• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Two Cloves Kitchen logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
×

Home » Meal » Dinner

Published: Sep 23, 2022 by Genevieve · This post may contain affiliate links.

Greek Chickpea Soup

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Yummly
  • Flipboard
Image of greek chickpea soup with the recipe title and URL for Two Cloves Kitchen.
Image of greek chickpea soup with the recipe title and URL for Two Cloves Kitchen.
Image of greek chickpea soup with the recipe title and URL for Two Cloves Kitchen.
Image of greek chickpea soup with the recipe title and URL for Two Cloves Kitchen.
Image of greek chickpea soup with the recipe title and URL for Two Cloves Kitchen.
Image of greek chickpea soup with the recipe title and URL for Two Cloves Kitchen.

Greek Chickpea Soup is a vegetarian version of the traditional Greek Avgolemono using chickpeas in place of chicken. Comforting broth, chickpeas and rice, aromatic leeks and garlic, bright lemon, and fresh dill create a satisfying, lively meal ready in just 30 minutes.

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
A bowl of Greek Chickpea Soup garnished with dill sits on a blue and white linen with a spoon, fresh dill, and lemons.
Jump to:
  • What You'll Need
  • How to Make Greek Chickpea Soup
  • Variations
  • FAQ
  • Expert Tips
  • How to Store
  • How to Make a Meal
  • Recipes You'll Love
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

I absolutely love hot soup on a cold night (honestly, even on a hot night). A savory base of vegetable or chicken broth, some aromatics like garlic, celery, and carrots, and a protein are all you need for a satisfying meal.

The addition of fresh herbs and some acid, either in the form of citrus, tomato, mustard, or a bit of Worcestershire or vinegar can truly elevate an everyday soup without making it sour or bitter.

This recipe is a perfect example - the lemon and dill transform the flavor from something relatively bland to something punchy, fresh, and bright.

The labeled ingredients for Greek Chickpea Soup sit on a white marble counter.

And...

Olive oil and two eggs sit on a white counter.

What You'll Need

Two Cloves Kitchen, as an Amazon Affiliate, makes a small percentage from qualified sales made through affiliate links at no cost to you.

  • Chickpeas I use canned chickpeas here because they are easy and inexpensive. You could also cook dry chickpeas ahead of time to use in this dish.
  • Vegetable Broth You can use regular boxed vegetable broth, or try Better than Bouillon, which I love. Even better if you have homemade vegetable broth!
  • Cooked Rice White rice or brown rice will work well here.
  • Fresh Leek If you can't find leeks, substitute a yellow onion. Be sure to clean your leeks very well! They contain a lot of sand and grit which will go straight into your soup if you don't rinse them very thoroughly.
  • Fresh Garlic You can use a bit of garlic powder in place of the garlic, but fresh is definitely preferred.
  • Celery
  • Carrot
  • Eggs
  • Lemon You can also use bottled lemon juice.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil Using high-quality extra virgin olive oil is always a treat, but any kind you have on hand will be fine here.
  • Kosher Salt I always recommend using kosher salt in recipes. It is easier to control the saltiness and it coats food more evenly.

How to Make Greek Chickpea Soup

Step One: Prep your vegetables: chop to carrots, celery, and leeks (white and light green parts only). Clean the leeks very well under running water to ensure no sand or grit gets into your soup. Mince your garlic.

Carrot, celery, and leek sliced on a bias are shown on a white cutting board.
Minced garlic sits on a white cutting board.

Step Two Place a medium to large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Sweat the carrot, celery, and leek until they are softened.

Sauteed carrot, celery, and leek are shown in a stainless steel pot.

Step Three Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Minced garlic is added to sauteed carrot, celery, and leek in a stainless steel pot.

Step Four Reserve 1 cup of vegetable broth. Add the remainder to the pot with the chickpeas. Bring up to a boil and down to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste occasionally, seasoning with salt as needed.

Vegetable broth with sliced carrots, celery, and leek are shown in a stainless steel pot.

Step Five Heat the reserved cup of vegetable broth and one cup of cooked rice in a small saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe dish. Add to the pitcher of a blender or food processor. Add two eggs.

Eggs, rice, and vegetable broth are pictured in a mini food processor.

Step Six Blend until thick and smooth.

Eggs, rice, and vegetable broth that have been blended into a liquid are shown in a white ramekin.

Step Seven Add the blended mixture and the remainder of the cooked rice to the pot. Add the lemon juice and dill, taste, season with more salt if needed, and serve right away.

Fresh dill is added to a pot of Greek Chickpea Soup.

Variations

Traditional In place of the chickpeas, use chicken and remove the carrots and celery. This is a more traditional version of a Greek Avgolemono soup.

Fresh Herbs You can add other fresh herbs before serving. Soft herbs like parsley and basil are wonderful here.

Cheese Add some grated parmesan or shredded mozzarella to your final soup.

FAQ

What is Avgolemono?

Avgolemono is a Greek soup with chicken, rice, lemon, and dill, thickened with eggs. This recipe is a vegetarian Avgolemono, using chickpeas in place of chicken.

Can I freeze Greek Chickpea Soup?

You can. I recommend freezing before you add the blended rice, egg, and broth mixture and reserve the cooked rice as well. Once you defrost and reheat the soup mixture, you can make and add the blended mixture and the rice.

Adding the rice to hot soup will cause it to absorb the broth. This is fine when serving right away, but when storing, will result in more of a porridge than a soup. The eggs can also curdle when reheated.

How do I reheat this?

Fridge Take the soup off of the stove before adding the blended rice, egg, and broth mixture and before adding the remaining rice. Store the soup and rice separately.

Once you are ready to reheat, create the blended rice, egg, and broth mixture using the step-by-step directions above. Reheat the remaining soup in a pan on the stove, being sure to bring up to a boil and then down to a simmer.

Once the soup is warmed through, create the blended mixture and add to the soup with the remaining rice. Add the lemon and dill and then serve.

Freezer Defrost the soup base (before adding the blended rice, egg, and broth mixture and before adding the remaining rice), then follow the directions above.

Expert Tips

  • To make sure your egg does not cook in the broth, temper it by making the rice, egg, and broth mixture in a blender or food processor. This allows the egg to come up to the soup's temperature before introducing it into the broth.
  • Clean your leeks incredibly well! After slicing, you can place in a colander and run cold water over them, using your fingers to separate the layers to ensure every part is rinsed. Otherwise you will have grit and/or sand in your soup.
  • Do not add the rice, egg, and broth mixture to the soup if you plan to store it for later. Store the soup base (broth, aromatics, chickpeas) separately and once reheated, make and add the rice, egg, broth mixture, the remaining rice, lemon, and dill.

How to Store

You can store this soup for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container using the directions specified in the FAQ section (see: "How do I reheat this?")

If freezing, be sure to only freeze the soup base of broth, garlic, leek, carrot, celery, and chickpeas. This will last for about 4 months in the freezer.

Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat by bring up to a boil and down to a simmer. Once reheated, add the rice, egg, and broth mixture and the remaining cooked rice. Finish with the lemon and dill and serve.

How to Make a Meal

This soup is definitely a meal unto itself. Here are some ideas to fill out your table with different sides:

Salad Try with a Greek Salad for more Mediterranean flavor.

Bread Serve with a crusty baguette, or go a step further and make some crispy crostini.

Crackers Have you ever made your own crackers? This soup would go really well with a handful of homemade crackers.

Sandwich Serve a half sandwich with a cup of this soup. Try this grilled cheese with sundried tomatoes and feta!

Looking for a lemony cocktail pairing? Try this Snowball Cocktail.

Recipes You'll Love

Here are some other warming vegetarian dishes for a cold night:

Spaghetti Arrabbiata

Mac and Cheese Without Milk

Warm Grain Bowl with Goat Cheese and Greens

📖 Recipe

A bowl of Greek Chickpea Soup garnished with dill sits on a blue and white linen with a spoon, fresh dill, and lemons.

Greek Chickpea Soup

A vegetarian version of the Greek Avgolemono, this easy and delicious egg-thickened soup combines veggies, rice, chickpeas, lemon, and dill for a bright, savory, satisfying meal that comes together in just 30 minutes!
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Greek, Mediterranean
Keyword: Easy Recipe, Easy Weeknight Meal, Easy Weeknight Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 415kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

  • Medium Pot
  • Food Processor or High Speed Blender
  • Colander (Optional)

Ingredients

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 leek white and light green parts only, medium, sliced
  • 1 carrot medium, sliced
  • 1 stalk celery medium, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 15 ounces chickpeas from 1 can, drained
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1 fresh lemon
  • ¼ cup dill fresh, chopped
  • kosher salt to taste

Rice, Egg, and Broth Mixture

  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable broth

Instructions

Soup

  • Slice your carrot, celery, and leeks. Mince your garlic. Clean the leeks very well under cold water to remove the sand and grit, preferably in a colander.
  • Place a medium pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Sweat the carrots, celery, and leeks for about 5 minutes, until they are softened. Add a pinch of salt.
  • Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  • Add the broth and bring up to a boil and back down to a simmer. Season the broth with salt to taste.
  • Add the chickpeas and cook for about 15 minutes.
  • Add one cup of the cooked rice.

Rice, Egg, and Broth Mixture

  • Meanwhile, heat the remaining rice and broth until warmed through. Add to the base of a food processor or the pitcher of a blender.
  • Add the eggs and blend until thick and smooth.
  • Once the soup has cooked with the chickpeas for about 15 minutes, add the rice, egg, and broth mixture into the soup to thicken it.
  • Add the lemon juice and dill to the soup, taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed, and serve.

Notes

  1. You can use white rice or brown rice for this recipe. 
  2. To store leftovers, stop before adding the cooked rice and the rice, egg, and broth mixture. Refrigerate the broth, vegetables, and chickpeas in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer.
  3. When reheating, bring up to a boil and down to simmer. Then complete the remaining steps of the recipe: add the cooked rice, and make and add the warmed rice, broth, and egg mixture. Finish with the lemon and dill and serve.
  4. Be sure to clean the leeks very well before adding them to the pot. After slicing, you can place in a colander and run cold water over them, using your fingers to separate the layers to ensure every part is rinsed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 528mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3339IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 4mg

More Dinner

  • bavarian potato salad in a white dish surrounded by fresh dill.
    Authentic Bavarian Potato Salad with Bacon
  • plate of bloody mary shrimp next to a pan of shrimp with a piece of baguette and a white linen.
    Bloody Mary Shrimp Recipe
  • a plate of slow cooker lamb ragu over pappardelle pasta surrounded by a block of parmesan, a white linen, and torn baguette.
    Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu Recipe
  • an egg and cucumber sandwich with pepper jack cheese, spring mix, and dill sauce is shown on a white plate over a rustic wooden cutting board.
    Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Yummly
  • Flipboard

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Glenda says

    September 26, 2022 at 3:49 am

    5 stars
    I think I could eat soup every day all winter long. It's so homey and comforting. This Greek Chickpea Soup is one I am so happy to add to our rotation. The lemon juice and dill add so much brightness. It's absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Genevieve says

      September 27, 2022 at 5:08 pm

      Thanks Glenda! I think the lemon/dill combo is the best part, too.

      Reply
  2. Journa Liz Ramirez says

    September 27, 2022 at 3:14 am

    5 stars
    The aroma of leeks and lemon are indeed satisfying! I highly recommend this soup!

    Reply
    • Genevieve says

      September 27, 2022 at 5:07 pm

      Thanks Journa!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Photo of a blonde woman in a blue dress with a gray sweater sitting in front of bookcases.

Hi, I'm Gen! Welcome to Two Cloves Kitchen. I am a certified professional cook, lifelong recipe creator, writer, editor, and food lover. I use my culinary knowledge to teach you how to utilize your ingredients and equipment to their fullest potential, turning ordinary meals into something exciting with bold, fresh, innovative ideas and flavors.

More about me →

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Latest Posts

  • chilli scrambled eggs on a white plate surrounded by a cup of coffee, English muffins, and a copper fork.
    The Best Chilli Scrambled Eggs
  • an avocado tartine sits on a blue plate with a vintage silver knife over a peach tile background.
    Easy Avocado Tartine Recipe with Lime
  • closeup of dill sauce in a glass container with a wooden handle on a white marble counter.
    Creamy Dill Sauce Recipe
  • burrata salad with balsamic glaze including spring mix, basil leaves, halved cherry tomatoes, drizzled with balsamic glaze and olive oil.
    Burrata Salad with Balsamic Glaze

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Disclosures

Contact

  • Work with Me
  • Contact

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Two Cloves Kitchen

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Close