Description
Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup is a bright and comforting vegan soup inspired by Greek avgolemono. Made with chickpeas, tender orzo, carrots, leafy greens, fresh dill, lemon, and creamy tahini, it’s a wholesome one-pot meal ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or 1/4 cup water for oil-free)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 7-8 cups vegetable broth or water (or a combination)
- 1 cup whole wheat orzo
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 large handful baby kale or spinach
- Fresh dill, chopped, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper or lemon pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil (or water) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the orzo and chickpeas. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tahini and lemon juice, starting with the smaller amount and adding more to taste.
- Add the baby kale or spinach and stir until wilted.
- Stir in the fresh dill and season with salt and black pepper.
- Serve warm with crusty artisan bread.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Tahini can be replaced with sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, blended silken tofu, or omitted.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the orzo with white rice and cook 10-15 minutes longer.
- For slow cooker preparation, add everything except the orzo, tahini, spinach, and lemon juice. Add those during the final 30-45 minutes of cooking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek-Inspired