Orzo Lemon Soup with Chickpeas

This vegan lemon orzo soup is the perfect light and refreshing weeknight meal! Just shy of 45 minutes, this one-pot soup can be ready on the dinner table in no time. Pair with warm bread for a wholesome and healthy meal.

Although the days are getting warmer, nothing is more comforting than a bowl of soup. This orzo lemon soup is vegan and is light and refreshing in comparison to a denser, heartier winter soup.

I love that this soup is healthy and can easily be made gluten-free by swapping out the orzo for more beans or another gluten-free grain. What makes soups even better is I can make a big batch ahead of time and it will last a few nights – freeing up my schedule to enjoy the sunshine.

Tips for How to Make the Best Orzo Lemon Soup

The key to a great homemade soup recipe is all about the layers! If you add the ingredients in the proper order and let cook, the results will be foolproof! Here’s how to make this easy vegan soup recipe in just 3 simple steps:

1. The base starts with onion, carrot, and celery aka mirepoix aka the holy trifecta for soup starters! Peel, chop, and dice the veggies and add to a stockpot along with olive oil and garlic. Saute over medium heat for a few minutes.
2. Next, add vegetable broth and water, chickpeas, orzo, lemon juice, lemon zest, and seasonings and let simmer.
3. Lastly, just stir in fresh parlsey. And always taste and adjust seasonings if needed!

Pair with some warm bread for the ultimate comfort meal or a fresh salad for a lighter fare.

Recipe Variations

This orzo lemon soup is a favorite of mine to make in big batches for weekdays. As-is the recipe is enough for 6 generous bowls. But you can definitely double the recipe to prepare as a meal prep or to feed a crowd.

The lemon and orzo soup will be on the thicker side. If you like a thinner consistency feel free to add a bit more broth or water along with the chickpeas and simmer until it reaches the consistency you want.

Short on time? You can use a ready-to-go frozen bag of mirepoix instead of fresh peeled and chopped veggies. Let the veggies thaw beforehand then continue with the recipe as described.

The chickpeas in this recipe are a great source of vegan protein; however, if you are not vegetarian, adding chicken would be great too to make this as a traditional avgolemono soup!

How to Store Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup

Let leftovers cool to room temperature and transfer the soup to a container with a lid (or containers if meal prepping). Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo will continue to soak up the broth and expand, so you might need to add a little splash of water when you reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Some soups taste great after storing in the freezer, but this recipe is slightly tricky…

Tip: If you plan on freezing this soup, omit pasta. When pasta is reheated, it can become overcooked and mushy! This would create a not-so-delicious soup recipe.

Store cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you tried this vegan orzo lemon soup, let me know in the comments below and share a photo using #mindfulavocado. I’d love to hear from you! Want to see more recipes? Let’s get social! CONNECT WITH ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest to see what I’m currently cooking up!

Orzo Lemon Soup with Chickpeas

This light and refreshing soup is healthy but not short of flavor. The hint of lemon makes this soup enjoyable in the warmer months!

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: greek avgolemono without chicken, healthy soup summer, soup with chickpeas, vegan avgolemono, vegan pasta soup, vegetarian soup recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 bowls

Calories: 220kcal

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1.5 cups)
• 3 small-medium carrots peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 celery stalks diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup orzo
• 1 14.5-ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped (optional for serving)

Tools:

• dutch oven

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook until onions are translucent (about 7 minutes). Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Add veggie broth, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, orzo, chickpeas, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil; stirring occasionally to prevent orzo from sticking to the bottom.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove rosemary and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from heat.
• Serve warm and top with more parsley and fresh cracked pepper.

Video

Notes

If you like your soup with more broth, you can add some water or more vegetable stock. Orzo absorbs liquid so this soup can get thick.

Storage Tips: Let leftovers cool to room temperature and transfer the soup to a container with a lid (or containers if meal prepping). Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. The orzo will continue to soak up the broth and expand, so you might need to add a little splash of water when you reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

If you plan on freezing this soup, omit pasta. When pasta is reheated, it can become overcooked and mushy! This would create a not-so-delicious soup recipe. Store cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl (about 1 cup) | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.8g | Protein: 8.5g | Fat: 6.5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 557mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 5.6g

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