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Home » Lunch & Dinner » Vegan Orzo Soup

Published: Jan 19, 2022 · Modified: Sep 6, 2022 by Kelsey· This post may contain affiliate links ·

Vegan Orzo Soup

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

A bowl filled with soup and garnished with freshly chopped green herbs and three lemon slices.

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

Labeled ingredients including: carrots, spices, orzo, celery, lemon, herbs, broth, garlic, and onion.

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

A collage of four pictures, 1 with ingredients, 2 with fresh vegetables in a large pot, 3 with all ingredients and broth in a pot, and 4 with the finished soup.

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.

A close up picture of orzo soup in a white bowl, garnished with fresh green herbs and lemon slices.

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!

A large bowl filled with soup. There is a pot of fresh herbs and a bowl of lemons, and a measuring cup of orzo in the background.

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:

  • Vegan Potato Leek Soup
  • Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup
  • Spinach White Bean Soup
  • Vegan Pumpkin Soup
A white bowl filled with lemon orzo soup. Garnished with fresh herbs and three lemon slices.

Vegan Orzo Soup

Kelsey Riley
This bright, savory lemon orzo soup is made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and flavors.
4.88 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 174 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 celery ribs diced
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 12 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup orzo uncooked

Instructions
 

  • Start by washing and prepping all produce according to the ingredient list.
  • Combine the olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large pot and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Be sure you are stirring frequently.
  • Pour in the broth, lemon juice, orzo, and add the bay leaves to the pot. Bring the contents to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.
  • Let the soup cool slightly before serving.

Notes

This soup can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 
Optional: you can add 1 cup of cooked chickpeas to the soup to add a little extra protein if desired. 

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal
Tried this recipe?Tag @plantedinthekitchen or tag #plantedinthekitchen!

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About Kelsey

Planted in the Kitchen is a plant based food blog. Here you will find healthy and delicious vegan recipes!

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Here you'll find delicious, healthy, and easy vegan recipes. I'm a registered nurse turned blogger with a passion for plant based food.

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