Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup

Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup in a fragrant, silky broth with orzo and fresh vegetables Inspired by Avgolemono Soup, this vibrant vegetarian soup is protein-packed and ready in just over 30 minutes.

Lemony Greek Chickpea Soup Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil (extra virgin)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet or yellow onion
• 3/4 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice plus 2 (2-inch) strips lemon peel
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 2 quarts (8 cups) vegetable broth (lower sodium) (sub chicken broth if not making vegetarian)
• 2 (15.5-oz.) cans rinsed and drained chickpeas
• 3/4 cup dried orzo pasta (regular or whole-wheat)
• 1 tsp. salt kosher
• 1 tsp. pepper, black
• 1 tsp. oregano, dried
• 2 large whole eggs and 2 yolks
• 3 handfuls kale, roughly chopped or shredded (sub spinach, Swiss Chard, or escarole)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and lemon peel once the pan is hot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes until soft. Put in garlic; cook an additional minute until fragrant.
2. To bring the mixture to a boil, add the broth and increase the heat. Add chickpeas, orzo, salt, pepper, and oregano once the water is boiling.
3. Cover and cook the soup for 10 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked through. Remove 34 cup of hot broth from the soup and turn the heat down to low. Place aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the yolks, whole eggs, and lemon juice; combine by whisking. Whisk constantly as you slowly add hot broth to the egg mixture.
5. *Note: If you don’t do this correctly, it’s easy to get scrambled eggs. Tempering the eggs is necessary to avoid this because they will immediately begin to solidify when exposed to heat. This is accomplished by slowly whisking the hot broth into the eggs to bring them up to temperature without causing them to scramble.
6. Stream the egg-broth mixture back into the soup pot while gently stirring it with a spoon or ladle. Continue cooking over low heat for 5 minutes after adding the kale, or until the greens are wilted and the broth has slightly thickened. Peel the lemons.
7. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary before adding fresh dill. Pour the soup into bowls and, if desired, garnish with additional fresh dill, cracked black pepper, and olive oil.