Vegan Orzo Soup

This savory vegan soup recipe is made with fresh herbs, vegetables, and orzo, creating an easy and flavorful meal.

I love making this dish because it's one of my favorite easy soup recipes.

This lemon orzo soup is savory and delicious but has light, refreshing flavor notes from the freshly squeezed lemon.

This is the perfect meal for a chilly day, if you're feeling under the weather, and even if you're just looking for an easy vegan recipe.

Plant based cooking and eating is on the rise and having an orzo soup vegetarian and vegan style checks all of the boxes.

If you're looking for more orzo recipes be sure to try my Greek Orzo Salad next!

Ingredient Notes

I try to use organic ingredients whenever possible in my recipes for the freshest flavors and highest quality foods.

Orzo: Orzo was the pasta/noodle of choice in this recipe and is the star of the show.

If you're meal prepping this soup for the week, I would recommend cooking and storing the orzo separately so it doesn't soak up as much liquid. It's fine if you don't store it separately, but that would be my first choice.

Garlic: I always opt for fresh garlic rather than jarred, pre-minced garlic. I feel that using fresh garlic has a better flavor.

Don't believe me? Check out this article about fresh vs. pre-minced garlic.

Broth: You can use any type of vegetable broth that you like best.

Vegetables: I used a classic combination of onion, carrots, and celery in this vegan lemon orzo soup. I prefer to buy whole produce and prep it myself, but if you're running short on time you can buy pre-packaged, prepped veggies.

Herbs & Seasonings: This recipe calls for salt, pepper, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves.

Lemon: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice in order to get the best and freshest flavors possible for your soup.

If all you have on hand is pre-squeezed or concentrated lemon juice that is okay but not ideal. I try to keep extra lemons in the produce drawer in my fridge so I'm never without fresh flavors!

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

This soup is really easy to make!

I start out by prepping and washing all of my produce. Yes, even if that celery or says it's pre-washed, I still recommend giving it a nice rinse and scrub.

Then you'll prep all ingredients according to the ingredient list.

Combine the olive oil, veggies, seasoning, rosemary, and garlic in a large pot and cook over medium heat for several minutes. The vegetables will soften and become fragrant. Be sure to stir frequently during this time to avoid burning.

Next, stir in all remaining ingredients and bring the contents of the pot to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.

Allow the soup to cool slightly before enjoying.

Substitutions and Variations

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup: Add one cup of cooked chickpeas, or drain and rinse one can and add the chickpeas to the soup at the same time you add the orzo.

This is an easy way to add a little extra protein to this vegan and vegetarian lemon orzo soup.

Gluten Free Orzo Soup: This recipe can easily be made gluten-free. Simply swap out the regular orzo for a gluten-free orzo instead.

Spicy Orzo Soup: If you want to turn up the heat a little, add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes during the cooking process. This will make things a bit spicy.

Remove the Lemon: If you're not thrilled about the flavor of lemon in this soup recipe, simply omit the lemon juice from the cooking process and you're good to go!

This vegan lemon orzo soup can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

Be sure to store it in an airtight container for best results.

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to try these vegan soup recipes next: