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Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

soup

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.

Prep

10 min

Cook

50 min

Total

60 min

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Ingredients

Serves3

Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

  • 0.1071 cup Extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
  • 0.4286 whole Carrot (medium; cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 0.4286 stalk Celery (sliced)
  • 0.4286 whole Onion (medium; diced)
  • 1.0714 tsp Kosher salt (divided, plus more as needed)
  • 0.2143 tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground, plus more for serving)
  • 0.4286 whole Zucchini (medium; cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 1.7143 whole Garlic cloves (grated or minced)
  • 6.6429 oz cannellini beans (canned; drained and rinsed)
  • 1.7143 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 12 oz diced or whole plum tomatoes (canned; if whole, break up before adding)
  • 0.4286 cup corn kernels (fresh from 1 large ear or frozen and thawed)
  • 0.2143 cup orzo
  • 3.4286 oz cherry tomatoes (quartered)
  • 0.1071 cup pesto (prepared, plus more for serving)
  • 0 whole Parmesan Cheese (for serving; grated)
  • 0 whole Fresh basil leaves (for serving; torn)
Servings: 3−+
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Cooking Instructions

  1. 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. 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. 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. 4

    Mix cherry tomatoes with pesto

    While the soup is simmering, in a medium bowl, toss together the cherry tomatoes and pesto.
  5. 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. 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.

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Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 50 min · Total: 60 min · Servings: 3

Ingredients

Orzo Minestrone with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, and Pesto

  • 0.1071 cup Extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
  • 0.4286 whole Carrot (medium; cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 0.4286 stalk Celery (sliced)
  • 0.4286 whole Onion (medium; diced)
  • 1.0714 tsp Kosher salt (divided, plus more as needed)
  • 0.2143 tsp Black Pepper (freshly ground, plus more for serving)
  • 0.4286 whole Zucchini (medium; cut into ½-inch pieces)
  • 1.7143 whole Garlic cloves (grated or minced)
  • 6.6429 oz cannellini beans (canned; drained and rinsed)
  • 1.7143 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 12 oz diced or whole plum tomatoes (canned; if whole, break up before adding)
  • 0.4286 cup corn kernels (fresh from 1 large ear or frozen and thawed)
  • 0.2143 cup orzo
  • 3.4286 oz cherry tomatoes (quartered)
  • 0.1071 cup pesto (prepared, plus more for serving)
  • whole Parmesan Cheese (for serving; grated)
  • whole Fresh basil leaves (for serving; torn)

Instructions

  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.