Vegetarian Avgolemono (creamy lemony Greek chickpea and rice soup)
January calls for a healthy, restorative soup. This is a vegetarian riff on Avgolemono, a creamy, lemony Greek chicken and rice soup. Here, I use chickpeas instead of chicken and brown instead of white rice, which add a lovely nutty flavor and a hearty texture. The broth is fortified with veggies and one of my favorite shortcut ingredients, Better than Bouillon. The juice and zest of a whole lemon really makes the flavors sing. Tempering eggs into the soup is a traditional method to develop a silky, creamy sauce. Sometimes, I prefer a clear broth, and just leave out the egg. Alternatively, if you would like a creamy texture and are vegan, you can either puree some of the chickpeas or use tahini.
This recipe can be made on the stovetop, or in less than half the time in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker (see variations below). Like any soup, it gets better the longer it sits. It reheats well as long as you are careful not to overheat it (which could scramble the eggs).
1 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
7 cups water
3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
2 cans chickpeas
3/4 cup brown rice, rinsed
2 cans chickpeas
2 heaping T Better than Bouillon (I like "no chicken" flavor)
1 t Italian seasoning or rosemary and/or oregano
salt and fresh black pepper to taste
2 large eggs (optional; sometimes I leave this out for a clear chicken soup vibe)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 handfuls spinach (optional)
leaves from 1 bunch parsley, chopped
Sauté onion, carrots, celery with oil in a Dutch oven, soup pot, or Instant Pot until softened. Add garlic and sauté one more minute, then add water, rice, chickpeas, Better than Bouillon, and seasoning. If cooking on the stovetop, cover and simmer for 40 minutes and do not stir. If using the Instant Pot, seal and cook 18 minutes, then quick release. Temper eggs by whisking in a bowl and slowly adding hot liquid from the soup a few T at a time. This prevents them from scrambling. Once the egg mixture is very warm, add it slowly, stirring constantly to the soup. Bring soup back to a simmer to thicken, then stir in spinach, if using, and lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust for seasoning and texture. If soup is too thick for your liking, add water to thin as needed. Garnish with a copious amount of parsley.
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 handfuls spinach (optional)
leaves from 1 bunch parsley, chopped
Sauté onion, carrots, celery with oil in a Dutch oven, soup pot, or Instant Pot until softened. Add garlic and sauté one more minute, then add water, rice, chickpeas, Better than Bouillon, and seasoning. If cooking on the stovetop, cover and simmer for 40 minutes and do not stir. If using the Instant Pot, seal and cook 18 minutes, then quick release. Temper eggs by whisking in a bowl and slowly adding hot liquid from the soup a few T at a time. This prevents them from scrambling. Once the egg mixture is very warm, add it slowly, stirring constantly to the soup. Bring soup back to a simmer to thicken, then stir in spinach, if using, and lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust for seasoning and texture. If soup is too thick for your liking, add water to thin as needed. Garnish with a copious amount of parsley.
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