Bright, tangy, and cozy all at once, this Lemon Orzo and Chickpea Soup is the kind of soup that makes weeknights feel special without a lot of extra work. In under an hour, you’ll turn simple pantry staples and fresh vegetables into a silky, sunshine-hued soup that’s both comforting and refreshingly light.
It starts with a classic aromatic base of onion, carrots, celery, garlic and a strip of lemon peel cooked in canola oil to build flavour from the bottom up. Reduced-sodium chicken broth keeps the seasoning easy to control, while canned chickpeas and orzo pasta make the soup hearty enough to serve as a full meal. Grainy Dijon mustard, dried oregano, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes add depth and gentle heat without overpowering the lemon.
The secret to its velvety texture is an egg–lemon mixture inspired by Greek avgolemono. You’ll whisk eggs with fresh lemon juice, then slowly temper them with hot broth before stirring the mixture back into the pot. This simple step creates a fragrant, silky broth—no cream required. Chopped kale or spinach and plenty of fresh dill are stirred in at the end, adding colour, texture, and freshness.
To serve, ladle the soup into warm bowls and finish with more dill, crumbled feta, and lemon slices for extra brightness. Every spoonful delivers a balance of tender vegetables, tiny orzo, creamy chickpeas, and a tangy, savoury broth that feels both nourishing and satisfying. With a solid boost of fibre and protein from the chickpeas and eggs, this vegetarian-friendly soup is perfect for lunches, light dinners, or make-ahead meal prep on cooler days.
Recipe courtesy of SaskMustard
Lemon Orzo and Chickpea Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 medium carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- strips of lemon peel from 1 lemon
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 2 19 oz/ 540 mL cans chickpea, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup dry orzo pasta
- 1 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups chopped kale or spinach
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese for garnish
- lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and lemon peel. Cook for 7-8 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and cook a minute longer.
- Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then stir in the chickpeas, orzo, mustard, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer soup over medium-high heat, uncovered, until the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and remove 1 cup (250 mL) of broth from the soup and set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. While whisking constantly, very very slowly stream the hot broth into the egg mixture. It’s important to do this step slowly as you may end up with scrambled eggs otherwise.
- While stirring the soup, slowly pour the egg-broth mixture back into the hot soup. Add the kale and dill, and continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes or so.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings. Ladle into bowls and top with more dill, crumbled feta cheese, and lemon slices.
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