Ingredients
Vegetables & Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 10 cups vegetable stock
Legumes & Pasta
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup orzo*
Egg & Lemon Mixture
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice, plus extra lemon slices for serving
Greens & Herbs
- 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
- 1–3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill*
Seasonings
- Sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start the Soup Base: Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the carrots and minced garlic, and continue sautéing for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are fragrant and begin to soften.
- Simmer with Chickpeas: Pour in the vegetable stock and add the rinsed chickpeas. Stir everything together and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a steady but gentle simmer.
- Cook the Orzo: Add the orzo to the simmering soup, stirring well to combine. Cook until the orzo is just al dente, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.
- Temper Eggs and Lemon Juice: While the orzo is cooking, whisk together the eggs and freshly-squeezed lemon juice in a separate bowl or large measuring cup. To prevent the eggs from scrambling, ladle 1 cup of hot soup broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Repeat with a second cup of broth, pouring very slowly while whisking continuously.
- Finish the Soup: Once the orzo is ready, remove the pot from the heat. Slowly pour the tempered egg and lemon mixture into the soup, stirring the soup constantly as you pour. This will create a creamy texture without scrambling the eggs. If you see any signs of the eggs scrambling (similar to egg drop soup), pause and let the soup cool a bit before continuing.
- Add Greens and Season: Return the soup to low heat. Stir in the fresh spinach and chopped dill, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spinach wilts. Taste and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper to your preference.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra dill and lemon wedges if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- *You may substitute 3/4 cup rice for orzo if desired.
- *Adjust the amount of dill to suit your taste, or substitute with fresh or dried oregano or basil as preferred.
- If you notice the eggs scrambling, let the soup cool slightly before adding the remaining mixture.
- For extra richness, drizzle with a bit of olive oil before serving.
- This soup tastes even better the next day, but pasta will absorb the broth—add extra stock when reheating if needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek-inspired, Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 2 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
