Vegetarian Avgolemono Soup

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This Greek vegetarian avgolemono soup with orzo is hearty and full of refreshing lemon flavor. The eggs in this soup make it both luxuriously creamy and satisfying.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large carrots, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
8 cups vegetable broth
1 cup orzo
3 large eggs
2 medium lemons, juiced
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1 Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook until veggies soften and flavors have mingled, about 3 minutes.
2 Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cook for at least 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender, or longer for a more flavorful broth.
3 Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetable chunks to a food processor. Blend until smooth and return to the pot.
4 Add orzo and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
5 Meanwhile, whisk eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Add a few tablespoons of hot broth to the lemon-egg mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling the eggs. Continue until lemon-egg mixture is hot, then add to the broth.
6 Reduce heat and cook, without boiling, until soup thickens a bit, about 3 minutes. Allow soup to cool slightly before serving; it will become even thicker. Season with salt and pepper to taste.