• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Stacey Homemaker
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Home » Soup » Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup

Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup

By Stacey Homemaker on July 26, 2020, Updated December 19, 2020 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Vegan lemon orzo soup is loaded with tender artichokes, mushrooms, orzo pasta, sweet carrots, creamy great northern beans, and the most delicious golden lemon broth. This truly satisfying meal is easy to make and it's ready in less than one hour! Gluten-free options included. 

A white pot filled with vegan orzo soup and a wooden spoon on top of a teal towel next to lemons and parsley.

This vegan orzo soup is a veganized version of classic lemon chicken orzo soup and it's loaded with creamy white beans, satisfying orzo, mushrooms, tender artichoke hearts, lots of vegetables, and the most vibrant golden broth. It's absolutely delicious and it's ready in less than one hour!  

Soup is one of my favorite meals to cook, not just during the fall or winter season, but all year long! This vegan orzo soup is cozy, comforting, and perfect for dinner on a cool night, but it's also a bright, lemon-infused, bowl of sunshine that's great to enjoy during the summer too! 

How to Make Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup

First, boil the orzo according to package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in a 6-quart dutch oven until they start to soften. Add the dry seasonings and minced garlic to the pot and let it cook for a few minutes until fragrant.

Next, add the vegetable broth, water, beans, and artichoke hearts to the pot and increase the heat to a low simmer and then reduce the heat and let it cook until the vegetables are tender. Lastly, stir in the spinach, parsley, and lemon juice. Let it cook until the spinach wilts, it should only take a few minutes. 

A large teal dutch oven filled with soup and a wooden spoon next to an orange napkin.

To serve, put a scoop of the cooked orzo noodles in each bowl and pour the hot lemon vegetable soup over it. The hot liquid will help to break up the noodles. Garnish with lemon wheels and more fresh parsley. 

How to Cook the Orzo

I prefer to cook orzo in a separate pot because as it cooks it swells up and it will absorb a lot of the broth if you add it dry. It's also better to store the cooked pasta separately so the noodles don't sit in the broth and absorb more of the liquid.

How to Keep Orzo From Sticking Together

To keep orzo from sticking together once it has been cooked, you can add 1 tbsp dairy-free butter or a neutral-flavored oil to the pasta in the pot and stir it around to coat the small noodles. Try to time it so the pasta is ready at the same time the soup is ready so it doesn't have a chance to stick together. 

A brown bowl filled with cooked orzo next to a wooden spoon and three lemons on a dark background.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this vegan lemon soup with a big salad and crusty slices of bread for dipping. A baked potato loaded with dairy-free sour cream (I like Kite Hill unsweetened plain greek yogurt) and green onions would also be delicious to make the meal even more substantial. You could also serve any of the following sides: 

  • Arugula Avocado Salad
  • Roasted Beetroot and Feta Salad
  • Creamy Broccoli Salad 
  • Lemon Tahini Courgette Salad 

How to Store it

Fridge: Store the soup and cooked orzo in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

Freezer: This vegan orzo soup freezes perfectly! I prefer to cook and store the orzo separately so it doesn't soak up most of the broth, but you can freeze it together if you need to. If you freeze the cooked noodles in the broth, it will defrost as more of a thick stew. 

How to Reheat it

When you're ready to reheat the frozen leftovers, remove it from the freezer and put both containers in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. To reheat, you can warm up the cooked orzo and vegan lemon soup together in the same bowl or pot on the stovetop because it won't have that much time for the pasta to absorb too much of the broth, so it won't really make a difference. 

A white pot filled with soup and a wooden spoon on top of a teal napkin next to lemons and a bowl of orzo and parsley.

Notes & Substitutions

  • Great Northern Bean Substitutions: You can substitute pinto beans, chickpeas, or cannellini beans. 
  • Orzo Substitutions: You can substitute any type of small pasta, rice, farro, or quinoa.
  • Artichoke Substitutions: Instead of artichokes, you can use (1) 14 oz can of rinsed and drained young green jackfruit for the artichoke hearts. Add the jackfruit when you add the cooked beans. You may need to let it cook for an additional 10-15 minutes to make sure the jackfruit is tender. If you're looking for a chicken replacement, jackfruit is the best option because it looks and tastes very similar. 
  • Spinach Substitutions: You can use thinly sliced (fresh or frozen) kale, roughly chopped arugula, or collard greens instead of the spinach. 
  • Gluten-Free: To make this recipe gluten-free, you need to use gluten-free noodles, rice, or quinoa. 

Success Tips

  • Boil the orzo in a separate pot. If you cook the pasta in the broth with the rest of the ingredients, it will soak up a lot of the liquid and have more of a stew-like consistency. 
  • Use artichokes that are stored in water, not oil to keep the recipe oil-free. 
  • Use fresh lemon juice, the stuff in a squeezy bottle does not taste the same as freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  • To make the broth extra bright and vibrant, you can add ¼ tsp turmeric powder if the vegetable broth you use is a little dull in color. 
  • Store the leftover vegan orzo soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal. 

Want More Vegan Soup Recipes?

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Soup

Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup

Hearty Cabbage & Bean Soup

Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup

 

lemon orzo soup

Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup

Vegan orzo soup is loaded with tender artichokes, mushrooms, orzo pasta, sweet carrots, creamy great northern beans, and the most delicious golden lemon broth. This truly satisfying meal is easy to make and it's ready in less than one hour! 
4.75 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 80kcal
Author: Stacey Eckert

Equipment

  • 6-Quart Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot
  • Medium Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
  • ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth (to saute)
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 medium celery stalks thinly sliced
  • 4 medium carrots sliced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 4 medium garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • ¼ tsp chili pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp salt (add more to taste)
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • (2) 14 oz cans great northern beans rinsed and drained
  • 14 oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water, not oil)
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2-3 handfuls fresh spinach
  • 4-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (add more to taste)
  • ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Cook the orzo in a separate pot while you make the rest of the soup.
  • (Do this step while the orzo is cooking) In a large dutch oven over medium heat, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in ¼ cup vegetable broth until the veggies start to soften and the onions are translucent. Add more broth if it gets too dry.
  • Add 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary, ¼ tsp chili pepper flakes, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and the minced garlic to the pot. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the spices.
  • Next, add 4 cups of vegetable broth, water, beans, and artichoke hearts to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the soup up to a low simmer, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 15-20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
  • Lastly, stir in 2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach, 4 tbsp lemon juice, and ¼ cup fresh parsley. Stir to combine and let the soup cook for about 5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted but it's still bright green.
  • To serve, put a scoop of the cooked orzo noodles in each bowl and pour the hot soup over it. Garnish with a lemon wheel and more parsley.

Notes

  • Boil the orzo in a separate pot. If you cook the pasta in the broth with the rest of the ingredients, it will soak up a lot of the liquid and have more of a stew-like consistency. 
  • Use artichokes that are stored in water, not oil to keep this recipe oil-free. 
  • Use fresh lemon juice, the stuff in a squeezy bottle does not taste the same as freshly squeezed lemon juice!
  • To make the broth extra bright and vibrant, you can add ¼ tsp turmeric powder.
  • To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo, small noodles, rice, or quinoa. 
  •  Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 686mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6299IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please rate it and leave a comment below if you have any feedback! If you post a picture on Instagram, please tag @Stacey_Homemaker and use the hashtag #StaceyHomemaker so I can see your delicious creation!

*This vegan orzo soup recipe was originally shared on 12/16/17, but I updated it with better recipe instructions on 7/26/20. 

« Vegan Arugula Avocado Tomato Salad
Smoky Chickpea Lavash Wrap »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Terry

    January 20, 2020 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    One of the best soups I have ever made!

    Reply
    • Stacey Homemaker

      February 01, 2020 at 5:51 pm

      Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked it!

      Reply
  2. ELENI

    December 08, 2019 at 9:30 am

    5 stars
    The soup is superb. I did add one chopped zucchini, a dash of crushed red pepper and did not add additional salt as vegetable broth already has sodium. I used 1 1/2 lemons as I love lemons as I am a Greek American. This recipe is a winner.

    Reply
    • Stacey Homemaker

      December 09, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      Thank you so much! I like your idea of adding red pepper flakes, YUM!

      Reply
  3. Tori

    January 19, 2019 at 6:52 pm

    4 stars
    this was really good! Next time I would add more lemon juice, though. And keep the orzo separate until reheating, as it definitely becomes more of a stew than a soup when soaking in the broth!

    Reply
    • Stacey Homemaker

      January 26, 2019 at 10:00 am

      Thank you! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it =)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Stacey! I veganize your favorite classic recipes and transform them into irresistible meals that are made entirely from plants! Want to know more? →

Winter Recipes!

The Best Vegan Chili

Vegan Butternut Squash Tempeh Chili

Vegan Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Noodles tossed in vegan alfredo sauce

15-Minute Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Vegetarian Cabbage Soup with Carrots

Hearty Vegan Cabbage Soup

Beet Pasta Sauce

Vegan Lasagna Cashews

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Vegan Lasagna (Gluten-Free)

The Ultimate Guide to Veganism + How to Go Vegan Step by Step

POPULAR POSTS

27 Delicious Vegan Keto Recipes For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner!
21 Low-Carb Vegan Recipes That Will Fill You Up!
51 Costco Vegan Products That You Need to Try!
Vegan Sweet Potato Lentil Chili
Vegan Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup
Hearty Vegan Cabbage Soup

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Copyright © 2021 Stacey Homemaker

 

Loading Comments...