• Home
  • Our Story
  • Contact
MyGourmetConnection

MyGourmetConnection

Recipes for creative cooks

  • All Recipes
  • Main Dishes
  • Side Dishes
  • Quick & Easy
  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Main Dishes
  • Side Dishes
  • Quick & Easy
  • Our Story
  • Contact
Soups » Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soup)

Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soup)

by Lynne Webb on April 27, 2022 (Updated April 17, 2023) // 28 Comments

Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, Greek egg and lemon (avgolemono) soup is a delicious soup with a one-of-a-kind flavor and creamy texture that's satisfying enough to make a meal all on its own.
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Bowl of egg and lemon soup garnished with lemon wheels and fresh chopped dill with a Greek salad on the side.

Table of Contents

  • What is Egg and Lemon (Avgolemono) Soup
  • Key Ingredients and Substitutions
  • How to Make Greek Egg and Lemon (Avgolemono) Soup
  • Tips for Success
  • More Classic Greek Recipes
  • Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soupa)

What is Egg and Lemon (Avgolemono) Soup

Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soup) is a classic Greek soup thickened with eggs and rice and richly flavored with lemon juice and lemon zest. Along with olive oil, oregano, and garlic, lemons are one of the most common ingredients in Greek cuisine.

In addition to combining the tart, citrusy flavor of lemons with eggs in this easy-to-make soup, a similar egg and lemon sauce is also used frequently as a topping for fish, vegetables, and dolmades (grape leaves stuffed with rice).

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Chicken broth: In our kitchen, this recipe is a favorite go-to for a light dinner, so we generally make it with a good-quality, low-sodium chicken broth from the supermarket. We always use low-sodium broth because it gives us more control over the seasoning. If you have your own homemade chicken broth, by all means, use that instead. It can only make the soup better.
  • Medium-grain white rice: The grains of rice classified as “medium-grain” are about 2-1/2 times as long as they are wide. Arborio and Valencia are two well-known varieties. Medium-grain rice is a good choice for egg and lemon soup because it releases more starch during cooking, which helps to thicken the soup. Both conventional long-grain white rice and Basmati rice are acceptable substitutes.
  • Large eggs: We call for 3 large eggs in this recipe, but use your best judgment on this. If you feel your eggs are a little on the small side (as large eggs sometimes are these days), go ahead and add a fourth.
  • Fresh lemons: There’s no getting around it – the tangy lemon flavor from both the zest and the freshly-squeezed juice is essential for this recipe.
  • Fresh herbs (optional): A sprinkling of fresh dill is our top choice for a garnish, but chopped parsley or chives can add that little something extra in terms of flavor and visual appeal as well.

How to Make Greek Egg and Lemon (Avgolemono) Soup

This is an overview of how this dish is made. You’ll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe below.

Glass prep bowls filled with fresh lemon juice and zest next to a half lemon and lemon reamer.
  1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the rice.
  2. Stir for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  3. While the rice cooks, whisk the egg whites until frothy and beginning to thicken.
  4. Add the yolks and whisk together until light and creamy.
  5. While continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth, then whisk in the lemon juice.
  6. Remove the soup from the heat and gradually add the egg mixture while stirring constantly. This should take a full minute.
  7. Stir in the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  8. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired and serve immediately.

Tips for Success

  • Temper your eggs: Once you’ve combined your egg whites and yolks, you need to temper the mixture before adding it to the hot broth and rice. Tempering prevents curdling, and it’s done by slowly whisking a little of the hot chicken broth into the egg mixture to warm it.
  • Stir the eggs in slowly: After your eggs have been tempered, it’s important to stir them into the hot broth slowly and evenly.
  • Leftover soup: Greek Egg and Lemon Soup is not a dish that reheats very well, so if possible, don’t make more than you’ll use in one meal. If you do have leftovers, reheat in the microwave at 50% power and give the soup a stir every 45 seconds or so.
  • Add some chicken: This recipe serves two for dinner or four as a first course. Occasionally we add a little extra protein in the form of shredded chicken, but most often we simply serve it with a Greek salad on the side.

More Classic Greek Recipes

If you enjoy the flavors of Greek cuisine as we do, we have a few other recipes you might like to try.

  • Skordalia is a creamy, garlicky, Greek dip (or sauce) made with potatoes, breadcrumbs, garlic, olive oil, and lemon. It’s delicious as an appetizer spread on toasted pita triangles.
  • Pastitisio is a baked pasta dish that’s layered similarly to lasagna. It combines tubular pasta (we use penne), a savory tomato-based meat sauce made with ground beef, and béchamel sauce.
  • Moussaka is a layered casserole dish made with ground lamb and tomato meat sauce. It uses sliced eggplant in place of any type of noodles and has a top layer of creamy béchamel sauce.
Greek Egg and Lemon Soup

Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soupa)

4.35 from 49 votes
  |  Leave a Review
Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, Greek egg and lemon (avgolemono) soup is a delicious soup with a one-of-a-kind flavor and creamy texture that's satisfying enough to make a meal all on its own.
Yield: 2 dinner servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Total Time : 25 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Ingredients 

  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup medium-grain white rice, Valencia or Arborio
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh dill or parsley for garnish

Instructions 

  • Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the rice.
  • Stir for about 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  • While the rice cooks, whisk the egg whites until frothy and beginning to thicken.
  • Add the yolks and whisk together until light and creamy.
  • While continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth, then whisk in the lemon juice.
  • Remove the soup from the heat and gradually add the egg mixture while stirring constantly. This should take a full minute.
  • Stir in the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs if desired and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

  • Temper your eggs: Once you’ve combined your egg whites and yolks, you need to temper the mixture before adding it to the hot broth and rice. Tempering prevents curdling, and it’s done by slowly whisking a little of the hot chicken broth into the egg mixture to warm it.
  • Stir the eggs in slowly: After your eggs have been tempered, it’s important to stir them into the hot broth slowly and evenly.
  • Leftover soup: Greek Egg and Lemon Soup is not a dish that reheats very well, so if possible, don’t make more than you’ll use in one meal. If you do have leftovers, reheat in the microwave at 50% power and give the soup a stir every 45 seconds or so.
  • Add some chicken: This recipe serves two for dinner or four as a first course. Occasionally we add a little extra protein in the form of shredded chicken, but usually, we simply serve it with a Greek salad on the side.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soupa)
Amount per Serving
Calories
392
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
11
g
17
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Cholesterol
 
246
mg
82
%
Sodium
 
307
mg
13
%
Potassium
 
761
mg
22
%
Carbohydrates
 
50
g
17
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
26
g
52
%
Trans Fat
 
0.03
g
Vitamin A
 
358
IU
7
%
Vitamin C
 
9
mg
11
%
Calcium
 
68
mg
7
%
Iron
 
5
mg
28
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.

Author: Lynne Webb | 

Course: Soups
 | 
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas PREVIOUS
Easy Chicken Quesadillas
Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cabbage
Braised Pork Tenderloin with Cabbage and Apples NEXT

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this Recipe:




Comments

  1. Nancy says

    February 9, 2023 at 4:42 pm

    Made this and also added some rotisserie chicken shreds to it… delish!

    Reply
  2. Jinx says

    February 22, 2022 at 6:47 pm

    5 stars
    YUMMY! I added extra chicken flavoring to my broth and extra lemon juice. So very good!

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      February 25, 2022 at 7:10 am

      Happy to hear you enjoyed the soup!

      Reply
  3. Bridget Gee says

    September 3, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    Would this recipe work with vegetable broth instead of the chicken broth? Got a few vegetarians at my table.

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      September 7, 2021 at 11:07 am

      Hi Bridget,
      There is no reason why vegetable broth wouldn’t work, but I can’t say that I’ve tried it myself. To make a judgment, I would take a small amount of the broth you plan to use, stir in a little lemon juice and see if you like the flavor and if the lemon comes through well enough. If so, there’s no reason not to go with the vegetarian option.

      Reply
  4. Dawn says

    March 12, 2021 at 11:23 am

    Delicious and super easy! I added more lemon and it was so good. 

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      March 14, 2021 at 5:19 pm

      Hi Dawn,
      Thanks for taking the time to let us know you liked the soup. We call for a moderate amount of lemon in the recipe, but sometimes we add a little more as well. Cooking is all about flexibility and personal taste.

      Reply
  5. nori says

    February 25, 2021 at 9:39 pm

    what herbs do you recommend?

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      February 28, 2021 at 7:35 am

      Hi Nori,
      Fresh dill is our favorite choice to garnish this soup, but parsley is good as well.

      Reply
      • Jinx says

        February 22, 2022 at 6:48 pm

        5 stars
        I added lemon herb seasoning from McCormick’s. Perfect!

      • Lynne Webb says

        February 25, 2022 at 7:10 am

        That blend is a nice addition. Thanks for sharing!

    • Zoe says

      March 13, 2021 at 11:19 am

      Love this soup as a light lunch or dinner appetizer! I do cook it in a big batch and then reheat it: while it isn’t as good reheated as fresh, it still definitely holds and it’s an easy soup to meal prep.

      Reply
      • Lynne Webb says

        March 14, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        Hi Zoe,
        It’s a good idea to cook up some extra soup. If you feel it’s not quite as good reheated, you may want to reserve a little bit of lemon zest and add a pinch when you reheat a serving.

  6. Maya says

    May 7, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    This is even more than restaurant!!! Best soup ever. 

    I made half the amount, and did 2 eggs and came out perfect 

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      May 9, 2020 at 5:22 pm

      Hi Maya,
      So happy you enjoyed the soup. Thank you for taking the time to let us know.

      Reply
  7. Cec says

    March 3, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    Hi there!

    Is it 5 cups or 6 cups that you use for the broth?  I’m seeing both numbers in the recipe!

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      March 3, 2020 at 4:39 pm

      Hi Cec,

      Thank you for pointing out that discrepancy. The correct amount is 6 cups. I’ve fixed the typo in the instructions.

      Reply
  8. Jill Pannell says

    October 21, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    Okay I tried this recipe tonight and the taste was amazing!! But I’m crazy about lemon so I add a half of lemon more then it called for and I’m not sure if that it why but I like my lemon soup creamy do you know what I can do to make it creamier?

    Reply
    • Kathryn Olson says

      November 4, 2019 at 9:59 pm

       First, I would try adding more rice and another beaten egg yolk to make the soup thicker and then a dollop of half and half to make it creamier.  I may try that myself next time.

      Reply
  9. Lynsey says

    October 26, 2015 at 2:38 pm

    How does this warm up the next day? Can you reheat this without issues?

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      October 26, 2015 at 2:53 pm

      Hi Lynsey,
      The soup can be reheated. Just use medium heat or be careful with the microwave – perhaps a minute at a time, stirring in between.

      Reply
  10. Judith Condos says

    April 30, 2013 at 2:19 am

    My daughter’s Godmother made this for her when she was away from home at College,it was her favorite and got her through any cold she may have.Love it with a little extra chicken,also I try to use Meyer lemons,yum!

    Reply
  11. Lorinda says

    December 28, 2012 at 2:14 pm

    Very easy to make and delicious, too. I ended up adding twice the amount of rice to make it thicker. Also I only had lemon juice from a bottle and used 1/4 cup and it was perfect.

    Reply
    • Christina Cattane says

      August 22, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      4 stars
      I like mine thick. added an extra cup of rice.

      Reply
  12. Jen Lane says

    September 29, 2012 at 4:34 pm

    THANK YOU for posting this recipe! I used to frequent a little Greek diner when I lived in NY and they had this amazing soup (served with chicken meat) once a week. I LIVED for the days when I could walk through the snow, then warm up with a bowl of this soup. Can’t wait to try your recipe.

    Reply
    • Lynne Webb says

      September 30, 2012 at 6:56 am

      Hope you enjoy it – it’s simple but delicious!

      Reply
    • Lysa says

      January 12, 2020 at 11:09 am

      I go to a greek diner just for this soup. I was so happy to find this revipe. It is the same as the diner! I added about 1/4 cup of heavy cream to it to make it creamer and it was perfect. I will be making this on a regular basis! Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Lynne Webb says

        January 13, 2020 at 5:58 pm

        Hi Lysa,
        So glad to hear you like the soup as well as the one from the restaurant you go to. It is easy to make at home and makes a nice light meal.

Hi there! We’re Lynne & Erika, seasoned home cooks and recipe creators here at My Gourmet Connection. Our aim is to bring variety and new flavors to your everyday meals and we’ve got hundreds of recipes for you to explore. Welcome!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

to start making
tastier meals?

Sign up to receive our free ebook and learn five easy ways to level up the flavor of your everyday meals.

Everyday meals, unique flavors

Moo Shu Pork

Quick and Easy Moo Shu Pork

Summer Pasta Salad Recipe

Creamy Lemon Pasta Salad

Southwest Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Southwest Chicken and Cauliflower Rice

Fish Puttanesca

Fish Puttanesca

Quick & Easy Recipes

Oven-Fried Fish with Lemon-Basil Butter

Oven-Fried Barramundi with Lemon Basil Butter

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp Flatbread

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp Flatbread

Caprese Pasta

Our Best Crab Cake Recipe

More Easy Recipes

Stay Inspired!

Sign up to get our recipes via email.

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility

© 2023 MyGourmetConnection

Site Credits