Lemon Herb Soup (Printable)

A bright, herb-infused soup with fresh lemon zest and juice, ready in under an hour.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced

→ Broth

06 - 5 cups vegetable broth, low sodium

→ Citrus & Herbs

07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

→ Finishing

13 - ½ cup cooked rice or gluten-free orzo, optional
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Add garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Pour vegetable broth into pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, dill, chives, and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes.
05 - Add cooked rice or orzo if desired. Heat through for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This soup literally transforms throughout the meal - the first spoonful wakes up your senses with bright acidity, but by the last sip, youve discovered all these herbal notes that werent apparent at first.
  • Its become my refrigerator-clearing superstar that works regardless of season - use whatever herbs are about to wilt and the soup somehow tastes intentional every time.
02 -
  • Adding the lemon juice too early will make the herbs turn an unappetizing brownish color and diminish their flavor - always add citrus near the end of cooking.
  • The soup actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to meld, but the herbs will darken slightly so I often reserve a pinch of fresh ones to sprinkle on each reheated bowl.
03 -
  • Warm your serving bowls in the oven for a few minutes before ladling in the soup - the difference in how the aromas release when they hit a warm bowl versus a cold one is remarkable.
  • Save those herb stems! Bundle them together and simmer them in the broth for the first 10 minutes, then remove before adding the chopped leaves - youll extract maximum flavor from ingredients that would otherwise be discarded.
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