Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 medium carrots (peeled)
- 1 large celery rib
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup (145 grams) orzo
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Roughly chop the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Use a food processor to pulse them until finely minced. If you don’t have a food processor, chop the vegetables as finely as possible by hand.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the minced vegetables and dried thyme. Gently fry, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables become very soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes. The goal is for the vegetables to impart flavor to the soup while being almost undetectable in texture.
- Add chickpeas and stock: Stir in the drained chickpeas and pour in the vegetable stock. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil.
- Cook the orzo: Once boiling, add the orzo pasta and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the orzo until al dente, usually about 7-9 minutes or according to package instructions. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Prepare almond butter mix: While the orzo cooks, place the almond butter in a small bowl. Ladle some hot soup broth into the bowl and stir well to dissolve the almond butter into a smooth mixture.
- Finish the soup: When the orzo is tender, remove the pot from heat. Stir in the almond butter mixture, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and adjust to taste, as lemon can easily overpower the soup.
Notes
- Pulse the vegetables finely to create a smooth texture that blends well into the soup without large chunks.
- Adjust lemon juice gradually to balance acidity without overpowering the natural flavors.
- This soup can be made vegan and gluten-free by using gluten-free orzo or substituting with rice or quinoa.
- For a creamier texture, you can blend part of the soup before adding the almond butter.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
