Vegetable Orzo Soup

By loading the soup with fiber-rich zucchini and carrots, we naturally lower the glycemic load and keep the portion of refined orzo small yet satisfying.

Ingredients

Calories next to each ingredient are for that ingredient across the whole recipe (4 servings), not per serving.

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil · 252 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped · 40 kcal in the whole recipe
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced · 9 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 medium carrot, diced · 33 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced · 31 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 medium zucchini, diced · 26 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes · 46 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1/2 cup of barley orzo · 296 kcal in the whole recipe
• 5 cups of hot water
• 1 teaspoon of dried mint, salt, and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot, then sauté the onion, garlic, and carrot for 5 minutes until slightly softened.

   

2. Add the red bell pepper and zucchini, and continue sautéing for another 3 minutes.

   

3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, hot water, salt, and black pepper, then bring the mixture to a boil.

   

4. Add the orzo, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the orzo and vegetables are tender.

   

5. Stir in the dried mint, remove from heat, and let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving.

   

A Besly kitchen recipe — portions, macros and step photos by Besly.