Easy Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup (Vegan Avgolemono)
This healthy vegan lemon orzo soup with chickpeas, spinach and dill is easy to make in under 30 minutes and perfect for warming up on a chilly day.
About the Recipe
This recipe is inspired by Greek avgolemono soup. Traditionally the Greek soup features rice and chicken in a lemony broth made with egg and lemon sauce.
This vegetarian version is made with chickpeas, miso, tahini and orzo, a small rice-shaped pasta.
Fresh dill and parsley add another layer of flavor for bright and zesty soup. It’s also healthy and easy to make in under 30 minutes with simple ingredients, making it perfect for a weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy.
Chockfull of veggies and yummy bites of orzo and chickpeas, this soup is pure comfort food, especially when paired with a hearty slice of warm bread!
Orzo always makes comforting meal. You can also try it in this delicious Lemon Garlic Orzo with Roasted Vegetables.
For more soups like this, this Creamy Cauliflower Wild Rice Soup, Easy Lemon Lentil Soup with Turmeric and Easy One Pot Vegan Lasagna Soup are both really good.
What is avgolemono?
Avgolemono is a sauce made from egg yolk and lemon juice in which they are heated together until creamy, thick and silky. You’ll find avgolemono in various cuisines around the world but its most commonly known as a Greek sauce.
In Greek avgolemono soup, avgolemono is added to broth with chicken and rice for an extra rich and creamy finish.
To make this recipe without chicken or egg (vegan avgolemono soup), it features chickpeas instead of chicken, and a sauce made from miso, tahini and lemon juice, instead of egg and lemon.
Ingredients
- Aromatics: You’ll need onion, garlic and carrot. If you’re missing fresh garlic you can substitute 1 tsp garlic powder. Celery works too if you like!
- Vegetable Stock: Any vegetable broth or stock works. I like Better Than Bouillon.
- Chickpeas: You can cook your own from scratch or use 2 15 oz cans or 1 large 28 oz can. If you’re using canned, drain and rinse them before adding to the recipe. If you only have a 19 oz can on hand, that’s ok too, the amount doesn’t have to be exact.
- Orzo: Any variety works, such as gluten-free, wheat or whole wheat orzo. (check packaging as some contain egg). If you like you can substitute rinsed basmati rice but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time a bit.
- Tahini: Good tahini is creamy and not overly bitter and will add a delicious finish to this recipe. I like Arz Fine Foods or Soom. It’s commonly found in well-stocked stores or you can find it in a Mediterranean specialty store. Sometimes it’s in a different section than other nut and seed butters, so just ask if you can’t find it. It’s also readily available online.
- Miso Paste: White or yellow miso paste works. Miso paste is usually found near tofu in a refrigerated section of the grocery store. It’s common in well-stocked grocery stores or any Asian specialty store.
- Spinach: You’ll need fresh spinach. Finely chopped kale would also work!
- Fresh Herbs: The recipe calls for fresh dill and parsley. Fresh is best in this recipe but if you don’t have any on hand or can’t find it in stores, you can substitute 1 tsp dried dill and parsley. The dill adds quite a bit of flavour so if you’re not a fan, either omit it or reduce the amount.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Additions
- For more intense lemon flavour, add 1-2 tsp lemon zest when you add the fresh herbs at the end.
- To add an enhanced nutty flavour to the orzo, add it to the veggies before you add the broth, chickpeas and bay leaf and “toast” for about 1 minute.
- Additional Veggies: You can add celery, peeled and diced potato, finely chopped leek or chopped asparagus to this recipe.
- White beans work well as a substitute for chickpeas.
- Serve lemon chickpea soup with toasty warm bread, naan bread or pita.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by sautéing the carrot and onion in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper in a large dutch oven or soup pot. Cook them for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and fragrant.
Step 2: Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often.
Step 3: Add the stock, chickpeas, orzo and bay leaf and bring the mixture to a boil.
Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite. Be sure to give it a good stir every 1-2 minutes to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step 4: While the orzo is cooking, mix the tahini, lemon juice, miso and water together in a container until smooth and creamy.
Step 5: Once the orzo is tender, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the tahini-lemon-miso mixture, spinach, and fresh dill and parsley, reserving some of the fresh herbs for sprinkling on top.
Stir for 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted and mixed in.
Serve your lemon orzo soup a sprinkle of the remaining fresh herbs, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and any other additional garnishes you might enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
Sure. If you can find gluten-free orzo, go ahead and use that. Otherwise, swap the orzo for rinsed basmati rice and adjust the cooking time as needed. You may need a little extra broth as rice will require a bit more cooking liquid.
Yes. You can use any small pasta shape in this recipe. Sub something like bows, rotini, penne or fusili 1:1 for the orzo and cook al dente according to package instructions.
Let cool before storing then store leftover soup in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
The orzo will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup will thicken considerably the next day. You can enjoy it as is, or stir in a little additional broth to adjust the consistency to your preference.
Reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
Cooking Tips
- I’d recommend gathering and preparing all the ingredients beforehand, so it’s a quick and easy process once you get going.
- Check the orzo packaging for estimated cooking time then err on the side of al dente (or even slightly underdone). It may only need 7-8 minutes.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Use the Saute function to cook the carrot, onion and garlic in the oil for 5-7 minute, stirring often.
- Add the broth, chickpeas, orzo and bay leaf. Seal the Instant Pot with the valve turned to Sealing. Cook for 4 minutes on High Pressure.
- While the soup is cooking, mix up the vegan avgolemono sauce.
- Once the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Release any remaining pressure and carefully open the lid.
- Stir in the fresh herbs, avgolemono sauce and spinach until the spinach is wilted.
- Enjoy your soup with lemon and more fresh herbs sprinkled over top.
More Soup Recipes
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan lemon orzo soup with chickpeas, spinach and dill is packed with fresh flavor making it a wonderful soup to enjoy any time of year.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (15 mL, use water for oil-free)
- 1 white onion, diced (approx. 192 g/1¾ cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces (approx. 175 g/1¼ cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated (15 g)
- 6 cups vegetable stock (1500 mL)
- 3 cups chickpeas (2 15 oz can or 1 28 oz can, drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup orzo (185 g)
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup lemon juice (55 g)
- ¼ cup tahini (60 g)
- 2 tbsp white miso paste (30 g)
- ¼ cup warm water (60 mL)
- 3 cups packed baby spinach (57 g)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (7 g)
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped (7 g)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Saute Onion, Carrot & Garlic: In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and carrots. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5-7 min, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 min, stirring often, until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the vegetable stock, chickpeas, orzo and bay leaf. Season with another small pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 7-10 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes, so the orzo does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook until orzo is tender, but still firm to the bite (al dente).
- Prepare Sauce: While the soup cooks, add the tahini, lemon juice, miso and warm water to a container and whisk to combine until completely smooth and creamy.
- Stir in Sauce, Spinach and Herbs: When the orzo is tender, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in spinach, lemon-tahini mixture and the parsley and dill, reserving a small amount of fresh herbs for serving. Stir for 1-2 min, until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle remaining parsley and dill over top. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon, if desired.
Notes
Let cool before storing. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup will thicken considerably after storing. You can enjoy it as is, or stir in a little additional broth to adjust the consistency to your preference. Reheat the soup in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
Nutrition facts are estimated based on a serving size that is 1/5 of the recipe. Sodium content will depend on the broth/stock used and how much salt you add when seasoning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5th of recipe
- Calories: 364
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 14 g
This soup is delicious and filling. Thank you for a great recipe.
Thanks for trying it!
Can you recommend a substitute for tahini? I can’t have that much fat/oil so nuts and seeds are not allowable substitutions for me.
I can’t think of a suitable substitution for this recipe unfortunately. You could leave it out, the recipe would be a bit different but I think it would still be good. I haven’t tried it myself though. Thanks!
I was not feeling well yesterday, and this soup sounded perfect! It turned out to be just what I needed.
I added a couple parsnips and used 2 baby Bok Choi instead of spinach. It was so easy to make and was delish! Thanks for a great recipe…❤️
YUMMY!
Just made it for dinner and it was extremely satisfying. The hubby and I went for seconds.
I used dry dill since I didn’t have fresh. Delicious nonetheless 🤤
I will be revisiting this recipe for sure!
This will become one of go to recipes now. It is bright and just delicious !!! I added celery and potato and used a combo of regular lemon and Meyers lemon. It is sooo good Filling yet light at the same time Seriously a favorite from now on
Been feeling quite run down, so decided to make this. It is absolutely gorgeous, a really different taste that works really well and tastes full of goodness. Highly recommended. Thanks, Derryn for another great recipe
Excellent, easy, delicious!! Had to use frozen spinach and it worked too. Out of fresh since home. Matt says hes having more even tho not done first serving!!!.
So glad it was enjoyed!
This is truly one of the best soups I have EVER made! I substituted lentils for orzo and doubled the dill (you can never have enough dill🤷♀️). I am excited make this for family and friends💕. It is so delicious 😋
Thank you so much, Cheryl! So happy you enjoyed it.
Super tasty and well balanced 🙂
Thanks for trying it! So glad it was enjoyed.
This soup is my new favorite!! I made mine with rice and it turned out just perfect. The lemon tahini sauce is to die for.
Over all good flavor! I’m always looking for a lighter soup recipe thats still nutritionally dense like this one is. I did change it to work with what I had and omitted the orzo, because I haven’t found a grain that works well for my tummy personally. The soup has enough without it thankfully and I used three verses 2 carrots for more veggie. Subbed chickpeas for white beans, used chopped kale instead of spinach, which both work well with it. Only complaint is the texture of the broth with the tahini, which I absolutely love this idea to use it since I love tahini! I did make sure it was creamy when I put the tahini mix in, but got a grainy consistency when adding it to the soup. Only note to watch your tahini mixture for any graininess. Thanks again for a creative recipe!
That’s a good tip! My tahini was super smooth and creamy so there was no graininess in the recipe. I’ll add a note for other readers. Thanks!