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Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://dishedbydana.com/lemony-greek-chickpea-soup-recipe/