Description
This Homemade Greek Lemon Chickpea Soup is a hearty and comforting dish featuring a flavorful vegetable broth enriched with tender chickpeas, orzo pasta, and fresh herbs. Infused with bright lemon and fresh dill, it’s a traditional Greek-style soup that’s both nourishing and delicious, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.75 cups onion (small diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 1 cup carrots (cut into 1/2-inch half-moons)
- 0.75 cup celery (diced)
- 2 strips lemon peel
- 5 garlic cloves (minced)
- 64 oz vegetable broth
- 2 cans chickpeas (drained)
- 0.75 cup orzo pasta
- 1.25 tsp salt
- 1.25 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tsp oregano
- 3 handfuls kale (stems removed, leaves torn into 1-inch pieces)
- 3 tbsp fresh dill
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Egg-Lemon Mixture
- 2 eggs (room temperature, about 70°F)
- 2 egg yolks
- 0.33 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: Dice the onions into 1/4-inch pieces, cut carrots into 1/2-inch half-moons, dice celery, mince garlic cloves, remove kale stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces, and chop the parsley. This prepwork ensures all ingredients are ready for cooking.
- Sauté base vegetables: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel strips. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and begin to caramelize, building a deep flavor foundation for the soup.
- Add garlic and broth: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the 64 ounces of vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add chickpeas and orzo: Add drained chickpeas, orzo pasta, salt, pepper, and oregano to the broth. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes until the orzo is tender and flavors meld.
- Prepare egg-lemon mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks, and 0.33 cup lemon juice until smooth. Using room temperature eggs helps prevent curdling when tempered with hot broth.
- Temper eggs and combine: Reduce soup heat to low. Carefully ladle about 3/4 cup hot broth into a measuring cup and slowly whisk it into the egg-lemon mixture to warm it gently. Then pour the tempered egg mixture slowly back into the pot, stirring gently to distribute evenly. This adds a creamy, tangy character.
- Add kale and dill: Stir in torn kale leaves, cooking for 5 minutes over low heat until kale wilts and softens. Remove lemon peel strips, then add fresh dill. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve immediately while hot, enjoying the brightness and depth of Greek flavors.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs for smooth tempering and to avoid scrambling the eggs in the soup.
- Better Than Bouillon vegetable broth adds a richer flavor base but you can substitute with any high-quality vegetable broth.
- Remove lemon peel strips before serving to avoid bitterness.
- Fresh dill is essential for authentic Greek flavor, but dried can be substituted if fresh is unavailable.
- Orzo can be swapped with other small pasta shapes if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Keywords: Greek Lemon Chickpea Soup, Greek Soup, Chickpea Soup, Orzo Soup, Lemon Soup, Vegetarian Soup, Healthy Soup, Mediterranean Soup
