Pesto Orzo Soup

Made this for the first time a couple of nights ago, and it was love at first try. 

The original recipe called for two cups or orzo, but I have reduced that to one because it turned into more of a thick pasta dish than a soup. I haven't tried the single cup version yet, so maybe I'll want to go back to two. 

1 tablespoon olive oil

4-6 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 cup dry orzo pasta

6 cups vegetable broth

1 can white beans

1/2 bunch kale, finely shredded

1/2 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup whole milk or canned full fat coconut milk

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Juice of 1 lemon

Black pepper, sprinkled

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the butter until fully melted, then stir in the orzo. Cook until golden, 1-3 minutes.

Pour in the broth and bring to a boil over high heat.

Stir in the beans and kale.

Simmer 8-10 minutes until the orzo is al dente, stirring often. It should become very creamy.

Stir in the pesto, milk, parmesan, and lemon juice. Cook another few minutes until warmed through.

Give it a good sprinkle of black pepper, and serve!