An easy and delicious tomato feta soup with orzo, oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, basil and homemade croutons. A perfect hearty dinner soup!

tomato feta orzo soup in bowl with spoon

If you were one of the millions of people that tried the baked cherry tomato and feta pasta from TikTok this past year, you’ll love that this feta tomato orzo soup channels that dish! If not, think of this one as a bit of a Greek-inspired tomato orzo soup, with feta and herbs.

The feta is oven-roasted with the cherry tomatoes, bringing out all the best flavours of the tomatoes, then added to the soup pot with a can of diced tomatoes, some basil and a bit of orzo pasta. You’ll love that this is a lighter soup made without cream.

Served with quick and easy homemade croutons, this soup is a perfect dinner soup.

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Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Cherry Tomatoes – any small fresh tomato will work here, either cherry or grape tomatoes. You could use canned cherry tomatoes in a pinch, if that’s all you have on hand.

Orzo – Look for orzo in with the pasta at the grocery store. If orzo is unavailable, you can substitute white long-grain rice. I would use less rice than specified for the orzo. Maybe about 1/2 cup. Cook rice until tender.

Feta Cheese – you don’t need a lot of feta for this one. I like to use the feta packed in brine. Alternatively, a block of feta will work well. Feta crumbles aren’t the best option, as you want a solid piece of feta for roasting. If you aren’t a feta fan (or you don’t happen to have any on hand), you can simply omit and still enjoy a lovely tomato orzo soup.

Canned Diced Tomatoes – diced tomatoes are often sold in the smaller cans that are called for in this recipe, which is handy. If you only have whole tomatoes, you can use them instead of diced, but as they are usually sold in larger cans, note that you won’t need the whole can and you don’t need the juice. Simply hand-crush about half the whole tomatoes into the soup pot.

Bread for the homemade croutons – you can use any bread you have on hand for the croutons, sliced or unsliced. Simply cut into cubes and quickly toast off in the skillet with the oil and herbs. Alternately, if you have store-bought croutons on hand, you can certainly use them instead of making your own.

Basil – fresh basil is a lovely addition to this soup if you have some on hand. If not, dried basil is fine for seasoning the soup or even a pinch for garnish.

How to make tomato feta soup with orzo

Cherry tomatoes and feta in casserole dish.
1
Adding garlic to pot.
2
Adding herbs to the pot.
3
  1. Start by adding the cherry tomatoes and feta to a casserole dish. Drizzle with olive oil and pop in the oven.
  2. Meanwhile, soften some onions and garlic in a pot.
  3. Add the canned tomatoes, broth and herbs to the pot.
Browning bread cubes in a skillet.
4
Adding cherry tomatoes and feta to the soup pot.
5
Immersion blender in soup pot.
6
  1. While the soup is simmering, brown the bread cubes in a skillet with some oil and herbs.
  2. When the feta and cherry tomatoes are done, add to the soup pot.
  3. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup.
Adding orzo to the soup.
7
Chopped basil to add to the soup.
8
Finished soup in pot.
9
  1. Add the orzo to the soup and allow to simmer until the orzo is tender.
  2. Chop some fresh basil.
  3. Add the basil to the soup pot and season to taste. Serve the soup warm, topped with croutons and additional fresh basil.

Recipe tips!

If you are in the mood for a creamy tomato orzo soup simply add some cream at the end of cooking, as much or as little as you like. A heavy cream will work best, as it is less likely to split with the acidic tomatoes.

feta tomato orzo soup in white bowl with croutons

Making ahead, storing and freezing

This isn’t the best soup for making entirely ahead. Like any soup with pasta or rice, it will tend to thicken to a stew-like texture as it sits, as the pasta/rice absorbs more liquid. You can easily roast off the feta and cherry tomatoes ahead and even continue with the soup to the point where you add the orzo. Then refrigerate, re-warm and add the orzo and cook just before serving, for best results.

As for freezing, I would freeze without the orzo and add the orzo after thawing and reheating, as it tends to absorb the broth and get mushy from the freeze/thaw process.

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tomato feta orzo soup in bowl with spoon

Get the Recipe: Tomato Feta Soup

An easy and delicious tomato feta soup with orzo, oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and homemade croutons. A perfect hearty dinner soup!
5 stars from 8 ratings
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (250 g) cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 1 cup (100 g) feta cheese
  • Olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper

For the soup:

  • 1/3 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 13.5 oz. (398 ml) canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, or Italian seasoning blend
  • Pinch dried oregano leaves
  • 3/4 cup (130 g) orzo pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)

For the homemade croutons:

  • 2 cups bread, diced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Pinch dried basil

For garnish:

  • Fresh basil, thinly sliced, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425F (regular setting/not fan-assisted). Place the cherry tomatoes and feta in a baking dish. Season with pepper (no salt needed, as the feta is already quite salty) and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to crack.
  • While tomatoes are roasting, start the soup. In a large pot on the stove-top, over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and heat. Sauté the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds, then add the broth and diced tomatoes. Add the dried basil and oregano and stir in. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the feta/tomatoes are ready.
  • When the cherry tomatoes/feta are done, add all of it to the soup and puree using an immersion blender. You can puree it as much or as little as you like. (Alternately, you can blend in 1 cup portions in a regular blender). Add the orzo to the soup, stir in and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring regularly, until orzo is tender (taste the orzo, to be sure it is tender). Taste the soup and add additional salt, if needed and some freshly ground pepper. Stir in the fresh basil, if using.
  • Meanwhile, while the orzo is cooking in the soup pot, make the croutons. In a skillet over medium high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan. Add the bread cubes, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a pinch of dried basil and cook, stirring regularly, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Remove from heat and allow to sit until the soup is ready.
  • Serve soup warm, with croutons and fresh basil.

Notes

If you are in the mood for a creamy tomato orzo soup simply add some cream at the end of cooking, as much or as little as you like. A heavy cream will work best, as it is less likely to split with the acidic tomatoes.
Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe. You will also find Step-by-Step photos there, that you might find helpful.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Soup
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 380kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 1217mg, Potassium: 546mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 464IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 277mg, Iron: 5mg
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