This vegetarian chickpea lemon orzo soup is not only delicious, it's vegan! The lemon adds a citrusy flavor and the orzo pasta gives it creaminess. It's super comforting when you're sick or when it's cold outside.
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I made this soup when some of my family was sick and it really hit the spot! It's also super tasty with some saltines or oyster crackers.
🧄 Ingredient notes
- Chickpeas - Canned chickpeas, (or garbanzo beans), can be found at almost every grocery store you can think of. You can buy them dried to make yourself, or already cooked in the can. Either way works.
- Orzo - For one, orzo isn't rice. It is merely pasta shaped like rice. It's great for soups like this, but less great for the traditional sauces like marinara or alfredo. Look for orzo in the pasta section at your local grocery store.
- Bouillon - The bouillon you see in the above picture is Edward & Son's Vegan Not-Chicken Bouillon, but we also recommend Better Than Bouillon brand.
🔪 Instructions
Here's how to make chickpea lemon orzo soup step-by-step!
- Step 1: In a medium-large dutch oven or stockpot, add the water, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, chickpeas, thyme and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to medium-low. Gently boil until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Step 2: Stir in orzo and cook another 8 minutes, until orzo is tender.
- Step 3: Squeeze the juice of one whole lemon into the pan. Stir and taste. Add salt, if needed.
- Step 4: Cut other lemon into wedges for garnish, along with parsley.
Expert Tips
- Cooking the orzo in the soup releases starch into the water, making the soup a little creamy, which is delicious. The orzo will continue to soak up the broth, though. So, if you'd rather have lots of broth in your soup, then cook the orzo separately.
🥡 Make ahead and storage tips
If you're going to make this ahead, then I'd recommend cooking the orzo separately from the soup. And, storing them in separate containers until you're ready to eat. The orzo will swell and soak up all the broth if you keep them together.
🗺 Cultural influences
This recipe is loosely inspired by the Greek soup avgolemono which is a chicken lemon soup. This is my vegan take on that Greek dish.
💜 More recipes you'll love
If you love this vegan lemon orzo soup recipe, check out these other delicious plant-based soup recipes!
Love this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Chickpea Lemon Orzo Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 2 cups yellow onion diced (260g)
- 1 ½ cups carrot diced (175g)
- 1 cup celery diced (115g)
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed (1 ½cups)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 3 no-chicken bouillon cubes Edward & Sons
- 1 cup orzo
- 2 lemons
- parsley minced
Instructions
- In a medium-large dutch oven or stockpot, add the water, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, chickpeas, thyme and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to medium-low.8 cups water, 2 cups yellow onion, 1 ½ cups carrot, 1 cup celery, 6 cloves garlic, 1 can chickpeas, 1 teaspoon thyme, 3 no-chicken bouillon cubes
- Gently boil until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in orzo and cook another 8 minutes, until orzo is tender.1 cup orzo
- Squeeze the juice of one whole lemon into the pan. Stir and taste. Add salt, if needed. Cut other lemon into wedges for garnish, along with parsley.2 lemons, parsley
Falconlord0157 says
Orzo isn't rice. I learned something new today.
Maria says
This soup was very delicious! I cooked the orzo separately. I added peas and soy curls and then chopped kale for the last couple of minutes of cooking time. Nourishing and easy - one pot - my favorite kind of recipe. Thank you so much!!