Three Bean Orzo Soup

Three bean orzo soup is a Mediterranean-style one-pot soup of red kidney beans, pinto or borlotti beans, cannellini beans, orzo, sliced cremini mushrooms, carrots and cut green beans in a tomato broth finished with olive oil, lemon and parsley. Everything cooks in one pot, and the orzo simmers right in the broth. This soup sits well with Tuscan white bean soup and hearty lentil soup.

Why You’ll Love This Three Bean Orzo Soup

• One pot: the vegetables, beans, tomatoes and orzo all cook in the same pot, so you do not need a second pot for the pasta.
• A Mediterranean-style bowl: olive oil, beans, vegetables, herbs and a squeeze of lemon are the backbone of the soup.
• Three kinds of beans: kidney, pinto or borlotti, and cannellini give the broth a mix of color and texture in every spoonful.
• Weeknight timing: once the vegetables have softened, the orzo cooks in the simmering broth in about 25 minutes.

What Is Three Bean Orzo Soup?

Three bean orzo soup is a tomato-broth vegetable soup packed with orzo, mushrooms, carrots, green beans and three kinds of canned beans. It is cooked as a one-pot soup, not a skillet of Mediterranean orzo and beans, starting with olive oil and finished with lemon and parsley. The orzo cooks in the pot and soaks up some of the broth as it turns tender. Store leftovers in the refrigerator; see this FDA guide to storing food safely.

Ingredients for Three Bean Orzo Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, diced (optional)
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup cut green beans
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup dry orzo
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Ingredient Notes

This is a classic one-pot version written around a tomato-orange broth with orzo, three beans, mushrooms, carrots and green beans. All ingredients are generic, with no brand names. Celery is optional.

• Olive oil, onion and garlic: 2 tablespoons of olive oil start the pot, with 1 diced onion and 2 minced cloves of garlic.
• Carrots, celery and mushrooms: 2 medium carrots, sliced into coins, and 8 oz of sliced cremini mushrooms go in with the onion. 1 diced celery stalk is optional.
• Green beans: 1 cup, cut into short pieces, fresh or frozen. They go in with the beans so they stay a little crisp-tender.
• Tomato paste and diced tomatoes: 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 1 can (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes give the broth its tomato-orange color.
• Vegetable broth: 6 cups. A plain vegetable broth keeps the soup meatless. Add a splash more broth at the end if the orzo has thickened the pot.
• Three beans: 1 can each of red kidney beans, pinto or borlotti beans, and cannellini beans, all drained and rinsed. This is the mix in the bowl: a dark red bean, a tan bean and a pale bean in the same bowl.
• Orzo: 1 cup dry. Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta that cooks in the broth in about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Italian herbs, salt and black pepper: 1 teaspoon of dried Italian herbs, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper season the broth. Taste at the end, because some broths already carry salt.
• Lemon juice and parsley: 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley go in off the heat.

How to Make Three Bean Orzo Soup

1. Soften the onion: heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, and the celery if you are using it, and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, carrots and mushrooms: stir in the garlic, sliced carrots and sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Build the broth: stir in the tomato paste until the vegetables are coated. Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, Italian herbs, salt and black pepper. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer.
4. Add the green beans and beans: stir in the cut green beans and the three cans of drained, rinsed beans.
5. Cook the orzo: add the 1 cup of dry orzo. Simmer, stirring now and then so the pasta does not stick to the bottom, until the orzo is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Finish: take the pot off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste the three bean orzo soup and adjust the salt and pepper. If the soup is thicker than you like, loosen it with a splash of broth, then serve it hot.

Hands-on time is about 20 minutes, and cook time is about 25 minutes, for a total of 45 minutes. The recipe serves about 6.

Tips for the Best Three Bean Orzo Soup

• Stir the orzo as it cooks: small pasta can settle and stick. A few stirs during those 8 to 10 minutes keep it loose in the broth.
• Add the orzo only after the broth is simmering: if it goes in too early, it can overcook and soak up too much liquid.
• Rinse the canned beans: draining and rinsing them keeps the broth from tasting too salty.
• Finish with lemon off the heat: the lemon juice brightens the soup if you stir it in at the end, rather than boiling it.
• Loosen leftover servings: the orzo keeps absorbing broth as the soup sits. A splash of vegetable broth when you reheat it brings the pot back to a soupy consistency.

What to Serve With Three Bean Orzo Soup

Three bean orzo soup is a full one-pot meal, so it sits well with a simple green salad, a slice of bread or a small plate of olives. A little extra parsley or a drizzle of olive oil on top is enough at the table. Serve it hot, and keep a little broth nearby in case the orzo has thickened the leftovers. For another orzo bowl, try this orzo vegetable soup or this Greek tomato spinach orzo soup.

Variations

• Skip the celery: the soup is complete without it if you do not have a stalk on hand.
• Bean swap: if you cannot find pinto or borlotti beans, another can of cannellini or kidney beans still works. Keep the total to three 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed.
• Extra greens: a handful of chopped spinach can go in for the last 2 minutes, just until wilted.
• Smaller batch: halve every ingredient and use a medium pot. Start checking the orzo a little early.

Storage

Let leftover three bean orzo soup cool, then store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. See the FDA storage guide linked above and this USDA guide to leftovers and food safety for general refrigeration advice. Reheat portions on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of vegetable broth if the orzo has absorbed the liquid, until the soup is hot. Do not leave the soup out for long. This soup can be frozen without the orzo; cook fresh orzo when you reheat it, because pasta frozen in broth can turn soft.

FAQ

What is three bean orzo soup?

Three bean orzo soup is a Mediterranean-style one-pot tomato broth soup made with red kidney beans, pinto or borlotti beans, cannellini beans, orzo, mushrooms, carrots, green beans, olive oil, herbs, lemon and parsley.

Can I use a different pasta in three bean orzo soup?

Orzo is the pasta used here because it is small and cooks quickly in the broth. Other small shapes, such as ditalini or small shells, also work. Keep the amount to 1 cup dry and cook until tender.

Do I have to use three different beans in three bean orzo soup?

The recipe is written for a mix of kidney, pinto or borlotti, and cannellini beans, as in the bowl. You can swap one can for another mild canned bean if needed, but keep three cans, drained and rinsed, so the soup stays hearty.

Can I make three bean orzo soup ahead of time?

Yes. You can cook the soup, cool it, and keep it covered in the refrigerator. For a looser texture, cook through the bean step, cool it, and add the orzo when you reheat it, then finish with lemon and parsley.

How should I store leftover three bean orzo soup?

Cool the soup, then keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat it until it is hot, and add a little vegetable broth if it has thickened. Follow the FDA and USDA storage guidance linked above, and do not leave the soup out for long.