Description
Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup is a vibrant and protein-packed vegetarian soup inspired by traditional Avgolemono. Featuring tender chickpeas, orzo pasta, fresh kale, and a luscious lemon-egg broth, this fragrant soup is a comforting and nutritious meal ready in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 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
- 3 handfuls roughly chopped or shredded kale
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Broth and Seasonings
- 2 quarts (8 cups) lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
Other Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (15.5-oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 large whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Heat Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until aromatic.
- Simmer Soup Base: Pour in the vegetable broth and increase heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add Main Ingredients: Once boiling, add rinsed chickpeas, orzo pasta, kosher salt, black pepper, and dried oregano. Simmer uncovered over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until the orzo is al dente.
- Temper Eggs: Reduce heat to low. Remove 3/4 cup of hot broth from the soup and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together whole eggs, egg yolks, and fresh lemon juice. While whisking constantly, very slowly stream the hot broth into the egg mixture to temper the eggs and prevent scrambling.
- Incorporate Egg Mixture: Slowly stream the tempered egg-broth mixture back into the soup while gently stirring with a wooden spoon or ladle.
- Add Greens and Finish Cooking: Stir in kale and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, until the broth thickens slightly and kale wilts. Remove the lemon peel strips.
- Garnish and Serve: Stir in finely chopped fresh dill, adjust seasoning to taste, and ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with extra fresh dill, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Notes
- This soup is a vegetarian take on the classic Greek avgolemono, substituting chickpeas for the traditional chicken.
- Use lower-sodium broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- If kale is not available, substitute with spinach, Swiss chard, or escarole.
- Tempering the eggs slowly is crucial to achieve a silky broth without scrambled egg bits.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute orzo with gluten-free pasta or rice.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
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: 125 mg
