Hearty Beef Orzo Garden Veggies (Printable)
Tender beef and orzo pasta with fresh garden vegetables in a rich, savory broth perfect for cold weather comfort.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 3 carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 zucchini, diced
09 - 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
10 - 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
11 - 4 cups beef broth
12 - 4 cups water
13 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
→ Pasta & Pantry
14 - 3/4 cup orzo pasta
15 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
→ Spices & Herbs
16 - 1 tsp dried thyme
17 - 1 tsp dried oregano
18 - 2 bay leaves
19 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
20 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef stew meat and sear on all sides until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Remove beef from pot and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften and release their aromas.
03 - Stir in diced red bell pepper, diced zucchini, and trimmed green beans. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables.
04 - Return the seared beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, beef broth, water, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the beef and vegetables have reached desired tenderness.
06 - Add orzo pasta to the simmering soup. Continue cooking uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until orzo is al dente.
07 - Stir in fresh spinach leaves and cook for approximately 2 minutes until just wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving.
08 - Ladle hot soup into individual bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time for seconds
- The orzo absorbs all those beautiful flavors while the beef gets impossibly tender
- This is the kind of soup that somehow tastes even better the next day
02 -
- The orzo will continue absorbing liquid as it sits, so if you are meal prepping, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it when you reheat
- Do not rush the initial beef sear since that browning creates the depth that makes this taste like it simmered all day
- Spinach wilts down dramatically, so what looks like a mountain in the package will barely seem like enough in the pot
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly and look beautiful in the bowl
- Let the soup rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving, which allows the flavors to settle and the temperature to become perfect for eating