Description
Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup with orzo, kale, and fresh vegetables in a silky, lemony broth. Inspired by Avgolemono, it’s protein-packed, vibrant, and ready in just over 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow or sweet onion
- 3/4 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 2 (2-inch) strips lemon peel, plus 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 quarts (8 cups) lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 (15.5-oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup dry orzo pasta (regular or whole-wheat)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 large whole eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
- 3 handfuls roughly chopped or shredded kale
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
2. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add chickpeas, orzo, salt, pepper, and oregano. Simmer uncovered over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, or until orzo is al dente. Reduce heat to low. Remove 3/4 cup hot broth and set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together whole eggs, egg yolks, and lemon juice. While whisking constantly, slowly stream in the reserved hot broth to temper the eggs.
4. While gently stirring the soup, slowly pour the egg-broth mixture back into the pot. Add kale and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until broth is slightly thickened and greens are wilted. Remove lemon peels.
5. Stir in fresh dill and adjust seasonings to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra dill, black pepper, and olive oil if desired.
Notes
To store: Let soup cool before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days.
To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or water if too thick.
To freeze: Freeze cooled soup in a gallon-sized zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
When tempering eggs, pour hot broth very slowly into eggs while whisking to avoid scrambling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.66 cups
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: Chickpea, Avgolemono, Vegetarian, Greek Soup, Lemon