This cozy, Mediterranean-inspired lemony orzo soup with spinach is made with basic and affordable ingredients, and requires minimal effort.
When I first set out to develop this recipe, I was going for a vegetarian version of Greek avgolemono soup – chicken soup with orzo or rice, made extra silky with a lemon-egg emulsion. After trying it with chickpeas instead of chicken, and sans egg, I ended up with a mild, thin soup that was truly the definition of meh.
I brainstormed what plant-based ingredient might give the soup body without overwhelming everything else and landed on red lentils. These actually-orange legumes disintegrate almost entirely when cooked, and were exactly what was needed to keep the orzo suspended in the broth.
Lastly, I decided to chuck in a block of frozen spinach – one of the easiest and most affordable and, best of all, zero-prep-required ways to add vegetables to soup. The spinach complemented the thick lemony broth perfectly.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
- Onions, Carrots + Celery: This classic trio known as “mirepoix” (pronounced meer-pwah in French) gives the soup its sweet-earthy foundation. It’s pretty much the only chopping you need to do for this recipe. If you wanna make the prep even easier, buy pre-chopped mirepoix.
- Dried Red Lentils: Available in pretty much any supermarket, these legumes disintegrate almost entirely, thickening this vegan soup and giving it body. Do not substitute with green or brown lentils because they do not disintegrate.
- Broth: I’ve been loving Better Than Bouillon paste instead of boxed broth. It’s more space-efficient and has a long shelf life.
- Orzo: Look for this rice-shaped pasta in the pasta aisle.
- Frozen Spinach: To substitute with fresh, you’ll need 1 pound mature spinach. Be sure to wash it thoroughly first, then give it a rough chop before adding to the soup.
- Lemon Juice: Not only does it brighten the soup and bring all the flavors together, but it also makes the iron in the spinach more bioavailable (FYI: combining plant-based iron sources with Vitamin C in the same meal makes the mineral easier for our bodies to absorb).
How to Make Lemon Orzo Spinach Soup (Step-by-Step Photos)
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Sauté the Base Vegetables
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and oregano until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. The point here is to soften the veg, not brown them.
Step 2: Add Broth and Lentils
Add the broth and lentils, cover tightly with a lid, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are almost broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3: Add the Orzo and Spinach
And continue cooking until the pasta is cooked through and the spinach is fully incorporated, about 10 minutes more.
P.S. No need to defrost the spinach before adding it to the soup.
Step 4: Season with Lemon
Add the lemon juice at the end. I like to start with 2 tablespoons and work my way up if needed.
Storage Info
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 4 days. Note: the soup will thicken as it sits. For longer term storage, cool completely, and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
More Veggie Soups to Try
- Creamy Tomato Gnocchi Soup
- Lentil Barley Soup with Mushrooms
- Creamy Cauliflower Potato Leek Soup
- Vegetarian Ukrainian Borscht
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
Lemony Orzo Soup (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This cozy, Mediterranean-inspired orzo soup with spinach is made with basic and affordable ingredients, and requires minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into half-moons
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup red lentils* (see note below)
- 6 cups vegetable broth* (or 4 cups broth + 2 cups water)
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta
- One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach*
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the onions are translucent, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the lentils in a mesh strainer and sort through for dirt/tiny stones. Then rinse well under running water.
- Add the lentils and broth to the pot. Cover tightly with a lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the lentils are almost broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Then add the orzo and spinach. Cook, going in periodically with a wooden spoon to break up the spinach, until the orzo is cooked through and the spinach is fully incorporated, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Lastly, turn the heat off and add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
Notes
- Do not substitute with green or brown lentils because they won’t disintegrate.
- I’ve been loving Better Than Bouillon instead of boxed broth. It’s more space-efficient and has a long shelf life.
- To substitute with fresh, you’ll need 1 pound mature spinach. Be sure to wash it thoroughly first, then give it a rough chop before adding to the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 363
- Sodium: 222 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 9.6 g
- Protein: 15.8 g
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