Spinach Pasta Soup

A bowl of chicken broth spiked with tomato paste, loaded with orzo and fresh spinach, and done before you’ve had time to set the table. That’s this soup.

The tomato paste dissolves into the broth and adds a concentrated, slightly sweet backbone that plain chicken broth alone can’t deliver. Whisking it smooth before bringing everything to a boil keeps the soup from getting lumpy.

The spinach goes in toward the end so it wilts without turning army green and mushy. Same with the scallions. They need just enough time to soften and release their mild bite into the broth.

Kitchen Tips

• Use orzo or any tiny soup pasta (pastina, stelline, acini di pepe). Larger shapes soak up too much broth and throw off the ratio.
• Fresh spinach is best here, but frozen works in a pinch. Thaw and squeeze out all the water first, or it dilutes the soup.
• No-salt-added tomato paste and low-sodium broth keep this soup light on sodium. Season at the end with pepper, and add salt only if you feel it needs it.

Variations

• Stir in a handful of white beans (cannellini or Great Northern) for added protein and body.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice right before serving for brightness.
• Swap spinach for kale or Swiss chard. Thinly slice the leaves and add them a few minutes earlier since they take longer to soften.