Bursting with fresh lemon flavour, this brothy orzo soup with chickpeas and plenty of dill is so easy (ready in about 40 minutes!) and the perfect light yet balanced plant-based dinner.

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I think it’s so weird that I will almost NEVER order a soup in a restaurant…but it’s one of the meals that I’m most excited about making at home. 

It helps that it’s the kind of plant-based dinner my omnivore kids will rarely complain about. It makes it easy to get your veggies in (you know my dietitian heart LOVES the veggies). Plus, it’s a comforting one pot dinner that I’ll never get tired of because there are endless ways to make it.

This easy vegan orzo and chickpea soup is inspired by Greek avgolemono soup but it’s not quite true to the original because well, no chicken…but/and/also, this soup is light and brothy, without using a thickener to make it creamier (avgolemono actually refers to a mixture of egg and lemon used to thicken the soup). 

Although, if you want it creamier, you could absolutely swirl in a little homemade cashew cream at the end.

I tried it as I was testing this recipe and it’s delish!

This lemony orzo soup is SO satisfying because I’ve absolutely loaded it with aromatic veggies like onion, garlic and fennel (yes, you can sub celery if that’s what you’ve got!) plus a ton of fresh lemon and dill (essential!). You’ve got enough chickpeas to lend some plant-based protein and fibre plus silky orzo. Because, well, orzo is the best.

It’s the kind of midweek dinner hero made from mostly long storage veggies and pantry staples plus it comes together in about 35-40 minutes, depending on how fast you chop. So enough talking, let’s get cooking!!!

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Here’s how to make this bright + lemony orzo soup with chickpeas

First things first: let’s talk ingredients. If you’re new here, you need to know that I’m obsessed with Better Than Bouillon. I think it makes your soups taste better. Plus, it’s actually lower waste and more affordable per use than boxed broth.

But if you don’t have it, or need a gluten free recipe, just sub broth for the water!

I’ve got a few tips and tricks and step-by-step photos here for you…but scroll down for the full recipe!

No orzo on hand? Any other tiny pasta, like ditalini, or stellini (stars) will be cute!

We pop the lemon, dill and nutritional yeast in last for a burst of flavour!

More nourishing vegan soups

Bright + Lemony Orzo Soup with Chickpeas

4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Bursting with fresh lemon flavour, this brothy orzo soup with chickpeas and plenty of dill is so easy (ready in about 35 minutes!) and the perfect light yet balanced plant-based dinner.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• ½ small fennel bulb, diced, or sub 2 ribs celery
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 7 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon vegetarian chicken concentrate, sub gluten free broth in place of BTB + water for a GF option
• 1 large bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2-14 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup orzo pasta, sub dry or leftover rice for GF option
• ½ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced (about ¼ cup juice)
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper, to taste

• Warm oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and glossy, about 8-10 minutes.

• Add garlic and stir often for one minute. Season with salt and pepper.

• Add water, bouillon concentrate, chickpeas, bay leaf and oregano and bring to a boil on high.

• Once boiling, add orzo and turn heat back down to medium. Simmer until tender, 12-15 minutes.

• Turn off heat, add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, zest and dill.

  Stir and taste. Adjust lemon, salt or pepper as desired. Enjoy!