Green Olive Soup

I love soup with olives and this vegan green olive soup really hits the spot on a dreary night. It’s so easy to whip up and delivers a deeply savory flavor with just a few ingredients.

Castelvetrano olives are probably my favorite variety of olives. Their flavor is mild but buttery, with a nice texture that holds up well in soups and stews.

In this green olive soup, I use a few pantry staples like sun-dried tomatoes, orzo, and canned chickpeas and pair them with those delicious Castelvetrano olives for an irresistible soup that comes together in a flash.

How to make this green olive soup

I love a quick soup recipe, especially when they manage to deliver a ton of flavor with just a few ingredients.

Here’s what you need:

• Soup aromatics: Onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and dry thyme act as the flavor base for this soup. I also add a little heat with crushed red pepper flakes.
• Olives: I use Castelvetrano olives and strongly recommend grabbing a jar of them for this soup. You can use any variety of green olives, but I think Castelvetrano tastes the best personally.
• Protein: I add canned chickpeas to make this a filling meal, but you could make it with lentils or any white bean that you like.
• Orzo: I love whole wheat orzo, but white orzo or ditalini would be delicious as well.
• Water or vegetable broth: I used vegetable broth, but water works just fine. If you’re sensitive to salty things, you may want to use water and add salt as you like since the broth will be salty as well. You can also use low- or no-sodium vegetable broth.
• Garnish: I make a garnish with fresh parsley, olive oil, flaky sea salt, lemon zest, and Aleppo pepper flakes. If you don’t have Aleppo pepper flakes, use a small pinch of crushed red pepper and a small pinch of paprika instead.
• Finishing touch: I finish the soup with lemon juice; the acidity pairs well against the saltiness of the olives!

How to make it:

• Step 1: Start by preparing the soup base. Sauté the onion and add the sun-dried tomatoes. Add garlic, olives, dry thyme, crushed red pepper, and chickpeas. You can also add a little oil from the sun-dried tomatoes if you like.
• Step 2: Pour in the water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–30 minutes.
• Step 3: While the soup simmers, make the garnish by combining minced parsley with olive oil, lemon zest, salt, and Aleppo pepper.
• Step 4: Return the soup to a boil and stir in the orzo. Cook until al dente.
• Step 5: Finish the soup by adding the lemon juice.

From there, you’re ready to serve it up! Simply ladle into bowls and finish with a few teaspoons of the parsley mixture on top of each bowl. Delicious!

Green Olive Soup

You'll love this savory, briny soup on a dreary night.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Inactive time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 499kcal

Equipment

• Large pot

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
• ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced, plus 1–2 teaspoons oil from the jar
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 ounces pitted Castelvetrano olives, torn in half
• 2 teaspoons dry thyme
• 14.5- ounce can chickpeas, drained
• Crushed red pepper to taste
• 6 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• ½ cup loosely packed parsley, minced
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• Flaky sea salt
• 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper flakes or use a small pinch of crushed red pepper and paprika to taste
• ¾ cup dry orzo
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

Start the soup:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5–6 minutes until it softens. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1–2 teaspoons oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes if you like.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season lightly with salt.
• Add the Castelvetrano olives, dry thyme, and chickpeas. Add a big pinch of crushed red pepper and toss to coat.

Simmer the soup:

• Pour in the water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15–30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Prepare the garnish:

• Meanwhile, combine the lemon zest, minced parsley, olive oil, and a pinch of flaky sea salt in a bowl. Add the Aleppo pepper flakes and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside.

Finish the soup:

• Return the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and boil for 7–9 minutes or until the orzo is al dente. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings one final time.

To serve:

• Ladle the soup into bowls. Spoon the parsley garnish on top and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 462mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 10g