Broccoli and Orzo Soup
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 6cups low-salt chicken broth
- 1cup orzo
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 1red pepper, julienned
- Pinch of dried red-pepper flakes
- 1clove garlic, chopped
- ½cup Italian parsley, minced
- 2small slices orange rind, chopped
- 3cups of broccoli stems, peeled and diced
- 3cups of broccoli florettes, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
278 calories; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 1325 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring chicken broth to boil. Add orzo.
- Step 2
Put olive oil in a small skillet on high heat, add red pepper and then dried red-pepper flakes. Cook until red pepper starts to brown, then add garlic, parsley and orange rind. Cook for one minute, then remove from heat.
- Step 3
When orzo has cooked for 15 minutes, add broccoli stems. After five minutes, add florettes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a minute or two, until florettes are tender, and remove from heat.
- Step 4
Serve soup in bowls, with a spoonful of the red-pepper mixture on top.
Private Notes
Comments
We really enjoyed this soup. I sautéed chopped carrots in oil with garlic before adding broth. Simmered broth 10 minutes before adding broccoli. Cooked orzo separate. Only takes 8-9 minutes to cook. Don't know why you would cook 15 minutes then add more time to cook the broccoli. Sautéed 1 tsp red pepper flakes and didn't use red pepper. Forgot the parsley but didn't miss it. Orange didn't do much. Next time maybe add zest. Did finish with grated Romano Added good flavor.
I've made this almost yearly since it was published in 1993. So good to be able to find it online! This recipe was paired with "Crostini with Mushrooms" in the original article; that is also in the NYT Cooking database.
The orzo really does need to be cooked on its own; otherwise the soup becomes gummy from the excess starch. The garnish with parsley and red pepper perks up the broccoli and looks pretty. The orange rind (or zest) adds to the flavor, in my opinion.
Addendum to my previous post - just added a big squeeze of lemon juice, it really brightened the flavor...
The orange is an off putting flavor. Would not use. But the rest of the soup is terrific.
Definitely cook orzo on its own. Ended up with an orzo broccoli side dish as all the broth was absorbed. Why this wasn’t noted in the recipe was very curious.
We enjoyed this soup. It made for a quick lunch, something a little different. I'll make this again. Followed the recipe almost exactly with the exception of cooking the orzo separately and zesting the orange. Just the right amount of spicy heat. Next time, I think I'd sauté the broccoli with some more garlic for a few minutes before adding the broth. A bit of lemon (or orange?) juice, as Leslie J recommends is also a good idea.
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