Manestra, Greek small pasta soup (Μανέστρα)

Manestra is a simple Greek soup made with small noodles or orzo cooked in a tomato broth. This soup is a favourite amongst children, and adults love it too!

Sometimes in life, you have to take risks.  Think outside the box.  Blaze a new path.  It can be scary and uncomfortable, but the rewards are usually worth it.  That’s what I have done here.  Manestra, a simple, tomato-based pasta soup, is usually made with orzo, but I decided to use pasta shaped as little stars (cue gasps).  I was brave.  I was a ground breaker.  I was unintimidated.  I was out of orzo.

No matter what small shaped pasta you use, the end result is sure to be delicious. Manestra’s subtle flavour makes it a favourite amongst picky eaters, and when it is served plain (that is, not topped with grated mizithra) it is a perfect vegan and lenten option.

Why I love this recipe

Manestra is my childhood, and my daughters’ childhoods, in a bowl! This recipe is so nostalgic for me, and I love how it makes me feel. Comforted, cared for, and happily full.

I love that I can prepare this recipe with only a few ingredients, and a little bit of time. With the rising cost of groceries, it makes me feel really good that I can prepare an easy and light lunch or dinner inexpensively.

Key ingredients

Orzo or other small pasta It is true that manestra is usually made with orzo, that rice shaped pasta that is so popular in both Greek and Italian cooking. I love orzo, but I also like to use other small shaped pasta to make manestra.

Onion I use a yellow onion; they caramelize nicely and are easy to find.

Garlic Not too much garlic, but just enough to add some flavour without being overpowering.

Olive oil Of course I use only the best quality Greek olive oil in this recipe.

Tomato sauce Whenever possible I use my homemade tomato sauce, but if I have run low then I turn to a good quality jarred passata (strained tomatoes)

Tomato paste There is such a deep, rich flavour which comes from the tomato paste. It helps to thicken up the soup a bit too.

Grated mizithra (optional) This Greek hard cheese is made from sheep or goat’s milk. It is salty, tangy, and goes great on top of this soup. If you want to keep it dairy-free, omit the mizithra. You could add a sprinkling of nutritional yeast instead.

How to make it

Nothing could be simpler than making a pot of manestra. This is why I often turn to this simple soup when I have no energy to cook, little time, and few ingredients!

Preparation

Even simple recipes like this one benefit from some prep work. Chop up the onion and garlic, measure out your other ingredients and then start cooking!

Instructions

Step 1
Heat oil in a large pot and add onion and  garlic.  Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.  Stir often, making sure that the garlic does not burn.

Step 2
Add the remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat according to the directions on the pasta packaging, usually about 8 – 10 minutes.  Stir often, especially at the beginning otherwise the pasta may stick to the bottom of the pot. Serve as is or top with grated mizithra (or some nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour, without the dairy).

Helpful hints

Manestra thickens as it sits due to the starch in the pasta.  If this happens, simply dilute it with a little bit of water.

You can make manestra ever day of the week using a variety of little pastas and feel like you are eating something different every day…sort of.  Greek pasta brands especially have lots of little noodles. I have made manestra with orzo, little sesame seed shaped pasta, and my favourite, the little stars.  Feel free to experiment!

How to serve

If your diet includes dairy, manestra is delicious served with grated cheese sprinkled on top. The best cheese option, I think, is mizithra; this will add flavour and protein to your meal.   If you are not eating cheese, you can sprinkle some nutritional yeast onto your manestra. This is a wonderful vegan option with a cheesy, nutty flavour.  Although both of these are nice variations, I actually tend to like manestra plain and simple, served with nothing but a side of olives and some wonderful homemade bread.

Video: How to make manestra

How to serve

Sometimes I add some grated cheese, like grated mizithra or even parmesan over top. If I want to keep this meal dairy-free then I add some nutritional yeast for a cheesy kick!

I always serve manestra with some fresh bread, a side of olives and perhaps a salad like a Greek Maroulosalata (Greek lettuce salad) (Psilokomeni). Another great option would be to serve this soup along with Greek cheese topped bread.

Storing and reheating

Manestra is best served soon after it is prepared, but you can definitely store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, it is best to do so in a small pot. The manestra will have thickened, so you can add some water to the pot to help thin it out.

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Related recipes

Here are some other really simple soup recipes that I think you will really enjoy!

Hilopites soup (Χυλοπίτες σούπα)

Fide soup (Fithe soup) (Σούπα φιδέ)

Sour trahana soup with tomato (Σούπα με ξινό τραχανά και ντομάτα)

Avgolemono (egg and lemon) soup with chicken (Σούπα αυγολέμονο με κοτόπουλο)

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