Hearty Beef And Orzo With Veggies (Printable Version)
Tender beef and orzo pasta swim with fresh vegetables in a rich, savory broth for ultimate comfort.
# Ingredient List:
→ 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 into 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
# How to Make:
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 become fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced red bell pepper, diced zucchini, and trimmed green beans. Cook for an additional 3 minutes to begin softening the vegetables.
04 - Return seared beef to the pot. Add diced tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, beef broth, water, dried thyme, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes, or until beef and vegetables are tender.
06 - Add orzo pasta to simmering soup and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until orzo is al dente.
07 - Stir in fresh spinach leaves and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard bay leaves.
08 - Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Garnish each portion with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Its essentially a complete meal in a bowlno side dishes necessary
- The orzo absorbs all those beefy flavors while keeping its perfect chew
- Makes enough for dinner tonight plus lunch tomorrow without any extra effort
02 -
- The orzo will continue absorbing liquid if left in the soup too long, so either cook it separately or eat this within a day
- Beef needs time to become tenderrushing the simmer step will leave you with chewy meat
- Taste your broth before adding salt since canned tomatoes and broth already contain sodium
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables to similar sizes so they cook evenly and no one gets a huge chunk of carrot
- Pat the beef completely dry before searing or it will steam instead of develop that gorgeous crust