Vegan Marry Me ‘Chicken’ and Orzo Soup

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Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) block of super firm tofu, ( cubed (or extra firm tofu, pressed, drained, and cubed))
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, (divided (I used the oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes))
1 medium white onion, (diced)
¾ cup sun dried tomatoes, (drained and chopped)
6 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
7 cups vegetable broth
¾ cup uncooked orzo
1 cup vegan cream, (at room temperature)
1 cup vegan parmesan shreds, (plus more for garnish)
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach, (washed)
Juice of 1 small lemon, ((about ~1 tablespoon))
Fresh minced parsley or basil, (for garnish, optional)

1
To prepare the tofu, toss the tofu cubes with cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
2
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and pan-fry the tofu until golden brown and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pot over medium heat.
4
Once the oil is hot, add the onion and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
5
Add tomato paste and garlic, season with the Italian seasoning and red chili flakes, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste turns a deep red, 1 to 2 minutes.
6
Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil.
7
Add the orzo and reserved tofu, and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until they’re tender and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.
8
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the vegan cream and parmesan until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
9
Stir in the spinach (you may need to add the spinach ion batches), until the spinach is just slightly wilted.
10
Squeeze in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
11
Serve immediately with more parmesan and fresh minced basil. ENJOY!