The 20-Minute Dinner I Make When I’m Too Tired to Cook

I practically live on soup in the winter. Obviously there is the whole comfort food factor, and also the “warm yourself from the inside out” thing. But the other consideration is that, frankly, I can be a bit lazy in the kitchen in the wintertime. On days when I’m not developing recipes for work, I love to lean on big-batch cooking and leftovers, and soup is the obvious choice. Basically, I want to cook once, then have something ready in the fridge for the next couple of meals.

My go-to soups at the moment are of the thick and chunky variety, and I'm particularly drawn to tomato-based broths. My feeling is that you can throw nearly anything into a tomato broth and your soup will somehow feel complete.

My latest favorite relies on a beloved pantry staple: orzo. This rice-shaped pasta cooks really quickly, and because it releases starch as it simmers, it thickens the soup, too.

The recipe starts with the classic base of sautéed carrots, onions, and celery, enhanced with garlic and a couple of dried spices. Vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, chickpeas, and orzo go in next, and the mixture simmers briefly just until the mini pasta is cooked through. The cozy soup gets even more delicious on day two, making it ideal for meal prep and toting to the office for lunch.

Take the Mirepoix Express Train

Mirepoix refers to a mix of diced onions, carrots, and celery—the classic base of almost any soup. If you want to chop these yourself, you’ll need 1 small onion, 2 small carrots, and 1 large celery stalk.

But, if you’re feeling a little lazy (like me!), you can skip the chopping and pick up a tub of pre-chopped mirepoix in the refrigerated section of the supermarket or in the frozen vegetable aisle. Toss a jar of minced garlic in oil in your cart, too, and you’ll have all of the vegetable prep out of the way—meaning the soup will be ready in 20 minutes flat.

How to Make My 20-Minute Tomato Orzo Soup

To make four to five servings, you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 cups fresh or frozen mirepoix (about 1 pound)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic, or 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 quart (32 ounces) vegetable broth

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1/2 cup orzo pasta

• Minced fresh parsley, for serving, optional

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the mirepoix and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, and black pepper, and sauté for 30 seconds more.

Add the broth, chickpeas, and tomato sauce. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the orzo is cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Be sure to stir the soup often as it’s simmering to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Taste and add salt as needed. Serve garnished with parsley, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 4 days.

Easy Tweaks

If you want to take this soup into a creamier territory, finish it with a splash of heavy cream or half a can of full-fat coconut milk. Not a fan of chickpeas? Substitute with a can of white, kidney, or pinto beans. This orzo soup is extra satisfying and bright garnished with cubed avocado and fresh tender herbs (think basil, cilantro, or parsley).

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