You're going to love this tangy, tart, velvety, vibrant Greek-inspired Easy Vegan Lemon Soup🍋! This hearty and healthy, one-pot meal is based on a traditional Greek Avgolemono soup and only takes 30 minutes to make using simple ingredients like orzo, chickpeas, lemon and dill!
This delicious vegan spin on a Greek lemon chicken soup is the perfect weeknight meal idea and makes for great leftovers which can be enjoyed for lunch the next day! Hello, "Meal Prep Heaven" 😇 Avgolemono is a soup that's made with chicken stock, egg yolks, and lemon juice. To keep things vegan and affordable, instead of a chicken broth I use a vegetable broth and instead of using eggs, I use tahini, which provides a delicious light creaminess to the soup. I also added chickpeas for a bit of heartiness and protein, but you could use another type of bean, or vegan chicken substitute if preferred.
Common Questions:
Does Greek lemon soup freeze well? Yes! Lemon Soup freezes really well. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container or a freezer bag to prevent freezer burn or absorbing other flavors in the freezer. Labelling your lemon soup with the date you froze it can help you keep track of its freshness. If you plan to freeze it I would also recommend to undercook the orzo by a minute or two so that it maintains a nice al dente texture when thawed and reheated.
How do you achieve the right consistency of this easy vegan lemon soup? Simple: just follow this recipe closely and don't deviate from its easy instructions and you'll be just fine! This vegan version of the soup is even easier to make than the traditional version because you aren't working with eggs which can accidently get scrambled in the soup!
Can I make Avgolemono soup without eggs? Yes! This vegan Greek-inspired Avgolemono soup uses tahini instead of eggs and still achieves that rich, creamy texture. Also *bonus points* as it doesn't contain any eggs - you don't have to worry about the eggs curdling, which is a concern when making Avgolemono soup.
What herbs and spices go well with Avgolemono soup? This lemon soup recipe already contains garlic, fresh dill, salt and pepper, but if you're looking to add more herbs and spices you could try some herbs and spices found in traditional Greek dishes such as oregano, thyme, bay leaves, or parsley. Just be sure to follow this recipe first and then add your herbs and spices afterwards to taste, should you feel like it needs something extra.
Can Easy Vegan Lemon Soup be made oil-free? Yes! Simply omit the oil and instead do a water or broth sauté.
Can Easy Vegan Lemon Soup be made gluten-free? Yes! Instead of regular orzo use a gluten-free pasta, or alternatively, replace the orzo with 2 cups of cooked rice.
How to Make Easy Vegan Lemon Soup:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic, and sauté until the onions turn translucent and just begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth and use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (this is where all the flavor is). Bring the broth to a simmer or light boil, and once simmering add to orzo and continue to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until the orzo is al dente.
Meanwhile, in a measuring glass or small bowl, mix the lemon juice and tahini until smooth. Set aside.
When the orzo is cooked, stir in the lemon tahini mixture, and the chickpeas, and bring back to a simmer. Remove from the heat and lastly, stir in the spinach, and dill and let it wilt into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with extra dill for garnish. For storage, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight and storing it in the fridge for up to 5 days. This soup also freezes well.
This Easy Vegan Lemon Soup Is...
- Creamy, tangy, tart, velvety, and vibrant.
- Hearty and healthy
- Full of vegetables
- Greek-inspired (Vegan Avgolemono soup)
- Takes 30 minutes to make using simple ingredients
Other Recipes that pair well with this lemon soup...
The Best Vegan Feta
Easy Smashed Potatoes
Fresh Pita with Easy Vegan Tzatziki
Vegan Greek Salad
Vegan Greek Sheet Pan Dinner
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Easy Vegan Lemon Soup
Servings: - 8 (makes about 10 cups)
PRINT
PIN
COMMENT
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 8 cups vegan chickenless broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup orzo, uncooked (or other tiny pasta shape)
- ½ cup lemon juice, (from about 3 - 4 lemons)
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 (19 oz can) chickpeas, (2 cups) drained and rinsed
- 2 handfuls (2.3 oz/ 65 g) fresh spinach or baby kale
- ⅓ cup (0.4 oz/ 10 g) fresh dill, chopped (plus more for garnish)
- salt and pepper, to taste (I like lots of black pepper)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic, and sauté until the onions turn translucent and just begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and use your spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (this is where all the flavor is). Bring the broth to a simmer, and once simmering add to orzo and continue to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until the orzo is al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a measuring glass or small bowl, mix the lemon juice and tahini until smooth. Set aside.
- When the orzo is cooked, stir in the lemon tahini mixture, and the chickpeas, and bring back to a simmer. Remove from the heat and lastly, stir in the spinach, and dill and let it wilt into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot with extra dill for garnish. For storage, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight and storing it in the fridge for up to 5 days. This soup also freezes well.
Notes
Nutrition
More Vegan Soup Recipes You Might Like:
Dria says
Hi Sam,
Love your recipes! Would you consider creating a rich non-chicken broth that could be used both as a stock and for sipping? I know there are lots on the market. But most are too high in sodium, don't tastes good, or have ingredients that are not healthy. Rich taste, low sodium, all healthy ingredients. I'd love to see what you could come up with!
Thank you.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Dria, thank you so much!! You could try my recipe for vegetable broth here. Enjoy!!
Sarah says
OMG this is such a unique flavor! Its fresh lemon flavor has you craving it all day long. It stands out from all my other soups. Love it!!!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful - we are happy to hear it!
Lindsey says
This is absolutely the best thing I’ve tried in a while! I’ve made it once a week the last several weeks. Even though it’s a hot soup, the lemon makes it great for summer. My kids said it tastes like something you would get at a fancy restaurant!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww I love that! So happy it's a fave Lindsey!
Allison D says
Absolutely love this recipe!! It's simple, comes together quickly, and tastes SOO good. I can't wait to make it again!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay, we're so happy you liked it!
Jen says
This recipe is outstanding and is going to be an at home staple from now on. It was easy to make and creamy with such wholesome ingredients. I love the lemon. Can’t get enough of it
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Aww that's wonderful! So happy you loved it Jen! Thank you for your review 🙂
Angela Hughes says
Absolutely delicous!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! Thank you for your review 🙂
Dorothy says
OMG! This soup is amazing. It’s light and fresh while also very filling. Made mine gluten free and it’s definitely going in the rotation. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! Thank you for the review Dorothy 🙂
Ilene says
I saw this and decided it sounded SO good I had to try it tonight.
It. Was. AWESOME!
The soup was light and tangy with all the lemon and chickpeas for protein fit in so well. I can really see this in the heat of summer, served just warm.
Substituted acini for orzo (thought I had orzo but didn't) and left out the dill. Will be sure to have fresh dill on hand next time.
Will be sending this on to my granddaughter. She already loves your sheet pan dinners and makes them to take to work in advance of her two-or-three day in a row work schedule.
Thank you!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy you loved it so much Ilene!
Olwyn says
Hubby went back for a second helping! This is a great soup and easy to make! Thank you so much!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful! So happy to hear that 🙂
Angela Hughes says
Would I still put 1/3 cup of dried dill in if that's all I have or would I use less?
Beata says
Oh no, dried herbs tend to be more concentrated. My general rule of thumb is about half of the fresh amount. However, in my experience, dried dill is just... Not even worth keeping; it is that tasteless to me. In this case, I think I'd rather skip it altogether, or maybe just give a light sprinkle for some herby taste. The fresh dill will totally make a difference.
Angela Hughes says
That is what I was thinking that dried herbs are more concentrated, but wanted to be sure as I do have dried dill in a pinch. I'm going to St.Lawrence Market tomorrow, I'll pick up some fresh dill. Thanks Beata!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
If using dried you would use significantly less. Start with a few teaspoons and add more to taste if desired.
Angela says
Perfect, thank you
cristina tomas says
Delicious and easy soup to make; I guess if you don't have
spinach, it will not make a difference
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
You could also sub another leafy green such as kale 🙂
Diana M says
Delicious and easy! I actually had all the ingredients on hand already (I made it using dried dill instead of fresh). I will be craving this next time I am sick. The lemony broth feels so healing!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
It would make a fantastic get-better-soon soup!
Debbie says
Awesome! I did not have orzo so I used cooked rice. I also did not have fresh dill, but dried dill worked.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it Debbie, thank you for the review 🙂