Flavorful, cozy, herby lemon orzo soup with vegetables and chickpea is a perfect comforting soup on a chilly winter evening. It is vegetarian, vegan and gets ready in just 30 minutes.
This hearty, tasty one pot vegetable orzo soup is simple to make and you can easily customise it by adding veggies or protein of your choice. The fresh vibrant flavour of lemons and aromatic herbs makes this soup standout from regular veggie soup.
It is so satisfying and filling that it can even replace your dinner on busy weekdays. You can enjoy it as it is or with crusty artisan bread. This veggie orzo soup recipe is:
- Vegetarian and vegan
- Easy to make & One-pot
- Made without cream or eggs
- Satisfying, wholesome and nourishing
- Loaded with vegetables and high protein chickpeas
I first time noticed orzo on supermarket shelves while on our trip to Istanbul. At first glance I thought it was some kind of grain (like rice) but on reading further I got to know, it is actually a short-cut pasta, also known as risoni.
Orzo can be made from both durum wheat & whole wheat. It is used in variety of recipes like pasta, pilaf, soups or salads. Though it originates in Italy, it is also used in Mediterranean cuisine. The lemon orzo soup recipe which I have shared here is also loosely inspired from greek lemon orzo soup (avgolemono) and chickpea soup (revithia).
Vegetable Orzo Soup Ingredients:
Orzo: I have used regular orzo in this soup recipe but you can choose whole wheat variety also. You can boil it separately (just like you boil other pasta varieties, rinse & drain) or cook it directly in the soup.
Veggies: Onion, garlic, carrots, celery, spinach are some of the vegetables that are added here in soup. Instead of regular spinach you can use baby spinach or kale and can also add other vegetables like potatoes, green beans and peas.
Lemons: Loaded with vitamin C, lemon adds so much freshness to the soup with its bold vibrant citrusy flavour. Freshly squeezed lemon juice tastes best here, don’t go for pre-packaged one. For more flavour, you can add lemon zest also.
Chickpeas: If you are using dried chickpeas, then cook them first by soaking and pressure cooking. In case you are using canned chickpeas, just drain and rinse them before using.
I prefer to add chickpeas in the soup as they are high in protein. If you don’t like it, feel free to skip or replace it with cannellini beans.
Herbs: Different aromatic herbs like thyme, oregano, dill, rosemary or parsley add so much flavour and aroma to the soup. I have used dried oregano, dried thyme, fresh parsley and dill. If dill is not available you can skip it.
Garlic: I love adding garlic in soups. You can adjust its quantity as per your liking or even skip adding it if you don’t like it.
Vegetable Stock: Vegetable stock add nutrition and flavour to the soups. Instead of stock, you can even use bouillon cubes or stock cubes. If you are cooking chickpeas from scratch, then the water in which they were boiled can also be used here.
Seasoning: The soup is seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper. I also like to add a big pinch of turmeric powder as it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and also gives a lovely golden tinge to the soup.
In authentic ‘avgolemono’, the soup becomes creamy by the combination of eggs and lemon juice. As this is vegan recipe, I have tried to give similar texture by blending some of the chickpeas with vegetable stock.
Orzo when boiled in the soup releases it starch and also helps in thickening the soup. To make this soup more creamy, you can add tahini, coconut milk or cashew cream.
More vegetarian soup recipes:
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil- 1 tbsp
- Onion (chopped)- 1 medium
- Carrots (chopped)- 2 medium
- Celery stalks (chopped)- 2
- Garlic cloves (crushed)- 2 to 3
- Bay Leaf- 1
- Dried oregano- 1/2 tsp
- Dried thyme-1/2 tsp
- Crushed black pepper- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Chickpeas (cooked)- 2+1/2 cups (400 gm / 14 oz. / 1 can)
- Vegetable Stock- 5 cups
- Turmeric powder- 1/8 tsp (optional)
- Salt- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Orzo (dried)- 3/4 cup
- Lemon Juice- 1/4 cup
- Baby spinach / Chopped Spinach- 2 to 3 cups
- Fresh dill / parsley (chopped)- 1/4 cup
(The above recipe yields 4 to 5 servings.)
Directions:
Step 1:
Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped carrots, celery and onion to it. Cook for 3-4 minutes till they begin to soften up a little. Keep stirring in between.
Step 2:
Add dried oregano, thyme, bay leaf, crushed black pepper and garlic. Sauté for another 40-50 seconds till they start releasing their aroma.
Step 3:
Keeping 1/3 cup chickpeas and 1/2 cup vegetable stock aside, add rest of these along with salt and turmeric (if using) to these veggies. Blend the chickpeas and vegetable stock which we kept aside in a blender jar to get flowing consistency mixture (add more stock if needed). Add it to the soup and stir gently.
(For notes on chickpea, check tips at the end of this post.)
Step 4:
Bring it to boil. Add orzo and mix gently. Stir it in between also to avoid orzo from clumping. Simmer and cook for 7 minutes.
Step 5:
Remove bay leaf from the pot. Add baby spinach or chopped spinach, stir gently. Simmer for 2 more minutes till it starts to wilt.
Step 6:
Switch off the flame, add lemon juice and freshly chopped herbs to the pot. Mix gently and taste once to adjust seasoning as per your taste.
Enjoy hot steaming bowl of delicious lemon orzo soup. Garnish with more fresh herbs or lemon wedge before serving.
Tips:
1. Reheating Instructions: The orzo soup becomes thick on cooling down as the pasta absorbs water. Add some vegetable stock or water to it before reheating. You can reheat it in microwave or in a pan on stovetop. Top up with more lemon juice and fresh herbs if required.
2. Storage Instructions: You can easily store the leftover orzo soup in an airtight container in fridge for 2-3 days.
3. If you are using canned chickpea, drain and rinse them first. If you are using dried chickpeas, cook them first till they are tender (explained in chana masala post). You can also use the chickpea stock (water in which chickpea were boiled) in combination with vegetable stock.
4. Cook the orzo as per the packet instructions till it is al dente. Avoid overcooking as it can turn mushy.
5. For creamier consistency, add some tahini, coconut or cashew cream to the soup.
6. Don’t cook the soup too much after adding lemon juice as otherwise its nutrients (vitamin C) can get destroyed on over heating.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes. you can make it in advance and reheat in microwave or on stovetop.If it seems thick, add some water or vegetable stock to it.
Second option is to prepare the soup till the part where chickpea and veg stock is added. Next day before serving, heat the soup and add orzo, lemon, spinach etc as explained above. This will cut down the cooking time and you will get fresh tasting soup ready quickly.
Pin for later:
More recipes with lemon:
- Lemon Garlic Pasta
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins (eggless)
If you try this orzo vegetable soup recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.
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(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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