Description
Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup is a vibrant, protein-packed vegetarian soup inspired by the traditional Avgolemono Soup. It features tender chickpeas, orzo pasta, fresh vegetables, and a silky lemon-egg broth, ready in just over 30 minutes for a comforting and flavorful meal.
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
- 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
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute until aromatic.
- Simmer Soup: Add broth and increase heat to bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add chickpeas, orzo, salt, pepper, and oregano. Simmer soup over medium-high heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the orzo is al dente. Reduce heat to low and remove 3/4 cup hot broth from the soup, setting it aside.
- Temper Eggs: Place the whole eggs, egg yolks, and lemon juice in a large bowl; whisk until combined. While whisking constantly, very slowly stream the hot broth into the egg mixture to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling.
- Combine and Thicken: While gently stirring the soup with a wooden spoon or ladle, stream the egg-broth mixture back into the pot. Add kale and continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until the broth slightly thickens and the greens are wilted. Remove lemon peels.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in fresh dill and taste to adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with extra fresh dill, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Notes
- This soup is inspired by the classic Greek Avgolemono, but uses chickpeas and kale for added nutrition and texture.
- You can substitute spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole if kale is unavailable.
- Tempering the eggs slowly is crucial to avoid scrambled eggs and ensure a silky broth texture.
- Use lower-sodium broth to control salt levels; adjust seasoning at the end accordingly.
- For a non-vegetarian version, chicken broth can be substituted for vegetable broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.66 cups
- Calories: 340 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg
