Soup is the ultimate comfort food. In fact, I can't think of a more satisfying way to feed the body and soul than a bowl of simply delish and hearty homemade soup. Mediterranean soups and stews are a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, celebrated for their health benefits and delicious flavors. They are packed with vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats, making them a nutritious and satisfying meal option. These recipes are perfect for using up whatever veggies and herbs are lingering in your fridge. They’re also one of the best ways to meal prep for the Mediterranean diet, as most taste even better the next day.
Vegan Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Soup
This easy and delicious vegan Mediterranean Lemon Orzo Soup is abundant with bright citrusy flavor. Made with all plant-based ingredients including orzo, chickpeas, carrots, celery, onion, dill and spinach in a rich lemony broth. The combination of soft chewy orzo pasta, chickpeas and veggies simmered in a tangy broth with lemon and fresh dill is just so good. Fresh lemon really is the star of this soup. A squeeze of lemon brings out the best in the other ingredients. In fact, I often prefer lemon to salt as a flavor enhancer. This recipe is inspired by the popular Greek avgolemono soup. I've tried quite a few vegan versions of traditional Greek or Mediterranean lemon orzo soups that I liked but didn't love. Some recipes include tahini, almond butter, or cashew cream to replace eggs in order to thicken the soup. Personally, I don't think it's necessary to add those other ingredients to this soup. Since the orzo in this recipe is cooked in vegetable broth, it adds its own creaminess. I love that the light lemony taste isn't muted by heavy flavors.
Ingredients
- Orzo - I use 100% durum wheat semolina orzo. You can also use gluten-free orzo if needed.
- Spinach - I use fresh baby spinach.
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Celery
- Vegetable broth
- Chickpeas
- Lemon juice
- Fresh dill
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pour olive oil into a 4 quart or larger soup pot. Place over medium heat. Add onions. Sauté (cook) about 3-5 minutes until onions become soft and translucent. Stir occasionally to prevent the onions from burning.
- Add garlic, carrots and celery. Continue cooking about 5 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent the veggies from browning or the garlic and onion from burning.
- Once the veggies are getting soft, it's time to add the broth. Pour the broth into the pot. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a rolling boil. Stir in the orzo and chickpeas. (Drain and rinse the chickpeas before adding.
- Reduce heat to a low, gentle boil. Allow the orzo to cook about 8-10 minutes or until it is tender but not mushy (al dente). Stir from the bottom of the pan frequently to prevent the orzo from sticking.
- Once the orzo is cooked, remove from the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper.
- Spinach Tip - Add the spinach just before you serve the soup, as it will continue to wilt and cook in the hot soup and eventually become soft and mushy.
Oil-free Cooking Tip - If you prefer to prepare this recipe without oil, simply replace the oil with water. Follow the directions as is, but keep a close check on the onions, garlic, and veggies to make sure they don't burn.
Souper Serving Suggestions - This Mediterranean lemon orzo soup is hearty enough to be meal in itself with a slice of toasty garlic bread.
Additional Information
- What is orzo? Orzo is a type of pasta shaped like a large grain of rice. Its name means "barley" in Italian, because of its grain-like appearance. Orzo is commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine and is served in a variety of ways, including in soups and salads.
- Can I use any other type of pasta instead of orzo? Yes, if you don't have orzo, you can substitute it with other small pasta shapes like ditalini, small shells, or even broken spaghetti. Adjust the cooking time according to the pasta you choose.
- Is this soup gluten-free? No, traditional orzo pasta contains gluten. However, you can make this soup with gluten-free pasta made with rice or quinoa instead of orzo.
- Why do the chickpeas need to be rinsed before using? Chickpeas can be eaten right out of the can. In fact the liquid they are packed in (known as aquafaba) is often used as an egg replacer in vegan cooking.
- How long does vegan Mediterranean lemon orzo soup keep? You can store leftover soup refrigerated in a covered food safe container up to three days.
- Can I freeze this soup? Yes, this soup freezes well. Cool it completely, then transfer it to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Hearty Mediterranean Chickpea Soup
This hearty Mediterranean soup is full of plant-based protein, veggies, and spinach, all simmered in a thick and flavorful tomato broth. I first published this terrific Mediterranean soup in 2019, and it’s still one of my favourite staples. It received rave reviews over the years, and I’m happy to share the recipe again with new photos and notes. The recipe is easy to whip up, very flexible, and uses pantry staples. I recommend making a big batch of this Mediterranean soup as it keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the following day. This warming and protein-packed chickpea soup comes together in less than 30 minutes and makes a healthy, quick yet delicious dinner.
Read also: A Review of the Mediterranean Diet in Kidney Disease
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Dried thyme
- Oregano
- Bay leaves
- Canned chickpeas
- Low-sodium vegetable broth
- Flour
- Baby spinach
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
- Tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Next, stir in the garlic, paprika, oregano and thyme. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Add the flour and ¼ cup of cold water to a jar with a lid, shake until emulsified, and stir in the soup.
- Next, add the fresh spinach, a handful at a time, and stir until wilted (if using frozen, increase the cooking time accordingly).
- Turn the heat off. Finish with lemon juice, then taste and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice until the flavours really sing.
- Divide into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like, and add grated parmesan cheese if you don't want to keep it vegan. Serve with crusty bread.
Tips and Variations
- Flavor base: We start with onion, carrots, celery, and plenty of garlic sauteed in olive oil. This mix of veggies is called soffritto, essentially a classic base for almost anything cooked on the stove in Italy.
- Paprika: It adds deep flavor and pairs perfectly with tomatoes.
- Herbs: The bay leaves, dried thyme and oregano pair very well with the tomato base, while parsley makes this soup fresh and flavorful.
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas are convenient and packed with protein and fibre, but any beans would work, so feel free to use whatever you have in the pantry. Dried chickpeas or beans are a great option, too, but they must be presoaked and require longer cooking time.
- Broth: I use low-sodium vegetable broth to keep the soup light and vegan, but feel free to use your favorite broth.
- Flour: The recipe calls for a slurry made by mixing water and flour, which is great for thickening the soup at the end of the cooking time.
- Baby spinach: For a healthy dose of green leaves. For convenience, you can also add frozen spinach to the soup straight from frozen, but increase the cooking time until the spinach is wilted.
- Lemon juice: A little lemon juice added at the end of cooking brightens flavors, especially in tasty bean soups.
- Salt & pepper: Adjust the seasoning as needed before serving.
- Swap beans for chickpeas.
- Swap your veggies. Feel free to throw chopped kale or chard instead of spinach in this soup or any other vegetables lurking in your fridge.
- If you use a broth that tastes quite salty on its own, it’s important to adjust the seasoning at the end rather than at the beginning, as you never really know how strong the salt from the broth is.
Storage
This Mediterranean soup keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days and freezes very well. To freeze it, let the soup cool completely and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or multiple containers.
Other Mediterranean Diet Soup and Stew Recipes
There are many other delicious and easy soup recipes that fit into the Mediterranean diet. These recipes are perfect for using up whatever veggies and herbs are lingering in your fridge. They’re also one of the best ways to meal prep for the Mediterranean diet, as most taste even better the next day. Here are a few ideas:
- Spinach Soup: A pantry soup that comes together in 20 minutes! You only need 4 ingredients (spinach, egg, chicken stock, and parmesan), but I like to dress mine up with just a touch of nutmeg and lemon zest.
- Italian Bread Soup: This Italian classic is a great way to use up stale bread! And it’s ready in 30 minutes.
- Chicken Noodle Soup: The whole family will love this little noodle soup-it’s comforting and healing in the best way!
- Shrimp and Lobster Stew: If you’re looking for an easy soup recipe that feels a bit luxurious, this shrimp and lobster stew is your ticket!
- Vegan Mushroom Barley Soup: Hearty mushrooms, chopped vegetables, and tender pearl barley make up this simple and satisfying vegan mushroom barley soup. As comforting as your favorite deli’s barley soup, but with even more flavor and a subtle smoky finish.
- Avgolemono Soup: There’s nothing quite like “mom’s chicken soup,” and we have so many versions in the Mediterranean. A lemon-egg sauce called avgolemono makes this soup rich and silky with no dairy needed.
- Gnocchi Soup: A welcome twist on a classic chicken noodle soup, with tender, pillowy gnocchi and a few handfuls of spinach for extra nutrition. This recipe is very versatile: Frozen, homemade, fresh, gluten-free, and shelf stable gnocchi all work well.
- Soupe Jo (Persian Penicillin): Called “Persian penicillin,” Soupe Jo is a rich chicken soup packed with veggies and nutrient-rich barley (you can stock up at our shop). I like to make mine a bit creamy with a touch of half and half or Greek yogurt, but you can leave it out if you’re avoiding dairy.
- Chicken and White Bean Soup: A hearty soup stacked with protein thanks to beans and chicken-very satisfying. I use a couple cans of white beans here to save time, but you can use dry beans.
- Lemon Chicken Soup: This easy chicken soup is loaded with fresh lemon juice and amped up with vegetables, fresh herbs, and warming spices.
- Italian Chicken Stew: This rich chicken stew is brimming with aromatic Italian-style seasonings. It’s very freezer-friendly, great for getting ahead of the winter blues.
- White Chicken Chili with Chermoula: This white chicken chili gets a Mediterranean twist with a spoonful of Chermoula, a zesty North African sauce you can whip up in 5 minutes with just a blender.
- Creamy Potato Soup: A healthy twist on classic cream of potato soup! Fresh herbs and warming spices bring a welcome depth of flavor and whole milk adds a velvety quality without weighing things down.
- Tortellini Soup: Using store bought tortellini means this hearty, comforting soup is ready in 20 minutes!
- Creamy Butternut Squash Soup: Vegan and gluten-free, this creamy butternut squash soup is subtly sweet with warming spices and a generous stir of nutty tahini! Surprising on many levels, this one is sure to delight. I love roasted hazelnuts on top, but you can swap them with any nuts you prefer.
- Roasted Garlic Soup: Made with two full heads of garlic and just a touch of milk, this soup is boldly flavored and luxuriously creamy without feeling heavy.
- Roasted Carrot and Tomato Soup: I like using roasted fresh carrots and tomatoes, which give this soup a subtle sweetness, heft, and velvety texture without the cream.
- Lentil Soup: Legumes and lentils are your best friend when it comes to easy soups: they’re affordable, packed with protein and fiber, and last for years in your pantry. This easy, economical pantry soup is one to make on repeat! Aromatic vegetables and spices and a hit of fresh lemon juice load the lentils with tons of flavor. It’s blended for a nice creamy quality, though it’s completely vegan.
- Harira (North African Chickpea Soup): This hearty North African stew with chickpeas, rustic bread, warming spices, and smoky harissa is traditionally served for a healthy breakfast, but I love it any time of day.
- Vegan Vegetable Stew: A medley of vegetables and warming spices make this vegan stew so cozy and nourishing. Potatoes and lentils are very filling, so a sprinkling of fresh parsley and lemon juice just before serving is all you need.
- Moroccan Lentil Soup: Tomato-based vegan Moroccan soup, made with lentils and chickpeas, fresh herbs, and plenty of flavor from turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon. If you’d like to make it a bit heartier, try serving over a bed of broken vermicelli pasta or rice.
- Ribollita: This is yet another great way to use day-old bread! Ribollita is a hearty and especially flavorful vegetarian soup thanks to the use of one secret ingredient: Parmesan rind. Make sure to freeze your rinds rather than throwing them away!
- Pasta Fagioli: This vegetarian Pasta Fagioli recipe is more than the sum of its humble parts of beans and pasta, and it comes together in 30 minutes or less.
- Egyptian White Bean Stew: This creamy stew is my take on the Egyptian white bean stew I grew up with-a comforting winter classic straight from my mom’s kitchen.
- Vegetable Soup: When I want to get a whole week’s worth of veggies into one pot, I make soup. And many of these veggies have easy swaps with whatever is in season, or what you have on hand. A gluten free, vegan soup recipe layered with colorful veggies, aromatics, fresh herbs, and a big splash of lime juice for the brightest finish.
- Minestrone Soup: This Italian-style vegetarian minestrone soup is brimming with vegetables, beans, and a little pasta. The draw here is in the flavorful tomato broth with lots of fresh herbs.
- Spinach and Cauliflower Soup: Silky and flavorful, this spinach soup combines roasted cauliflower, fresh spinach, herbs, onions, garlic, and feta into a vibrant bright green bowl of goodness. Easy to prepare in under an hour, the creamy soup is nourishing, naturally gluten-free, and easily made vegan.
- Cabbage Soup: I could rave endlessly about the humble cabbage’s hidden potential, from my sexy crispy cabbage to my veggie twist on cacio e pepe. This soup is my ode to cabbage: a whole head simmered with aromatic fspices, garlic, fresh ginger, and a mix of vegetables.
Mediterranean White Bean Soup
An all-star combo of onion, carrot, celery, and garlic team up with flavorful Italian spices, tender white beans, and a generous sprinkling of parmesan. LOVE. IT. I used veggie broth for the base but my T-Rex friends are welcome to use chicken broth if preferred. The leftovers are PHENOMENAL and it reheats like a champ the following day.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion (2 cups diced)
- 2 carrots (1 cup diced)
- 1-2 celery ribs (3/4-1 cup diced)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 TBSP butter
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning blend (like Mrs. Peel's)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4-6 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)
- 1 (15oz) can cannelini beans
- Parmesan rind (optional)
- Grated parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Peel/trim onion, celery, carrots, and garlic as needed. Dice veggies and mince garlic. Measure out remaining ingredients for speedy soup assembly. Drain and rinse beans.
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven to medium-high heat with oil and butter. Sauté onions, celery, and carrots unil tender.
- Add garlic and spices (Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper) and sauté for about a minute more.
- Add broth (or stock) along with beans and optional parmesan rind. For a more stew-like soup go with 4 cups broth or a little extra for a brothier soup.
- Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a low but active simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and beans are warmed through.
- Remove and discard parmesan rind, if using.
- Taste and add any additional herbs/spices your heart desires.
- Once the soup is hot and ready, top with grated parmesan cheese and choice of toppings and dive on in!
Storage
Leftovers can be kept in airtight container(s) in the fridge for easy heat-and-eat meals throughout the week.
Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes
Read also: Mediterranean Diet, Instant Pot Style