In Shai’s Company - My Comfort Soup…
I’m not a food blogger, so I’m going to keep this short like a pastor before the SuperBowl.
Over the weekend, I was in Tulsa, OK for the Boozy Book Tour. Myself, author Nikki Clarke, book reviewers, @bigbuttandabook and @shadesnpages shared an AirBnB. It was nasty outside with single digit temps with snow and ice on the ground, and when its cold out all I want is soup.
Originally, I found this soup on Pinterest at least a decade ago, but I’ve been doctoring on the recipe ever since. The first time I made it, it immediately replace chicken noodle soup as my go-to-comfort soup. It was good then, it’s great now, but I’ll keep working to perfect it.
I don’t just want any soup, I want
Spinach Tomato and Orzo soup.
Ingredients:
1/2 red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 bell pepper
2 quarts stock of your choice or 5 tablespoons of bouillon powder and 8 cups of water
2 cans of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
3 teaspoons oil with high heat point (grapeseed or avocado)
1 Box of orzo
10 oz bag of spinach
4 tablespoons of low salt all-purpose seasoning (I use Mrs. Dash)
1 teaspoon black pepper
Optional:
Crushed red pepper flakes
Sriracha to taste
Prep:
Dice red onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Rough chop or julienne spinach.
Directions:
1. In the bottom of a large pot place oil and heat diced onions, garlic, and bell peppers with half of the all purpose seasoning. Let simmer until soft and onions are translucent almost browned. Don’t rush this, because the flavors start here.
2. After those ingredients are soft, add cans of diced tomatoes and chilies (do not drain) allowing them to heat all the way through.
3. Pour in chicken stock or bouillon of your choice and water to a rolling boil.
4. Add entire box of orzo then reduce heat to medium. Orzo should cook within 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Lower heat to a simmer and add spinach letting it cook on low for about 5 minutes.
Soup is done. Twenty minutes top to bottom.
Notes:
I prefer to eat this with Texas toast, but any good crusty bread works.
The darker the broth the better it feels.
This soup is better the second day because the orzo sucks up the broth like a sponge, you’ll need to add more broth/stock or water and bouillon when reheating.
This soup freezes well.
You can make this more vegan by using vegetable broth.
I’ve added everything from shrimp to polska kielbasa to mini meatballs to leftover rotisserie chicken and salmon. Everything works in here!
