Tomato Orzo Soup (Easy)
Tomato soup is a comfort food essential -- especially this one, adapted from Ina Garten. The tomato soup base gets a simple, elegant upgrade thanks to the addition of saffron, while orzo pasta adds a bit of satisfying texture and bulk.
Servings: 4 to 6 people
Calories: 849kcal
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups yellow onions (about 2 onions), diced small
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quart unsalted chicken stock
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 12 turns fresh-cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- croutons, for serving
For the Croutons
- 4 or 5 ounce hunk of day-old crusty bread
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- generous pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Soup
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat until translucent and caramel brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching. Add a tablespoon of water as necessary to prevent uneven browning. Tip: Now is a good time to make the croutons.
- Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook, stirring, for one minute more.
- Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock, saffron threads, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orzo until very al dente, about 6 or 7 minutes. The orzo should be undercooked. Drain the orzo and add to the soup.
- Stir the cream into the soup. Return to a simmer and cook for 10 more minutes. Taste for seasoning, and serve with croutons.
For the Croutons
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut or tear the bread into cubes. Toss with the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt, and roast on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Set aside to cool to room temperature.Tip: If the bread is fresh, it may need to cook a little longer to dry out.
Notes
Ingredient substitutions and notes
I (and Ina) recommend crushed tomatoes, because I like a little chunkiness. But if you like a smooth, velvety tomato soup, substitute a 28-ounce can of tomato sauce, and grate your onion instead of dicing it. Alternatively, you can blend the finished soup (pre-orzo!) with an immersion blender -- which I consider an essential kitchen tool. I like Bamix. Don't love orzo? You can substitute other small, soup-friendly pasta shapes of similar size, such as elbows, small shells, or ditalini. Undercook the orzo shy of al dente. The pasta will finish cooking in the soup. If orzo absorbs too much liquid, they start to resemble tiny, overly-soft blimps, so you want to keep a little texture.Storage and Freezing
This soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container, and freezes well. If you would like to freeze the soup, try to do so without the orzo. Thawed, reheated pasta tends to get gummy and absorb too much of the soup; it's better to add the pasta before serving.Nutrition
Calories: 849kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 2334mg | Potassium: 643mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 449IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.
