Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup Recipe

Introduction

This Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup is a comforting and vibrant dish full of fresh flavors and hearty ingredients. It combines creamy chickpeas, bright lemon, tender kale, and orzo in a nourishing broth that’s perfect for any season.

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 (sub chicken broth if not making vegetarian)
• 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 (sub spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
2. Step 2: Pour in the vegetable broth and increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the chickpeas, orzo, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Simmer uncovered over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until the orzo is al dente. Then reduce heat to low. Remove 3/4 cup of hot broth from the soup and set it aside.
3. Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and lemon juice. While whisking constantly, very slowly stream the reserved hot broth into the egg mixture to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling.
4. Step 4: Slowly pour the egg and broth mixture back into the pot while gently stirring the soup with a wooden spoon or ladle. Add the chopped kale and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until the broth slightly thickens and the greens are wilted. Remove the lemon peel strips from the soup.
5. Step 5: Stir in the finely chopped fresh dill. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra dill, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.

Tips & Variations

• Use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth for a non-vegetarian version with richer flavor.
• Substitute kale with spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole depending on what you have available.
• Temper the eggs slowly and whisk constantly to avoid scrambled eggs in your soup.
• Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for a subtle heat kick.
• For a gluten-free variation, swap orzo for rice or gluten-free pasta.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low to medium heat to avoid curdling the egg and lemon mixture. You can also freeze the soup, but note that the texture of the kale and orzo might change slightly when thawed.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this soup vegan?

This recipe includes eggs for richness and thickness, but you can omit them and add a thickener like blended potatoes or pureed beans to keep it vegan-friendly.

What can I use instead of orzo?

You can substitute orzo with other small pasta shapes, rice, or even quinoa to suit your preference or dietary needs.

Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 249 reviews

Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup is a comforting and nutritious Mediterranean-inspired dish brimming with chickpeas, orzo, fresh kale, and bright lemon flavors. This hearty soup combines sautéed vegetables, aromatic herbs, and a luscious lemon-egg broth that is gently tempered to create a silky texture. It’s perfect for a wholesome lunch or light dinner and is easy to prepare on the stovetop.

• Author: Dana
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Greek
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Soup Base

• 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
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 quarts (8 cups) lower-sodium vegetable broth (substitute chicken broth for non-vegetarian)
• 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

Egg-Lemon Mixture

• 2 large whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Greens and Garnish

• 3 handfuls roughly chopped or shredded kale (or substitute spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the finely chopped onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel strips. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Simmer Soup: Pour in the vegetable broth and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the rinsed chickpeas, dry orzo, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Reduce the heat to medium-high and let the soup simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente. Then reduce heat to low. Remove 3/4 cup of the hot broth from the soup and set it aside for tempering the eggs.
3. Temper Eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and fresh lemon juice until combined. While whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle the reserved hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture. This tempering process gently brings the eggs up to temperature without scrambling them.
4. Incorporate Egg Mixture: Slowly stream the tempered egg-broth mixture back into the pot of soup while gently stirring with a wooden spoon or ladle. Add the chopped kale and continue cooking on low heat for about 5 minutes until the broth slightly thickens and the greens wilt. Remove the lemon peel strips from the pot.
5. Finish and Serve: Stir in the finely chopped fresh dill. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh dill, cracked black pepper, and an optional drizzle of olive oil for extra flavor.

Notes

• Tempering the eggs is critical to prevent them from scrambling in the hot broth. Pour the hot broth slowly while whisking vigorously.
• Substitute kale with other leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole if desired.
• You can substitute vegetable broth with chicken broth for a non-vegetarian version.
• For a gluten-free variation, replace orzo with gluten-free pasta or rice.
• Use low sodium broth to better control the salt content.

Keywords: Greek chickpea soup, lemon soup, orzo soup, vegetarian soup, kale soup, Mediterranean soup, hearty soup recipe