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.

Course Soups

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings dinner servings

Calories 392

Author Lynne Webb

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.

Tips for Making This Recipe

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