Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 large celery rib
- ½ medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
Main Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock
- ¾ cup (145 grams) orzo pasta
Others
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Roughly chop the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Pulse them in a food processor until finely minced, or chop as finely as possible by hand.
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the minced vegetables and dried thyme. Gently fry while stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and almost undetectable in the soup.
- Add chickpeas and stock: Stir in the drained chickpeas and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the orzo: Add the orzo to the boiling soup, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the orzo is al dente, usually a couple of minutes as per package instructions.
- Prepare almond butter mixture: While the orzo cooks, place almond butter in a bowl. Ladle some hot soup broth into the bowl and stir until the almond butter is fully dissolved, creating a creamy mixture.
- Finish the soup: Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the almond butter mixture, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice since it can overpower the soup.
Notes
- Pulse vegetables finely to ensure they soften evenly and blend into the soup base.
- Keep heat low when sautéing to avoid browning; the goal is to soften vegetables, not fry them.
- Almond butter adds creaminess and a subtle nutty flavor without dairy.
- Adjust lemon juice cautiously to balance the brightness without overwhelming the soup.
- Orzo cooks quickly, so watch closely to prevent overcooking.
- Use vegetable stock for a vegetarian and vegan-friendly soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
