This Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup hits all the right notes. Hearty, with loads of chickpeas, orzo, and veggies … tons of flavor with a good dose of lemon and a generous dose of dill … so so good.

A bowl of lemon chickpea soup with a spoon in it and lemons in the background

Table of Contents

The Story Behind the Recipe

For awhile now, I’ve been dreaming of a sort of comforting lemony chicken soup situation … but with chickpeas instead of chicken because, you know, I’m a vegetarian and all that.

After I recovered from pneumonia, I finally worked up enough energy to make it happen yesterday and oh. Oh my. This Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup hit it out of the park.

Two bowls of chickpea orzo soup

This bright and comforting chickpea orzo soup reminds me a bit of this chickpea and rice soup, but this Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup comes across, to me, as a bit more special.

First, I keep the veggies a bit chunkier than my norm, with the goal of everything being about the same size as the chickpeas. It makes for a heartier soup with nice consistent bites.

Two bowls of lemony chickpea soup

But what happens to this bad boy at the end of the process is really where it’s at, because you stir in a bunch of freshly squeezed lemon juice and toss in a big handful of fresh dill and oh mama! Totally the clincher.

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Ingredients

  • Olive oil – for sautéing the veggies which squeezes out so much flavor!
  • Leek, carrot, and celery – You can substitute onion or scallions for the leek if you like! I just love how the leek adds mild oniony flavor and brings something a little more special to the table.
  • Garlic – Two cloves, please, for maximum garlic flavor!
  • Turmeric – I love adding turmeric to my brothy vegetarian soup recipes. It adds a bit of comforting color and a tiny kick.
  • Vegetable broth – I like to use low-sodium veg broth so I can control the salt level of the recipe.
  • Chickpeas – One can, or two cups cooked.
  • Orzo – The tiny pasta is so good in soup!
  • Salt & pepper – Because you can’t not.
  • Fresh dill – SO GOOD in this recipe. Don’t skip it!
  • Lemon – The acid brightens up this soup and makes it sing!

How to Make It

This Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup comes together so quickly on the stovetop!

Set a medium soup pot over low heat and sweat the veggies by sauteeing them low and slow until tender.

Add the garlic and turmeric and stir until fragrant.

Stir in the broth, chickpea, orzo, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to get the flavors amplified and cook the pasta.

Then simply remove the soup from the heat and stir in all that aromatic fresh dill and the generous squeeze of lemon. And serve! YUM.

A close up of lemony chickpea soup with orzo and loads of fresh dill

Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup Variations

  • Use different beans: Use this basic formula but mix it up by swapping the chickpeas for another white bean like navy beans or cannellini beans.
  • Nix the pasta: If you’re not feeling the pasta or can’t find orzo, you can stir in some cooked rice or quinoa.
  • Swap the pasta: You can also add another small pasta like ditalini, stars, or alphabet pasta would be fun!

Other Vegetarian Pasta Soup Recipes

5 from 6 votes

Lemony Chickpea Soup with Orzo & Dill

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 4
A hearty squeeze of lemon and loads of fresh dill liven up this chunky veggie, orzo, & chickpea soup.
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium leek (halved and sliced – about 1 cup chopped)
  • 1 medium carrot (medium dice – about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 medium stalk celery (sliced – about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 medium cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 15 ounces cooked chickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed)
  • 1/3 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper + more to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice)

Instructions

  • Set a medium soup pot over low heat. Add olive oil, leeks, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add garlic and turmeric and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
  • Add the vegetable broth, chickpeas, orzo, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the orzo is tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir in the dill. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired (I add at least another 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt, but I like things on the salty side.)
  • Serve with additional dill as garnish.

Notes

Note that this soup actually doesn’t keep all that well because the orzo continues to cook and swell up. It’s still perfectly edible, but the soup thickens quite a bit after it sits. If you want to make it ahead, I suggest cooking it up to the point where you add the orzo. When reheating, bring to a boil, add the orzo, and continue from there.
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 286kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 313mg, Potassium: 434mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 671IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 4mg

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