Lemon Herb Soup (Print Version)

A vibrant soup with bright citrus notes and fresh herbs, perfect for light appetizers or main courses.

# 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 & 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

# Directions:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, leaving you with a restaurant-quality soup in under 45 minutes.
  • The citrus and herbs make you feel like you're doing something sophisticated without any fussy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.
  • It's naturally light enough to serve as an opener but satisfying enough to be a complete meal when you add the rice.
02 -
  • Don't add the lemon juice until the very end or you risk losing that bright citrus note to prolonged heat, which I learned the hard way by adding it too early and ending up with soup that tasted more muted than it should have.
  • Tasting as you go is non-negotiable because every broth and every lemon is slightly different, and that final seasoning pass is what separates okay soup from the kind worth making again.
03 -
  • If you have a microplane zester, use that for the lemon zest because it gives you finer, more delicate pieces that distribute through the soup more evenly than a box grater.
  • Keep the heat at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil once the broth is in, because gentle cooking keeps the vegetables tender and the broth clear instead of cloudy.
Return