This a warming, fresh, and nutritious soup, with beans, soft-cooked celery, garlic, and thyme, its hearty broth will captivate your taste buds. Prepare to fall in love with this irresistible recipe!
I have been unapologetically making this lemon orzo soup at least twice a week, rotating between the bean and chicken versions, for the past two months. With the change of seasons, I love nothing more than to constantly have a pot of soup on the go. Having soup for a work-from-home lunch, soup for an afternoon snack and soup for dinner, breakfast soup anyone? I honestly can’t have enough of this soup. It’s warming, fresh, and full of nutritious vegetables. The hearty broth is filled with beans, soft-cooked celery (my favourite) and tons of garlic and thyme. Beware: this lemon orzo soup totally addictive!
Lemon Orzo Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 small anchovies
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes add more or less to your taste
- 4 carrots peeled and diced
- 3 celery ribs diced
- 1 tin 300g boneless, skinless chicken (thighs or fillets) OR red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup uncooked orzo pasta
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 lemons juiced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves chopped
Instructions
- Heat the t olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add garlic, onion, carrots and celery.
- Season with salt pepper and cook whilst stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the chilli flakes, thyme and beans and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add stock, bay leaves and rosemary and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the orzo, reduce the heat and simmer until the orzo is cooked.
- Squeeze in lemon juice and let the lemon rind soak in the soup mixture.
- Sprinkle chopped parsley when ready to serve and check for seasoning.
Directions
- Heat the t olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Season with salt pepper and cook whilst stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6-7 minutes.
- Stir in the chilli flakes, thyme and beans and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add stock, bay leaves and rosemary and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the orzo, reduce the heat and simmer until the orzo is cooked.
- Squeeze in lemon juice and let the lemon rind soak in the soup mixture.
- Sprinkle chopped parsley when ready to serve and check for seasoning.
