Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup with Chicken Meatballs

Flavoursome silky creamy tomato soup with orzo pasta and herby garlic chicken meatballs makes this a complete meal in a bowl that the whole family will love.

Creamy Tomato Meatball Orzo Soup

We love meatballs and we love soup, both are always something thing I know the kids will devour, so what better than a delicious soup that includes both those things. The addition of orzo bulks it out into a more filling meal and that creamy soup base is so delicious.

Usually with soups, we find ourselves wanting bread of similar to make it more filling, but this is so hearty, it is a complete meal in a bowl.

How many Calories in Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup?

This soup serves 6 people and is 316 calories per serving, which is great for a hearty filling delicious bowl of soup that doesn't compromise on flavour, doesn't feel like diet food and is suitable for the whole family.

There are lots more recipes around this calorie value in my 300-400 calorie recipes

If you are using these recipes as part of a calorie controlled diet or healthy eating plan, you can calculate your daily calories by using a calorie calculator, as this will vary per individual depending on various factors.

Homemade Mini Chicken Meatballs

For homemade meatballs I always recommend not using a mince (ground meat) that is not less than 5% fat, as otherwise they can become a bit dry. I usually keep lean mince like that for things like chilli and bolognese which is works better in.

I used chicken mince for this recipe, but if you prefer you can also use beef, turkey or even pork. Usually when making meatballs I like to add an egg and breadcrumbs to keep them even more tender. However I made mini meatballs for this soup, and with the herbs and seasoning and flavours from the soup, they were perfect.

Best Canned Tomatoes

I alway recommend using a good quality brand of canned tomatoes, cheaper varieties while okay can tend to be a in a watery sauce and really acidic which really won't add depth and flavour the the recipe.

I like to use san marzano plum tomatoes, there are various different brands of these, little on the more pricier side, but really make the best base for any tomato based recipe.

Orzo Pasta and Substitutes

Orzo is a pasta that is shaped like little grains of rice and works perfect in recipes like soups, however you can actually use any small shape of pasta you like here, ditalini is another great option.

If you are gluten free, there are some great options for gluten pasta available now too. Here in Canada we can get Banza pasta, which is a brand of pasta made from chickpeas, the great thing about this pasta, is not only is it gluten free, it is high in protein unlike regular pasta too. Unfortunately I don't think this brand is available outside the US and Canada yet, but there may be similar alternatives.

How to make a lighter creamy sauce or soup

Usually in creamy sauce or soups, cream is the main ingredients, but this can be quite high in calories for a small amount, unless you use a light cream alternative.

I like to use light cream cheese, a small amount is not too bad calorie wise, and it will also thicken up your sauce/soup without the need for any other ingredients, making the soup or sauce have a lovely creamy and velvety appearance.

When I mention light cream cheese, this is referring to Philadelphia cheese or a supermarkets own brand. Don't use quark or similar here, as it doesn't heat well and won't yield the same taste and creaminess.

Can this soup be frozen?

For best results this soup is best enjoyed once cooked. It can be frozen, but with orzo it tends to absorb the liquid as it cools down, and will also expand and overcook very quickly.

So really it comes down to personal preference as not everyone likes the texture of pasta which has been frozen and reheated. You may find you will need to add in some more stock to the loosen the sauce when you defrost and reheat.

More Hearty Soup Recipes

Looking for more delicious hearty soup recipes? Check out these:

• Chicken, Tomato and White Bean Soup (Stove Top and Instant Pot)
• Turkey Taco Soup (Stove Top and Pressure Cooker)
• Coconut Chicken Rice Soup
• Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Chicken Chickpea Spinach Soup
• Split Pea and Bacon Soup
• Thai Coconut Shrimp Noodle Soup (Instant Pot and Stove Top)
• Lemony Chicken Zucchini Rice Soup
• Minestrone Soup

or if you would like more recipe ideas or sides to make with this recipe - head on over to the FULL RECIPE INDEX where you will find over 900 delicious recipes with calories and you can search by meal type, ingredients, course, diet and more..

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