Greek-style Lemon & Chickpea Soup

Published by

Jasmine

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I’m a big fan of a Mediterranean diet pattern and I’ve seen Greek-style lemon and chicken or chickpea soups made with egg to get a creamy texture. For my first recipe this plant-based January, I’m veganising that concept to make a hearty high-fibre and high-protein meal…

INGREDIENTS

Mirepoix:

Celery

Shallot

Carrot

Garlic

Substance:

Orzo

Chickpeas (pre-cooked – canned or jarred)

Tahini

Everything else:

Vegetable stock cube

Lemon juice

Fresh dill

TIPS & NOTES

This is such an easy recipe, perfect for sick days when you want something cosy and healthy with minimal effort, prep and only a few ingredients. This can be meal-prepped ahead of time – if you want to do this, I would recommend adding just a little more seasoning to the base recipe and then when you go to reheat it, also adding in some extra water, because (as you will know if you’ve made hummus before) the tahini will firm up as it cools down and create a thicker soup. I recommend blending 1/4 to 1/3 of the soup for a creamier texture, but you don’t have to; if you don’t own a blender, the tahini will still make this nice and creamy.

Best of all, as well as being tasty, this soup will also fit in with any fibre and protein goals you have. When I split the recipe into 2 portions and served it with some seeded mostly-wholemeal bread (it’s a homemade sourdough I make with a mix of rye, white bread flour and whole wheat), I get 19g of fibre and 31g of protein. It’s honestly soooo filling! Personally, I am usually a bit puzzled when people suggest soup for dinner, because to me; it’s just not substantial, but this is one soup I could see myself eating for dinner when I’m a bit under the weather and need something warming and cosy.

Greek-style Orzo Chickpea Soup

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

A cosy, hearty plant-based soup with Mediterranean lemon and olive oil

Blender recommended, no advance prep needed


Ingredients

  • 1 stick of celery (diced)
  • 1 carrot (peeled and diced)
  • 1 shallot (finely diced)
  • 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped, pressed or grated)
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 100g of orzo
  • 1 400g can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 40g of tahini
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon (optional, slice off a fine round, cut it in half and use as a garnish)
  • 1 small handful of dill (c. 2-3g) (large stems removed, roughly chopped)
  • A drizzle or two of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

  1. Over a medium heat in a large lidded pot, add a little olive oil, add the garlic and shallots with salt and pepper and sauté until fragrant (a couple of minutes)
  2. Add the carrot and celery and cook off for another 5 mins, meanwhile boil the kettle
  3. Add the orzo and toast in the aromatics for a minute whilst you prepare the vegetable stock cube in 1 litre of boiling water
  4. Add the stock, bring to boil and the reduce to a simmer to cover and cook for 10 mins
  5. Once the orzo is cooked, add the tahini and chickpeas, adjust the seasoning, if needed, stir well and simmer for another 5-10 mins (optional: blend 1/4 to 1/3 of the soup and combine for extra creaminess)
  6. Serve topped with the fresh dill and optional lemon slices and an extra drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

Let me know if you try this plant-based lemon and chickpea soup!

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