Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup

I know I already posted a tomato soup recipe this week, but I was so shocked my kids would eat the other one, I thought I would try a different one while we were on a roll.  I have also had some orzo pasta in my pantry for a long time and thought I would finally use it!  This soup is good, it is a bit more tomato-y than the one I posted previously, and it also has the orzo pasta I already mentioned. 

If I had to choose between the two recipes I would choose the parmesan one I posted earlier this week.  That one just had a better flavor to it, but don't get me wrong, this one is good too.  I might try to use Greek yogurt with the other tomato soup recipe though instead of the cream next time I make it. 

Creamy Tomato Orzo Soup Recipe
Recipe from HERE

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3-15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1-15 ounce can vegetable broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used 1/2 T. dried basil)
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes (I did a dash of ground red pepper)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I used 1/2 tsp. salt and almost 1/4 tsp. black pepper)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used plain yogurt that I had drained so basically Greek yogurt)
1 cup cooked Orzo pasta (to get 1 c. cooked, use heaping 1/4 c. dried orzo)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves.

2. Add the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir in the brown sugar and fresh basil. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, to taste. Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup (or blend the soup in a standing blender and return to the pot). Stir in the yogurt until well combined. Stir in the orzo pasta. Serve warm.