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Instant Pot Chickpea Orzo Soup

Recipe by Evelyn Marcella Rivera

A hearty, simple vegan soup made with chickpeas, orzo, warm spices, and fresh herbs, finished with capers and sun-dried tomatoes for a bright, briny lift. Healthy, easy, and perfect for weeknights and meal prep.

  • Total Time50 minutes
  • Yield6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion (diced)
  • 8 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 dried red chili peppers (broken in half; sub 1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes)
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (960 mL)
  • 2 cups water (480 mL)
  • 1 cup uncooked orzo (170-180 g)
  • 2 cans chickpeas (15-ounce / 425 g each, drained and rinsed)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4-6 sprigs fresh oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (28-ounce / 800 g)
  • 8-10 sun-dried tomatoes (chopped; oil-packed preferred)
  • 3 tablespoons capers (drained)
  • 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley (chopped, plus more for garnish)
  • lemon zest (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Select Sauté on the Instant Pot. After a minute or two, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir frequently for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, dried chili peppers, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for 1-2 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens in color.
  3. Pour in some of the vegetable broth to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon or flat spatula.
  4. Add the remaining broth, the water, orzo, chickpeas, bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, salt, pepper, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
  5. Secure the lid and select Pressure Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
  6. When the timer is done, allow a 5-minute natural pressure release, then release the remaining pressure manually. Open the pot and remove the bay leaves and any whole herb sprigs. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  7. Ladle into bowls and, if desired, garnish with additional parsley and a very light sprinkling of lemon zest.

Notes

Use low-sodium broth, since the capers and sun-dried tomatoes add salt — season to taste only after they’re stirred in. The orzo continues to absorb liquid, so leftovers thicken; loosen with a splash of broth or water when reheating. Keeps about 4 days in the fridge. To freeze, consider holding the orzo back and cooking it fresh on reheating.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes

Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/instant-pot-chickpea-orzo-soup/