Lemon Herb Soup (Printer View)

Vibrant soup with citrus and herbs ready in 40 minutes

# Components:

→ 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 and Herbs

07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - Juice of 2 lemons, about 6 tablespoons
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Finishing

13 - 1/2 cup cooked rice or orzo, optional
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Method:

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 in vegetable broth. 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 - Incorporate 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 additional fresh herbs and lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like sunshine in a bowl, with enough acidity to wake up your palate without being aggressive.
  • You'll have it on the table in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner or last-minute guests become totally manageable.
  • The herb combination is flexible enough to work with whatever you have on hand, so you're not trapped by a rigid ingredient list.
02 -
  • Don't add all the lemon juice at once—the amount you need depends on how acidic your lemons are and how assertive you like your soup to taste, so go slowly and adjust.
  • Fresh herbs are not optional here and they're not interchangeable with dried ones (except the thyme), because the whole point is that bright, living green quality that only fresh herbs deliver.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before you cut it in half for juice—it's infinitely easier and you won't waste any of that precious oily zest on your fingertips.
  • Tear or gently chop the fresh herbs by hand instead of chopping with a knife, which bruises them and releases bitter compounds you don't want in the finished soup.
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