This nourishing and satisfying vegan lemon orzo soup is loaded with tender artichokes, mushrooms, orzo, carrots, protein-packed great northern beans, and the most delicious golden lemon broth! This Mediterranean-inspired soup is perfect to make for a healthy dinner or if you’re feeling a bit under the weather!
*This recipe was originally shared on 12/16/17, but I updated it with better recipe instructions on 12/3/19.
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Soup is one of my favorite meals to cook, not just during the fall or winter season, but all year long! Especially comfort food soups like white bean chili or creamy vegan broccoli cheese soup.
Most people only want to eat soup during the cooler months of the year (like my husband) but I love it during any time of the year. Do you feel the same as me?
This lemon orzo soup is cozy, comforting, and perfect for a cool night. But it’s also a bright, lemon-infused, bowl of sunshine that’s much lighter than a creamy-based soup so it’s delicious during the summer too!
This is also my go-to recipe to make when I’m feeling sick. I love the lemon garlic flavor combination and it’s also great for your immune system. Forget chicken noodle soup, this is what you should make when you’re feeling under the weather!
This vegan soup is very easy to make and it’s ready in just 40 minutes! I think this soup is going to become one of your new family favorite recipes! Now let’s talk about how to make this delicious soup.
What is Orzo Soup Made of?
Classic lemon chicken orzo soup is usually served with chicken but I veganized the soup by replacing the chicken with tender artichokes and meaty mushrooms. (See the Notes section for more options.)
This vegan version of traditional lemon orzo soup is loaded with protein-packed white beans, satisfying orzo, meaty mushrooms, tender artichokes, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and lots of fresh lemon juice. It’s so delicious!
How To Make Lemon Orzo Soup – Step by Step Instructions
Step #1 – Begin by cooking the orzo in a separate pot while you make the rest of the soup.
Step #2 – While the orzo is cooking, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in 2-3 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth in a 6-quart dutch oven over medium heat, until they’ve softened.
Step #3 – Then add all of the dry seasonings and minced garlic and let it cook for a 1 minute to allow the flavors to meld.
Step #4 – Next, add the low-sodium vegetable broth and the rinsed and drained canned beans and bring the soup up to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
Step #5 – Lastly, stir in two heaping handfuls of fresh spinach, roughly chopped artichokes, fresh parsley, and fresh lemon juice. Let it cook until the spinach wilts, it should only take a few minutes.
Step #6 – When you serve the soup, put a scoop of the cooked orzo noodles in each bowl and pour the hot soup over it. The hot liquid will help to break up the orzo.
Should You Cook Orzo in the Soup Pot or in a Separate Pot?
I recommend that you cook the orzo in a separate pot because orzo swells up to 4x its size and it will absorb a lot of the soup broth. I think that it’s also better to store the orzo separately from the leftover soup so the orzo doesn’t sit in the soup broth and get too soft.
Instructions to Cook Orzo in the Soup:
If you decide to cook the orzo in the soup, add it to the soup 9-10 minutes before the soup is done cooking. Try not to overcook the orzo because it will turn to mush.
Also, make sure that you add an additional 2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth or water to the soup. If you don’t add more liquid to the soup, the orzo will absorb most of the broth in the soup while it cooks and the soup will be more of a stew.
How Do You Keep Orzo From Sticking Together?
To keep orzo from sticking together, you can add a little bit of hot water, vegan butter, or olive oil to the pot and stir it around to break up the cooked orzo.
To avoid this issue, try to time cooking the orzo so it’s ready when the soup is ready. If you make the orzo too early, it will dry out a little bit and stick together in the pot.
What Can You Serve with Lemon Orzo Soup?
The orzo and the beans make this lemon soup very filling, so I usually serve the soup with a big salad on the side and I make a big tray of roasted veggies (like broccoli, balsamic brussels sprouts, or garlic asparagus).
You could also go with classic soup sides like thick slices of crusty bread to soak up all the delicious lemon broth or loaded baked potatoes with vegan sour cream and green onions.
Can You Freeze Leftover Soup?
Yes, this vegan lemon orzo soup freezes very well. If you plan on freezing the leftovers for a future meal, I recommend that you cook and store the orzo separately so it doesn’t soak in the soup broth.
When you’re ready to reheat the leftover soup, remove the soup and the orzo from the freezer and put both containers in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours. When you’re ready to warm it up, you will need to add a little bit of water to the orzo to rehydrate it so it doesn’t dry out.
Is This Recipe Allergy-Friendly?
Yes, this lemon orzo soup recipe is very allergy-friendly! It’s naturally nut-free, soy-free, vegetarian, oil-free, and vegan. If you’d like to make it gluten-free, use this gluten-free orzo instead of the wheat-based orzo.
Notes & Substitutions
- If you don’t want to use great northern beans, you can substitute pinto beans, chickpeas, or cannellini beans.
- You can use whole wheat or white flour orzo, but I made this orzo soup recipe with whole wheat orzo.
- Traditional Greek lemon orzo soup has chicken in it. If you’d like to add a vegan chicken option, I would recommend adding (1) 14 oz can of rinsed and drained young green jackfruit when you add the cooked beans to the soup. The jackfruit will soften and shred while the soup cooks. It looks just like chunks of chicken!
- If you prefer not to use orzo, you could substitute brown rice, quinoa, or gluten pasta.
- I prefer to use spinach (you can use fresh or frozen spinach) in this soup but, you could also use thinly sliced kale, roughly chopped arugula, or collard greens.
Tips to Make the Best Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup
- Cook the whole wheat orzo in a separate pot. If you cook the orzo in the soup, it will soak up a lot of the broth and the soup will have more of a stew consistency.
- Use jarred artichokes that are stored in water, not oil. The soup doesn’t need extra oil and I think the texture of water-based artichokes tastes better too.
- Use fresh lemon juice, the stuff in a squeezy bottle does not taste the same as fresh lemon juice!
- If you’re gluten-free, use these gluten-free orzo noodles.
- Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal.
More Vegan Soup Recipes That You’ll Love!
Vegan Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup
30-Minute Garden Vegetable Barley Soup
Ginger Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
Vegan Lemon Artichoke Orzo Soup
Equipment
- 6-Quart Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
- 2-3 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 medium carrots sliced
- 3 medium celery stalks thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 lb cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt (more to taste)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- (2) 14 oz cans great northern beans rinsed and drained
- (1) 9 oz jar of artichoke hearts, halved (in water, not oil)
- 2 handfuls spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
Instructions
- Cook the orzo in a separate pot while you make the rest of the soup.
- (While the orzo is cooking) In a 6-quart dutch oven or large soup pot, over medium heat, saute the onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in 2-3 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth until they’re soft.
- Then add all thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and the minced garlic and let it cook for a 1 minute to allow the flavors to meld.
- Next, add the low-sodium vegetable broth and the rinsed and drained canned beans and bring the soup up to a low simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Lastly, stir in the fresh spinach, roughly chopped artichokes, fresh parsley, and lemon juice. Let the soup cook for a few minutes or until the spinach begins to wilt.
- When you serve the soup, put a scoop of the cooked orzo noodles in each bowl and pour the hot soup over it. The hot broth will beak up the orzo.
Notes
- Cook the orzo in a separate pot. If you cook the orzo in the soup, it will soak up a lot of the broth and the soup will have more of a stew consistency.
- Use jarred artichokes that are stored in water, not oil. The soup doesn't need extra oil and I think the texture of water-based artichokes tastes better too.
- Use fresh lemon juice, the stuff in a squeezy bottle does not taste the same as fresh lemon juice!
- If you're gluten-free, use these gluten-free orzo noodles.
- Store the leftover lemon orzo soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future meal.
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.
Thank you so much! I like your idea of adding red pepper flakes, YUM!
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!
Thank you! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it =)