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Recipe Snapshot
- Dish: Silky Greek egg and lemon soup with rice and fresh lemon zest
- Servings: 2 dinner servings (4 as a starter)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Main Ingredient: Eggs
- Method: Simmer rice in broth, temper eggs with hot liquid, then gently incorporate for a creamy soup
- Effort Level: Simple
Egg and Lemon Soup, the Traditional Way
Also known as avgolemono, Greek Egg and Lemon Soup relies on a simple cooking technique for its signature creamy texture. Eggs are whisked with fresh lemon juice, then gently incorporated into hot broth to create a silky, lightly thickened soup. Rice adds body, while fresh lemon zest and juice give the broth its distinctive citrus flavor.
Our version focuses on this traditional preparation method, letting the soup stand on its own as a light dinner or starter course. The technique is reliable and approachable: temper the eggs carefully and add them slowly, and you’ll end up with a balanced, lemon-forward soup that feels comforting without being heavy. It’s a great example of how just a handful of well-handled ingredients can come together to make a memorable dish.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
CHICKEN BROTH: We typically make this soup with a good-quality, low-sodium chicken broth, which provides better control over the seasoning. If you have homemade broth on hand, it’s an excellent upgrade.
MEDIUM-GRAIN WHITE RICE: Medium-grain rice releases more starch as it cooks, enhancing the soup’s lightly thickened quality. Arborio and Valencia are both good choices. Long-grain white rice or basmati can be used if needed, but the texture will be a little lighter.
LARGE EGGS: This recipe uses 3 large eggs, which strikes a good balance between richness and delicacy. If your eggs seem on the small side, adding a fourth is a good idea and will give the soup a slightly creamier finish.
FRESH LEMONS: Both lemon zest and freshly squeezed juice are essential here. Bottled lemon juice won’t deliver the same brightness or aroma, so freshness really matters here.
FRESH HERBS (optional): Dill is our first choice because it pairs especially well with the lemony broth. Parsley and chives are also nice alternatives for fresh flavor and a pop of color.
Prep Overview
How to Make Greek Egg and Lemon Soup
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Start by simmering the rice in chicken broth until it’s tender and the soup has taken on a little body. Medium-grain rice works especially well here because it releases some starch as it cooks, giving the broth a slightly thickened texture before the eggs are even added.
While the rice cooks, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the yolks and continue whisking until the mixture looks pale and creamy. To create the base for avgolemono’s signature texture, you’ll need to gradually warm the eggs by slowly whisking in a small amount of hot broth (tempering).
Once tempered, the egg mixture is stirred into the soup off the heat, transforming the broth into a smooth and creamy, lightly thickened soup without using any flour or a trace of cream. A final addition of lemon zest and juice brightens the flavor and brings everything into balance just before serving.
Tested Tips
TEMPER YOUR EGGS: Tempering is a process that gently warms the eggs by whisking in a slow stream of hot broth. This helps them blend smoothly into the soup instead of curdling into chunks.
ADD THE EGGS GRADUALLY: When adding the egg mixture to the pot, pour slowly and stir continuously. This keeps the texture uniform and ensures the soup thickens evenly and develops a silky texture.
LEFTOVERS: Avgolemono is best enjoyed right away, as reheating can affect the texture. If you do have leftovers, reheat them gently in the microwave at reduced power, stirring frequently to help maintain a smooth consistency.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes enough for two generous dinner portions or four small first courses. Occasionally we add shredded cooked chicken for a heartier bowl, but more often we serve it as-is with a simple Greek salad on the side to keep the meal light.
More Greek-Inspired Recipes
If you’re serving this Greek Egg and Lemon Soup as part of a larger meal, these classic Greek dishes make natural companions. Skordalia is a creamy, garlicky potato dip brightened with olive oil and lemon; Pastitsio layers tubular pasta with a savory tomato meat sauce and a smooth béchamel topping; and Moussaka combines tender eggplant, richly seasoned lamb, and a creamy béchamel for a comforting baked dish.
Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono)
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 in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, stir briefly, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender.
- While the rice cooks, whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy and beginning to thicken.
- Add the egg yolks and whisk until fully blended and light in color.
- While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture to temper it, then whisk in the lemon juice.
- Remove the soup from the heat. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pot while stirring constantly for about 1 minute to gently thicken the soup.
- Stir in the lemon zest and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh dill or parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried it and it was really yummy! My brother loved it!
Hi Devine,
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the soup and appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment.
Used to make this for my Greek father in law . This the best and easiest recipe made it for my sick grand daughter she loved it. Thank you
Hi Linda,
I’m happy to hear you and your granddaughter like our Egg and Lemon Soup recipe. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
This was good. Dealing with the eggs before mixing in worked well. Could have been more flavourful but that probably comes down to my chicken stock and not enough lemon and lemon zest.
Hi Deb,
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the soup overall. Like any produce, lemons can be a bit of a variable, some have a little more punch than others. One thing I do with both lemons and limes is to microwave them whole for 15 to 20 seconds prior to juicing and zesting. It definitely makes them easier to juice and I believe you can get a little more out of them. It also releases the oils in the rind so they’re a bit more fragrant. I don’t know whether this actually makes them more flavorful though.
Could you substitute cauliflower rice for the regular rice? I need to eat low carb.
Hi Barbara,
I haven’t tried cauliflower rice in this recipe yet, but I often use it to either replace rice completely, or I mix it half and half to reduce the carbs. I think flavor-wise it would be perfectly fine in the egg and lemon soup. What I would suggest would be to cook the cauliflower rice separately and make sure it was well-drained. I would also consider adding an extra egg to replace the extra thickness the starch in the rice would have given the soup. Hope this helps!
Hi. I have been eating this recipe for years. I have had a long ago recipe that used 4 egg yolks and no egg whites. It just made it so velvety and rich. I also still don’t use rice into the soup. Everyone does it I just hate my rice getting soggy (lol)
Made this and also added some rotisserie chicken shreds to it… delish!
YUMMY! I added extra chicken flavoring to my broth and extra lemon juice. So very good!
Happy to hear you enjoyed the soup!