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.
Bowl of egg and lemon soup garnished with lemon wheels and fresh chopped dill with a Greek salad on the side.

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.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email. We’ll send a handy link straight to your inbox and add you to our mailing list.
Bowl of egg and lemon soup garnished with lemon wheels and fresh chopped dill with a Greek salad on the side.
4.37 from 50 votes

Greek Egg and Lemon Soup (Avgolemono Soupa)

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.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Servings: 2 dinner servings

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
Save This Recipe
Enter your email. We’ll send a link to this recipe and subscribe you to our list.

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.

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

Calories: 392kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 246mg, Sodium: 307mg, Potassium: 761mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 358IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

Share with friends:


You May Also Like

Lynne Webb and Erika Pitera, creators of MyGourmetConnection in the kitchen, working on a soup recipe for the website.

About Us

We’re Lynne and Erika, a mother-daughter duo passionate about creating recipes that bring flavor and variety to your kitchen in a simple, approachable way.

4.37 from 50 votes (45 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.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

Please Leave A Rating




35 Comments

    1. 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.

    1. 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.

    1. 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.

      1. 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.

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

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

  2. Hi there!

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

    1. Hi Cec,

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

  3. 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?

    1.  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.

    1. 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.

  4. 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!

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

    1. 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!

      1. 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.