Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup

Makes 3 generous servings

Recipe from Nisha Melvani of Cooking for Peanuts

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup is made with simple pantry-friendly ingredients. It's quick, quick, quick to make on busy days and so delicious!!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil or vegetable broth

1 small yellow onion small dice

2 garlic cloves minced

2 small carrots cut into ½-inch coins

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

2 cups vegetable broth plus more for cooking

15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed

½ cup orzo

2 Tablespoons white miso (mellow)

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice or to taste

2 cups chopped curly kale (I used frozen chopped kale.)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Aromatics: Heat the oil or broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and carrots for about 7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, and paprika and cook for one minute more.

Cook: Add the vegetable broth, 1 cup water, chickpeas, and orzo. Stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the orzo is al dente. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom. Add more broth or water as needed.

Flavor: Transfer the miso to a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water. Mix well until the miso is fully dissolved. Stir the dissolved miso into the soup. Add fresh lemon juice to taste. Stir in the kale until it is just wilted. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Notes

For oil-free: Substitute the olive oil with more vegetable broth.

Do not overcook or the pasta will be mushy. Stir frequently. 

Storage: Refrigerate leftover Vegan Lemon Orzo Soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Or add the orzo for serving, and refrigerate the soup portion without pasta for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Information: (1 of 3 servings) Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 662mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 10227IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 3mg