Creamy Lemon Orzo Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
• 1 cup onion (diced; author used 3/4 cup yellow and 1/4 cup red onion)
• 0.5 cup carrots (chopped)
• 4 cup broth (chicken or vegetable broth)
• 1 cup orzo (uncooked)
• 1 lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
• 1 can artichoke hearts (drained)
• 1 handful spinach (fresh)
• 3 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Place a large pot over medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.

2. 2

   Add 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 cup diced onion, and 1/2 cup chopped carrots to the pot.

3. 3

   Sauté the vegetables until they are soft and fragrant, which should take about 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Add 4 cups of broth to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

5. 5

   Add 1 cup of orzo to the boiling broth.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the orzo uncovered for 10 minutes, or until it is al dente.

7. 7

   While the orzo simmers, combine the juice of 1 lemon and 3 eggs in a separate small mixing bowl and whisk them together thoroughly.

8. 8

   To temper the eggs, slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot orzo soup broth into the egg and lemon mixture while continuously whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

9. 9

   SLOWLY add the tempered egg and lemon liquid back into the main pot of orzo soup while stirring the broth constantly to incorporate. The broth will become smooth and creamy.

10. 10

    Add 1 cup cooked chicken, 1 can of artichoke hearts, 1 handful of spinach, and 3 tbsp fresh chopped dill to the soup.

11. 11

    Stir everything together and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Notes

The creaminess comes entirely from the egg and lemon (avgolemono style) rather than dairy. It is crucial to add the hot broth to the eggs slowly (tempering) to avoid a scrambled egg texture.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main course
• dairy-free
• high-protein
• mediterranean
• lemon
• orzo
• one-pot