Vegetarian

Active 1 hr

Total 1 hr

Rustic Parsley & Orzo Soup with Walnuts

This soup is based on a traditional Italian dish that consists of lots of parsley, garlic, chopped walnuts, hot chile and olive oil, all fried up and tossed with pasta. We amped up the greens, made the pasta more of a supporting player and turned the recipe into a soup. It’s best served immediately, because the orzo will absorb liquid as the soup is held. Or, if you plan to have leftovers, keep some of the orzo separate and add it as you reheat the soup.

• 1¼ cups whole-wheat orzo (8 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons, divided, plus more for garnish
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided, plus a pinch
• 10 cups gently packed spinach (about 8 ounces), any tough stems trimmed
• 2 large bunches parsley
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• Ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

1. Cook orzo in a saucepan of boiling water until almost tender, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain; rinse with cool water. Return to the pot and toss with 1 teaspoon oil; set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add onion and ¼ teaspoon salt; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring frequently, always covering the pan again, until the onion is translucent and beginning to color, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Coarsely chop spinach. Coarsely chop enough parsley to equal about 4 cups. Set aside 3 cups and finely chop the remaining 1 cup; set aside separately.

4. Peel and dice potato. Combine in a large pot with ½ teaspoon salt, broth, water and the sautéed onion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Stir in the spinach and the 3 cups parsley; return to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 minutes more.

5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and let it sizzle for about 45 seconds. Add walnuts and cook, stirring and watching carefully to prevent burning, for about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup parsley and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

6. Stir the cooked orzo into the soup, then stir in the parsley-walnut mixture. Season with lemon juice and pepper. Return the soup to a simmer.

7. Combine tomatoes with the remaining pinch of salt in a small bowl. Garnish each serving with a spoonful of the tomatoes and a drizzle of oil, if desired.

Serves 6: about 1¾ cups each

Calories 393 | Fat 19g (sat 2g) | Cholesterol 0mg | Carbs 47g | Total sugars 5g (added 0g) | Protein 11g | Fiber 12g | Sodium 491mg | Potassium 793mg.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (145% daily value) | Vitamin C (123% dv) | Folate (42% dv) | Iron (27% dv).

For the most perfect avocados, buy when firm and let them ripen at room temperature for a few days before using. They’ll be less likely to bruise in transport when they’re firm.