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Home » Recipes » Soup

Kidney Bean, Spinach, and Orzo Soup (Easy!)

Jan 9, 2024 by Kaitlin · 19 Comments

Jump to Recipe

A simple but nourishing Kidney Bean, Spinach, and Orzo Soup recipe! This cozy meal comes together quick in one pot with budget-friendly pantry staples. So delicious and customizable! (Vegan, oil-free, gluten-free option.)

Overhead view of kidney bean soup with orzo and spinach in a white bowl with spoon

This cozy Kidney Bean Orzo Soup comes together quick and easy with lots of basic pantry staples. We intertwine the best of both worlds: simplicity and deliciousness!

It's a great meal to make when you're low on fresh produce but needing something nourishing, satisfying, and budget-friendly. This soup delivers!

It's warmly comforting, plus you can use the recipe as a framework to customize as you please. Simply swap in your own favorite veggies, beans, or herbs.

Red beans, tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrot, and dried herb ingredients laid out on a metal tray

Ingredients for Kidney Bean Soup

For this recipe, you'll simmer in a large stockpot on the stove:

  • Yellow onion: Or you can substitute white onion or sweet onion.
  • Carrot
  • Fresh garlic cloves: I like the taste of fresh, but you can use dried garlic powder instead if desired.
  • Red kidney beans: You'll need two 15-ounce cans of cooked kidney beans for this recipe. Or substitute a different bean of choice such as white kidney beans (cannellini beans), etc.
  • Canned diced tomatoes: Either regular or fire-roasted diced tomatoes work great.
  • Vegetable broth: Be sure to use low sodium if desired.
  • Orzo pasta: Orzo is a type of small pasta that's shaped like a large grain of rice. Most orzo isn't gluten-free as it's typically made from semolina, which is a flour made from high-protein durum wheat. (See below for gluten-free options if needed!)
  • Fresh baby spinach: Or you can substitute fresh kale (or a combination of both!) if you prefer.
  • Dried oregano and basil: You can also add salt and black pepper to taste.
  • Vinegar: This is completely optional, but you can stir in one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar at the end of cooking time. This helps season the soup and deepens the flavor. It gives it that something "extra"!
A ladle lifting up kidney bean orzo soup as it cooks in a large stockpot

Customizing

Veggies: Swap in other vegetables such as leeks, zucchini, yellow summer squash, celery, green peas, sweet corn, green beans, potato, sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, etc.

Herbs & spices: Change up the dried herbs and use an Italian seasoning blend, parsley, ground cumin, smoked paprika, thyme, bay leaves, etc.

Make it spicy: Include black pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, chipotle in adobo sauce, or simply top with hot sauce to taste.

Make it "meaty": Stir in your favorite vegan ground beef crumbles or vegan sausage. I suggest cooking these separately according to package instructions. Then stir them in towards the end of cooking time.

Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free orzo, such as Barilla's chickpea orzo, or a rice & corn orzo. Banza also makes a chickpea "rice" that's roughly the same size and shape as orzo. Or you can simply substitute the orzo altogether with rice, quinoa, or a small gluten-free pasta instead.

Thickness: You can also add a couple tablespoons tomato paste or puree for a thicker, richer broth.

Close-up view of a spoon lifting up some kidney bean, spinach, and orzo soup from a white bowl

Serving

Fresh herbs: Garnish your bowl with fresh parsley, cilantro, or other herbs before serving for added flavor.

Storing

After it cools completely, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps well for about 4-5 days. (So it's a great choice for make-ahead meal prep, take-along lunches, etc.)

A white bowl of vegan kidney bean, spinach, orzo soup garnished with fresh parsley

For more inspiration, also browse all easy vegan dinner recipes.

A white bowl of vegan kidney bean, spinach, orzo soup garnished with fresh parsley

Kidney Bean, Spinach, and Orzo Soup (Easy!)

Simple yet delicious! This cozy soup comes together quick & easy with lots of basic pantry staples. It's satisfying, budget-friendly, and easy to customize!
4.91 from 10 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine: Gluten-Free Option, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings: 5

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 30 oz. canned kidney beans*
  • 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup orzo pasta
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Stir-in (optional):

  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, cilantro, or basil

Instructions

  • Dice onion and carrot.
  • In a stockpot over medium-high heat, sauté onion and carrot for 7-8 minutes. (I use 3 Tbsp. water/broth for no-oil sauté method, adding more as needed.)
  • Meanwhile, mince garlic.
  • When onion is translucent, add garlic, basil, and oregano. Stir and sauté 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
  • Add broth, tomatoes, and kidney beans (rinsed and drained). Bring to a light boil.
  • Then add orzo and stir well. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, or until orzo is tender. Stir occasionally to prevent orzo from sticking to the bottom. (Take care not to overcook the orzo. Be aware it will continue to expand and soak up the broth as it sits.)
  • Roughly chop spinach and stir in during the last couple minutes of cooking. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Stir in the optional vinegar and fresh herbs before serving if desired.

Notes

*Kidney beans: 30 oz. equals two regular 15 oz. cans.
For gluten-free: Orzo typically isn't gluten-free. So use a GF orzo, such as Barilla's chickpea orzo, or a rice & corn orzo. Banza also makes a chickpea "rice" that's roughly the same size and shape as orzo. Or you can simply substitute the orzo altogether with rice, quinoa, or a small gluten-free pasta instead.
Vegetables: Add in whatever else sounds good like kale, leeks, zucchini, celery, potato, green beans, bell pepper, etc.
Recipe originally published December 2017. Updated January 2024.

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Kidney Bean, Spinach, and Orzo Soup (Easy!)
Amount per Serving
Calories
277
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.2
g
1
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.1
g
Potassium
 
880
mg
25
%
Carbohydrates
 
55
g
18
%
Fiber
 
12
g
50
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
14
g
28
%
Vitamin A
 
6470
IU
129
%
Vitamin C
 
18
mg
22
%
Calcium
 
123
mg
12
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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If you're enjoying this Kidney Bean Soup with orzo and spinach recipe, also check out:

  • Vegan Potato Leek Soup
  • Fiesta Three Bean Chili
  • Vegan Creamy Mushroom Soup
  • Vegetable Chowder

Follow The Garden Grazer on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook for more updates and inspiration.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. Jessica says

    January 14, 2025 at 9:38 am

    5 stars
    I fried up some spicy Italian sausage and dumped it in when I added the orzo. Soo good. Serve with warm ciabatta bread.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      January 14, 2025 at 11:29 am

      So glad you enjoyed it, Jessica! And great idea pairing it with warm ciabatta - thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    July 08, 2022 at 12:11 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this soup for the first time this week. Very easy to put together and inexpensive, too, which is a bonus given the dramatic increase in grocery costs. Absolutely loved this dish, as did my husband and daughter (she ate all three of the leftovers!!). Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. I followed it exactly, with no substitutions or variations, but would like to try it with brown rice as well.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 09, 2022 at 9:41 am

      Hi Jennifer! Wonderful to hear you three enjoyed this recipe. And definitely agree with finding more budget-friendly meals with these rising grocery costs. Thanks for sharing your kind feedback! Hope you enjoy it with the brown rice if you give that a try too! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kathleen says

    April 20, 2022 at 7:16 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this! It was so comforting.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 21, 2022 at 7:31 am

      Wonderful to hear, Kathleen! Thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your kind feedback!

      Reply
  4. Angie says

    February 09, 2022 at 1:03 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for lunch and used kale instead of spinach. Loved it!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      February 09, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      So great to hear!

      Reply
  5. Steph says

    October 25, 2020 at 1:20 pm

    Could you substitute any type of bean for the kidney beans?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      November 09, 2020 at 12:48 pm

      Hi Steph! Absolutely. Feel free to substitute your own favorite bean or a combination of beans. Hope you enjoy if you give it a try!

      Reply
  6. Natasha says

    March 04, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    This looks very good!!! Can I freeze it?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 04, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      Hi Natasha! You could, but I would suggest making & freezing it without the orzo (as pasta tends to turn quite mushy when freezing & reheating). Then cook the orzo separately and add it in when you're ready to thaw and reheat. Hope you enjoy if you give it a try!

      Reply
  7. Alessandra says

    May 19, 2019 at 5:13 am

    Have you tried doing this recipe in the instant pot? I wonder about how long it would take?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      June 11, 2019 at 1:01 pm

      Good question - I've never made it in the instant pot, but I bet it'd work well! (I'm guessing maybe 10 minutes?)

      Reply
  8. Rachael Ploegstra says

    January 07, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    Going to try this with a little pesto added.

    Reply
  9. Kira says

    January 19, 2018 at 6:32 am

    I want to make this with real orzo (barley) instead of pasta orzo. Any tips for cooking? Should I cook the barley and then add it to the soup?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      January 30, 2018 at 6:29 pm

      Hi Kira! Barley takes about a long time to cook (and typically soaks up more liquid) so I'd suggest cooking it separately and stirring it in. Or if you're cooking it with the soup, add another cup of broth or more as needed. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Sarah says

    January 12, 2018 at 3:48 am

    This was a total winner! Super easy, thick, hearty & yummy. I added 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, made it twice in one week. Thank you! I have loved all of the recipes I have made from your blog.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      January 30, 2018 at 6:34 pm

      So wonderful to hear, Sarah! And great call with the tomato paste addition. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

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