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This one-pot Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup simmers chickpeas, orzo, and vegetables in a bright and flavorful lemon-infused broth. Top every bowl with gremolata for a burst of freshness! Vegan, Oil-Free and Gluten-Free Options.
When you simmer vegetables, orzo, and chickpeas in a soothing broth, you get this deeply comforting Vegan Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup! It’s easy to put together in just 35 minutes and is served with a sprinkle of gremolata on top for an extra burst of lemony freshness. The whole family will crave this perfect cold-weather meal!
Table of Contents
A Soup to Brighten Your Day
I don’t play around when it comes to soup season. That’s why I have a soup recipe for pretty much every occasion! My Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup is great for sick days, my Butternut Squash Soup is a holiday must-have, and this Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup with Gremolata is perfect for those days when you need a little more sunshine in your life.
This wholesome one-pot meal is one of my favorite vegan soup recipes because, just like traditional Greek chicken soup (avgolemono), it’s filled with the bright, citrusy goodness of fresh lemon. My vegan version is totally egg and dairy-free, uses chickpeas instead of chicken, and uses tender orzo pasta for bulk. A sprinkle of homemade gremolata on top is the best finishing touch, bringing a little more brightness to every slurp. Yum!
Ingredients for Lemon Chickpea Soup
This nourishing soup is easy to put together with a combination of fresh ingredients and pantry staples. This is what you’ll need:
- Aromatics: sautéed onions, celery, garlic, and carrots start this soup with a fragrant and comforting flavor foundation.
- Italian Seasoning: if you don’t have a pre-mixed Italian seasoning blend at home, substitute it with 1/4 teaspoon each of dried basil, oregano, parsley, and dried rosemary.
- Flour: sprinkling all-purpose flour over the aromatics in the pot helps thicken the soup. Head to the Variations section for gluten-free flour options.
- Chickpeas: while traditional Greek lemon soup is made with chicken, this vegan version uses chickpeas as a source of plant protein. Stick with canned chickpeas for convenience! Just remember to drain and rinse them before dumping them in the soup.
- Broth: opt for a quality low-sodium vegan “chicken” broth to elevate the rich, savory flavors in the soup. Low-sodium vegetable broth (store-bought or homemade) also works.
- Orzo: this tiny rice-shaped pasta bulks up the soup and makes every bowl extra satisfying. If you have extras, put them to use in my Pesto Orzo Salad or my Triple Tomato Basil Orzo Salad.
- Lemon: it wouldn’t be a Mediterranean-inspired chickpea orzo soup without fresh lemon! Freshly squeezed lemon juice in the soup and lemon zest in the gremolata adds bright flavors and balance to every spoonful. To double up on the lemony goodness, you have the option to stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest into the soup when you add the spinach and lemon juice.
- Gremolata: this herby and lemony Italian condiment is easy to make from scratch with fresh parsley, lemon zest, and salt. One taste and you’ll want to sprinkle it over all of your Greek and Italian-inspired dishes, like this Vegan Tempeh Marsala, this Mediterranean Pasta Salad, and these Braised Beans & Greens!
How to Make Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup
- Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large pot until golden. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for another minute.
- Stir the chickpeas and broth into the pot. Cover and heat to a boil.
- Once boiling, uncover the pot and add the orzo. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the orzo is tender.
- Meanwhile, make the gremolata by combining the parsley, lemon zest, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Lower the heat and stir the spinach and lemon juice into the soup. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup in bowls and garnish with gremolata and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Take the time to caramelize the aromatics: Taking the time to cook the diced onions, celery, garlic, and carrots (mirepoix) until they’re golden and tender is the secret to this soup’s depth of flavor.
- Measure the orzo with a kitchen scale: By measuring the orzo with the weighted pasta measurement on your baking scale, you’ll add the perfect amount of pasta and get the soup’s consistency just right. Skipping this step could result in a soup that’s too thick (too much pasta) or too thin (too little pasta).
- Adjust the consistency with extra broth: If you find that the soup is too thick, stir in an extra splash of broth at a time until it’s thinned and brothy.
Serving Suggestions
Treat yourself to a bowl of lemon orzo soup whenever you’re craving a soul-warming meal. Just don’t forget a few slices of this Everything Bagel Bread or this Sun-Dried Tomato Bread on the side—they’re perfect for dunking!
For a well-rounded lunch or dinner, you can pair the soup with something fresh on the side, like this Winter Kale Salad or this Crunchy Broccoli Salad. Or, for a heartier meal, enjoy it with this Vegan BLT or this Roasted Zucchini Sandwich.
If you’re looking for more comforting vegan soups, you’ll also love this Vegan Tortellini Soup, this Healthy Stuffed Pepper Soup, and this Hearty Cabbage Soup!
How to Store Chickpea Orzo Soup
Once the leftover soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. Let the frozen soup thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat, add as much soup as you plan on eating to a bowl and reheat it in the microwave. It also reheats well in a saucepan over medium heat. The consistency may thicken slightly as it cools, but you can add a splash of broth to make it brothy once again.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo, white rice, or a small gluten-free pasta. Also, either replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend or skip step 2 in the recipe directions and dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water. Add this slurry to the soup with the spinach in step 6.
- Oil-Free Option: Sauté the vegetables in 1/4 cup of water during step 1, adding more as needed.
- Chickpea Substitute: Cannellini beans, shredded vegan “chicken” strips, soy curls, and crispy tofu cubes can all be used in place of the chickpeas.
Recipe FAQs
If the soup is a little too brothy for your taste, you can stir in a little more flour and let it simmer for a few extra minutes or until it’s thickened to your liking.
Yes. Use Sauté mode to cook the vegetables, seasonings, and flour in the pot as normal, then pour in the broth, chickpeas, and orzo. Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook (manual) on high for 4 minutes, then quick release the pressure a
Sure! Sauté the vegetables, seasonings, and flour in a skillet on the stovetop, then transfer the mixture to the crockpot along with the broth, orzo, and chickpeas. Cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. During the last 30 minutes, stir in the spinach and lemon juice.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 3 sticks celery finely chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 15.5 ounce cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 6 cups imitation "chicken" broth or sub vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry orzo
- 4 ounces Baby spinach
- Juice of 1/2-1 lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Gremolata: (optional)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- Zest of 1/2–1 lemon start with less
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Aromatics: Warm the oil or butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions are golden. Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Thicken the Soup: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for another minute or so, stirring frequently. (Note: see recipe notes for a gluten-free option)
- Bring to a Boil: Add the chickpeas and broth and stir well, until the flour has dissolved. Cover and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Uncover, add the orzo and stir well; reduce the heat to medium and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the orzo is tender. Stir frequently to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Make the Gremolata: While the soup is simmering, combine the parsley, lemon zest, and salt together in a small bowl to make the gremolata. Set aside.
- Final Touches: Turn the heat to low once the orzo is cooked and stir in the spinach and lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.
- Serve: Divide the soup into serving bowls and garnish with gremolata and a drizzle of olive oil, or as desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or the soup can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-Free: use gluten-free orzo (or pasta) in place of regular orzo and refer to the package instructions for simmer time. Use a gf flour blend instead of all-purpose flour, or skip step 2 and dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water; add this to the soup and add with the spinach in step 6.
- Oil-Free: Sauté the vegetables in 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in step 1, adding more water as necessary. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
First soup of the winter season and it’s a winner! Thank you.
You’re so welcome 🙂
I’ve made this recipe and it’s wonderful, but how would this recipe be with great northern beans? Has anyone tried?
I think it would turn out great!
Really lovely recipe, so simple but so delicious. Only thing is all the water gets absorbed after letting it sit, so it’s no longer soup, at least for mine…with 6 cups broth it’s like a pasta dish, not even stew-consistency. i’d say at least 8 cups broth or maybe even 10 at the rate the orzo absorbs liquid. but the flavour is awesome! also would be helpful to have a “cook mode” option on your recipes 🙂 But thank you for creating and sharing, always a hit!
Thank you for the feedback, I will consider this! It may be a difference in stove temperatures that caused the liquid to evaporate quicker. Regardless, I’m so glad you enjoyed!!
You recommend weighing the orzo but the recipe does not include the required weight. So how many grams/oz is a cup of orzo?
if you hit the metric button the weight is right there 🙂 190g
It took me a while to find gluten free orzo so I could try this and now I’m sorry I didn’t look harder because this is so delicious and easy. It comes together super quick and all in one pot. I’m definitely stocking up on that orzo so I can pull this together on nights I don’t have a lot of time to cook. Another favorite recipe of yours added to the rotation. 💕
I am so happy you were able to find gf orzo to enjoy this!
Where did you find the GF orzo? What brand did you use?
there are a few brands, I recommend one thats made with rice! Like the one by Jovial. Just make sure to cook it separately and give it a good rinse before adding, as rice pasta tends to be very starchy.
I could not find how to print this recipe!
I can print all 19 pages, but not just the recipe.
Please do something about this.
Hi Eugenia, there is a “print” button in the recipe card just under the italicized recipe description. From there you can select what parts of the recipe you’d like to print (even with everything selected, it’s only showing as 2 pages for my printer!)
This was my first time making this. Very good. Love the slight lemon flavor to brith and the parsley, salt, lemon zest on top
So happy you liked the recipe, Lisa!
I love the flavor profile of this soup. I’ve made it twice now. Next time I plan to use only 1/2 a cup of orzo pasta because it absorbed so much of the broth it almost became a creamy pasta dish instead of a soup. I also like that I can make this entirely out of frozen veggies (if you can find a mirepoix mix in your grocery store freezer section), which makes it SO fast to pull together.
Thanks, Sara!
this soup is so good and so easy! thank you for this recipe 💛 I thought soup was hard so I wasn’t cooking it but this will be a staple through the winter.
You’re so welcome, Diana! Glad you liked it!
I made this today and it was extremely delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe 🙂
You are so welcome, Laura! Happy you found it delicious!