Plus the flavor will have you kicking your can habit.

Easy Orzo and Vegetable Soup

• 3 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 C. onion, diced
• 2 large celery stalks, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced into coins
• 8 oz. of fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 3 – 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 C. of vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 oz. of orzo
• 2 heaping  Tbl. flour
• 2/3 C. milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Place a large pot over medium heat and add the oil.  Once the oil is heated, stir in onion and saute until translucent.  Add celery, carrots, mushrooms, jalapeño, and garlic.  Continue to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring to prevent vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Add the vegetable stock stock and bay leaves.  Raise the heat to bring the stock to a boil.  Add the orzo and give a good stir so orzo does not stick together.  Lower the heat slightly and cook until the orzo is done (about 12 – 14 minutes).  Reduce the heat to a simmer, remove the bay leaves, and take the lid off of the pot.

Meanwhile, put flour and milk in a small bowl.  Whisk to combine thoroughly, eliminating any lumps.  Slowly add this mixture to to the stock pot, whisking the soup to prevent lumps from forming in the stock pot.  Allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste the soup.  If there is a slight flour taste, cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove pot from heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve while hot.

If you have never purchased orzo, you can find it in the pasta section of the grocery store.  It is in a small box compared to the other pastas.  Look beyond the spaghetti, elbow macaroni, and lasagna.  This little pasta makes a big impact.

Try my urban homestead version of a childhood classic.  This easy orzo and vegetable soup may indeed have you kicking your can habit and your children saying, “ummm….. good”.