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Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup

Lemony Greek chickpea soup simmers chickpeas, carrots, and celery in bright broth and cooks orzo until al dente. Tempered egg-lemon creates a velvety, silky finish with tender kale and fresh dill.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
carrots
  • 2 carrots, sliced
celery
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
vegetable broth
  • 6 cup vegetable broth
chickpeas
  • 2 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
orzo pasta
  • 0.5 cup orzo pasta
dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
salt
  • 1 Salt and pepper, to taste
whole eggs
  • 2 whole eggs
egg yolks
  • 2 egg yolks
lemon juice
  • 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice Use fresh; measure 1/4 cup.
lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
baby kale
  • 2 cup baby kale
fresh dill
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the vegetables
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 8-10 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally so they don’t brown.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the chickpeas, orzo pasta, dried oregano, salt, and pepper, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until the orzo is al dente.
Temper and finish
  1. Whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, and fresh lemon juice together in a bowl until smooth.
  2. Slowly stream the egg-lemon mixture into the soup while stirring gently to temper it, keeping the soup active but not boiling.
  3. Stir in the baby kale and cook over low heat for 5 minutes until the broth thickens slightly and the greens wilt.
  4. Stir in the chopped fresh dill and lemon zest, then adjust seasoning before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Temper the eggs by streaming slowly while stirring so they thicken without scrambling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently over low heat to avoid curdling. Freezing is not recommended due to the egg-based thickener. For a dairy-free option, use an egg-free thickener like cornstarch slurry and whisk in off-heat, then return to low heat to thicken.