This classic Greek lemon soup uses egg and lemon (avgo-lemono) to create a creamy, velvety broth with a refreshing lemony hint. And this cozy pot comes together in about 30 minutes. Trust me, you’re going to love this one… A few days back we all had a little cold, which of course called for some chicken noodle soup. As we’re always seeking new recipes, we decided to look for an interesting new twist. This Greek avgolemono was the answer. As it is, we love Greek food, as you may have noticed. From our shrimp saganaki to Greek meatballs to tyrokafteri dip to psari plaki (baked fish with tomatoes), we’re always cooking up new Greek recipes.
What is Avgolemono Soup
Pronounced ah-vo-le-mo-no, avgolemono is a sauce made from egg and lemon which is slowly whisked with warm broth. Sometimes used as a sauce, it’s also a great thickener for soup. This soup, sometimes referred to as “Greek penicillin” because it’s so comforting when you have the sniffles, is basically chicken noodle soup thickened with avgolemono. It can be made with rice, but since we wanted to stick to the chicken noodle soup theme, we used orzo, which is also commonly used.
Ingredients
Olive oilVeggies – onion, carrots and celery.GarlicChicken stockBay leavesChicken – we used rotisserie chicken to make it that much easier.OrzoEggs and egg yolksLemon Juice and lemon zestSalt and pepperParsley – for garnish.
How to make Avgolemono Soup
Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Add in veggies and sauté for 5-10 minutes, until they start to soften up. Add in stock, bay leaves and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in orzo and cook till al dente, then add in chicken. Now for the avgolemono sauce… Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and lemon juice in a large bowl. Gradually add in two cups of the hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking continuously. This is called tempering the sauce. It is very important to do this stop slowly, as you want the egg to come up in temperature slowly to prevent it from cooking and clumping together. When done correctly, this provides the creamy silky texture. Stir the sauce into the soup and immediately remove from heat. Check out our collection of favorite Soup Recipes!
What to serve with this Greek Lemon Soup
This is a cozy meal all on it’s own. That being said, it goes nicely with some crusty bread or a nice fresh salad.
Storing Leftovers
This soup refrigerates beautifully in an airtight container for up to three days. As the avgolemono sauce acts as the thickener, rather than cream, you can also freeze it. Just freeze in an airtight container and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. So there you have it, one cozy, comforting pot of soup. This recipe is perfect for chilly winter nights or when you’re feeling under the weather. But it’s so good, you just might come back to it anytime! Bookmark or pin this great recipe so you always know where to find it. And be sure to subscribe to the GypsyPlate mailing list, we’re always serving up great new recipes!
Avgolemono Soup, in my Gypsy Bowl… enjoy!
Try these other great soup recipes!Zuppa ToscanaJambalaya SoupLoaded Cauliflower SoupFasolada (Greek Bean Soup)Grilled Cheese Tomato SoupCreamy Tuscan SoupMeaty Cabbage SoupYakamein
