Editorial kitchen

Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

Orzo minestrone soup with fresh corn, zucchini, pesto, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan, perfect for a comforting meal for 6 to 8 servings.

Servings
7
Prep
10 min
Cook
50 min
Meal
Any
Start cooking mode
Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

Instructions

  1. Step 1

    Sauté vegetables

    In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the carrot, celery, onion, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and garlic and cook for another 1 minute.

  2. Step 2

    Add beans and tomatoes; simmer

    Add the beans, stock, canned tomatoes and their liquid, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt. If using whole plum tomatoes, break them up with kitchen shears or squish them in your hands before adding them to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Cook corn and orzo

    Stir in the corn and orzo, then return to a simmer. Cook until the orzo is nearly tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.

  4. Step 4

    Mix cherry tomatoes with pesto

    While the soup is simmering, in a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes and pesto.

  5. Step 5

    Add tomatoes and pesto to soup

    When the orzo is almost tender, add the tomatoes and pesto to the pot and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes longer to heat the tomatoes through and finish cooking the orzo.

  6. Step 6

    Serve soup with toppings

    Remove from heat and ladle soup into bowls. Serve drizzled with a little more olive oil and topped with more pesto, grated Parmesan, torn fresh basil leaves, and lots of black pepper.

Ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup
  • Carrot1 whole
  • Celery1 stalk
  • Onion1 whole
  • Kosher salt2 1/2 tsp
  • Black Pepper1/2 tsp
  • Zucchini1 whole
  • Garlic cloves4 whole
  • cannellini beans15 1/2 oz
  • chicken or vegetable stock4 cup
  • diced or whole plum tomatoes28 oz
  • corn kernels1 cup
  • orzo1/2 cup
  • cherry tomatoes8 oz
  • pesto1/4 cup
  • Parmesan Cheese0 whole
  • Fresh basil leaves0 whole

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Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

Prep10 min

Cook50 min

Total60 min

Servings7

Orzo minestrone soup with fresh corn, zucchini, pesto, cherry tomatoes, and Parmesan, perfect for a comforting meal for 6 to 8 servings.

Oil & Vinegar

  • 1/4 cupExtra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)

Produce

  • 1 wholeCarrot (medium; cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 1 stalkCelery (sliced)
  • 1 wholeOnion (medium; diced)
  • 1 wholeZucchini (medium; cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 4 wholeGarlic cloves (grated or minced)
  • 8 ozcherry tomatoes (quartered)
  • 0 wholeFresh basil leaves (for serving; torn)

Spices

  • 2 1/2 tspKosher salt (divided, plus more as needed)
  • 1/2 tspBlack Pepper (freshly ground, plus more for serving)

Canned Goods

  • 15 1/2 ozcannellini beans (canned; drained and rinsed)
  • 4 cupchicken or vegetable stock
  • 28 ozdiced or whole plum tomatoes (canned; if whole, break up before adding)

Frozen

  • 1 cupcorn kernels (fresh from 1 large ear or frozen and thawed)

pasta & grains

  • 1/2 cuporzo

Condiments

  • 1/4 cuppesto (prepared, plus more for serving)

Dairy

  • 0 wholeParmesan Cheese (for serving; grated)

  1. Sauté vegetables

    In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the carrot, celery, onion, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and garlic and cook for another 1 minute.

  2. Add beans and tomatoes; simmer

    Add the beans, stock, canned tomatoes and their liquid, and remaining 1½ teaspoons salt. If using whole plum tomatoes, break them up with kitchen shears or squish them in your hands before adding them to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

  3. Cook corn and orzo

    Stir in the corn and orzo, then return to a simmer. Cook until the orzo is nearly tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.

  4. Mix cherry tomatoes with pesto

    While the soup is simmering, in a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes and pesto.

  5. Add tomatoes and pesto to soup

    When the orzo is almost tender, add the tomatoes and pesto to the pot and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes longer to heat the tomatoes through and finish cooking the orzo.

  6. Serve soup with toppings

    Remove from heat and ladle soup into bowls. Serve drizzled with a little more olive oil and topped with more pesto, grated Parmesan, torn fresh basil leaves, and lots of black pepper.

PantrySavvy.com/orzo-minestrone-with-fresh-corn-zucchini-and-pesto
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