This Green Olive Soup is a vibrant, Mediterranean-inspired dish that combines briny olives with creamy coconut and hearty orzo pasta. It is the perfect balance of savory, zesty, and silky, making it a comforting meal that feels both sophisticated and incredibly easy to pull together.
Featuring protein-rich chickpeas and a luscious coconut cream base, this colorful soup is finished with fresh herbs and tender baby spinach for a complete meal in a bowl.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A savory and aromatic base with a distinct briny punch from the olives and a deep, umami richness from sundried tomatoes and tomato paste.
- Textures: A velvety, creamy broth filled with tender orzo, soft chickpeas, and slightly chewy sundried tomatoes.
- Total Time: Approximately 25–30 minutes.
- Difficulty Level: Easy – This is a straightforward, one-pot recipe that focuses on simple sautéing and simmering.
What You’ll Need
To create this flavorful soup, you will need a base of olive oil and aromatics like onion and garlic. The heart of the soup comes from a combination of orzo, chickpeas, and sundried tomatoes simmered in vegetable stock. It is finished with green olives, coconut cream for richness, and fresh baby spinach for a pop of color and nutrition.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil – A good quality extra virgin olive oil provides the best flavor for sautéing your base aromatics.
- Onion – A large yellow or white onion works best to provide a sweet, foundational depth to the broth.
- Garlic – Freshly chopped garlic is essential for that signature fragrant aroma.
- Tomato paste – This adds a concentrated tomato flavor and helps give the broth a beautiful golden-red hue.
- Fresh oregano and thyme – Using fresh herbs makes a significant difference in the brightness of the finished soup.
- Sundried tomatoes – These provide a concentrated, chewy texture and a sweet-tart contrast to the salty olives.
- Chickpeas – These add plant-based protein and a pleasant, firm texture to every spoonful.
- Orzo – A small, rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and thickens the soup slightly as it releases its starch.
- Vegetable stock – Use a high-quality stock to ensure the base of your soup is well-seasoned.
- Green olives – Use pitted olives. Varieties like Castelvetrano are excellent for their mild, buttery flavor, but any firm green olive will work.
- Coconut cream – This provides a dairy-free creaminess that balances the acidity of the tomatoes and the brine of the olives.
- Baby spinach – Added at the very end, it wilts quickly and adds a fresh, earthy finish.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Greens – If you do not have spinach, you can use roughly chopped kale or Swiss chard; just allow an extra minute or two for them to soften.
- Beans – Cannellini beans or butter beans can be used in place of chickpeas if you prefer a creamier texture.
- Citrus – A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving can further brighten the briny notes of the olives.
- Heat – If you enjoy a bit of spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when sautéing the garlic.
How to Make Green Olive Soup
- Sauté the aromatics: Start by heating up some olive oil in a big pot over medium heat. Throw in the diced onion and cook it for about 5 minutes until it is soft and translucent.
- Add garlic: Add the garlic to the pot and cook for another minute, until it becomes fragrant.
- Build the flavor base: Stir in the tomato paste, fresh oregano, and thyme. Cook this mixture for 1-2 minutes to let the tomato paste caramelize slightly and the herbs release their oils.
- Simmer the soup: Add the sundried tomatoes, chickpeas, orzo, and vegetable stock to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook the orzo: Let the soup simmer for about 10-12 minutes. You will know it is ready when the orzo pasta is tender.
- Finish and wilt: Stir in the green olives, coconut cream, and baby spinach. Give it just a couple of minutes for the spinach to wilt and the olives to warm through.
- Season and serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed, then serve hot.
Pro Tip: Be mindful of the salt. Since olives and sundried tomatoes can be quite salty on their own, always taste the broth at the very end before adding any additional salt to the pot.
Recipe Tips
- Stir the orzo: While the soup is simmering, give it an occasional stir to make sure the orzo does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Chop the olives: If your green olives are very large, quartering them ensures you get a little bit of olive in every single bite.
- Use coconut cream: Make sure you are using coconut cream (often found in a can) rather than the refrigerated coconut milk used for cereal, as the cream provides the necessary thickness.
- Freshness matters: If your fresh herbs are looking wilted, you can use dried herbs, but reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon each since dried herbs are more concentrated.
FAQs
What kind of green olives are best for this soup? Pitted Castelvetrano olives are a wonderful choice because they are mild and buttery. However, Manzanilla or any standard piquant green olive will work perfectly for a more traditional briny flavor.
Can I use a different pasta shape? Yes, you can use other small pasta shapes like ditalini or stelline, but keep an eye on the cooking time as it may vary slightly from orzo.
Is this soup dairy-free? Yes, by using coconut cream and vegetable stock, this recipe is entirely plant-based and dairy-free while still maintaining a rich, creamy texture.
Serving Suggestions
- Crusty Bread – Serve with a warm baguette or sourdough to soak up the creamy broth.
- Side Salad – A simple cucumber and tomato salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness of the coconut cream.
- Roasted Vegetables – Pair with roasted zucchini or asparagus for a more substantial vegetable-focused meal.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can easily prep the onion, garlic, and herbs a day in advance to save time. If you plan on making the entire soup ahead of time, be aware that the orzo will continue to soak up the liquid as it sits in the refrigerator. When reheating, you may need to add a splash of extra vegetable stock or water to loosen the consistency back into a soup.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Freezing: This soup can be frozen for up to 2 months, though the texture of the orzo may be slightly softer once thawed and reheated.
Creamy Mediterranean Green Olive & Orzo Soup with Coconut Cream
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
A vibrant, Mediterranean-inspired dish that combines briny olives with creamy coconut and hearty orzo pasta. This colorful soup is perfectly balanced with protein-rich chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and a luscious coconut cream base, finished with fresh herbs and baby spinach.
Ingredients
- 6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable stock
- 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 4 oz (120g) orzo pasta
- 1 cup (125g) green olives (pitted and halved)
- 1/2 cup (120g) coconut cream, 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
- 1 large onion (diced), 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 cup baby spinach, 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion for 5 mins. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 min until fragrant.
Base: Add tomato paste, oregano, and thyme. Cook for 1–2 mins to caramelize the paste.
Simmer: Stir in sundried tomatoes, chickpeas, orzo, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Cook Orzo: Simmer for 10–12 mins until orzo is tender, stirring occasionally.
Finish: Stir in olives, coconut cream, and spinach. Cook for 2 mins until spinach is wilted. Taste before adding salt.
Notes
The Salt Warning: Taste before seasoning! Olives and sundried tomatoes provide significant natural salt and brine, so you may only need pepper.
Olive Selection: Castelvetrano olives are recommended for their buttery, mild flavor, while Manzanilla olives offer a sharper, more piquant punch.
Orzo Absorption: If making ahead, the orzo will absorb liquid. Add a splash of stock when reheating to restore the original silky consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup / Main Course
- Method: One-Pot Simmering
- Cuisine: Mediterranean Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: green olive soup, mediterranean orzo soup, vegan creamy soup, chickpea and olive recipes, coconut cream soup
