Orzo Soup with Lemon & Chickpeas
A thick, warming soup that delivers 627 kcal of comfort in twenty minutes flat. Orzo melts into the broth until the texture sits somewhere between soup and risotto. Chickpeas bring heft, spinach wilts through every spoonful, and a tablespoon of soy sauce at the end pulls the whole bowl together with an umami edge most lemon-chickpea soups never reach.
Ingredients
- chickpeas 5 ounces
- onion 0.25
- garlic 1 clove
- carrot 1
- celery 1 stalk
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- orzo 3 ounces
- vegetable bouillon 1 cube
- water 2 cups
- spinach 1 handful
- soy sauce 1 tablespoon
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
Method
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Rinse the chickpeas and let them drain.
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Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Cut the carrot into small cubes and the celery into thin rings.
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Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Then add the carrot and celery and sauté for another 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
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Add the orzo, bouillon cube, water, and chickpeas. Let this simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add the spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Stir until the spinach is wilted.
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Mix in the soy sauce and lemon juice and season with pepper to taste.
That tablespoon of soy sauce in Step 6 is not just for flavor. Fermented soy sauce contains compounds that research found can increase plant-based iron absorption by more than three times. The chickpeas in this soup are loaded with exactly that type of iron. The soy sauce helps your body access more of it.
The garlic and onion sautéed in Step 3 do more than build the flavor base. Their natural sulfur compounds grab onto the iron released from chickpeas during digestion and keep it in a form your body can actually use. Research on pulses specifically found this boosted iron availability by 9.9 to 73.3 percent. Combined with the soy sauce effect, this soup runs two independent iron-enhancement pathways on the same ingredient.
Research: Iron & Soy Sauce · DOIBehind this recipe
Why is there soy sauce in a lemon soup?
Two reasons. First, it adds umami depth that rounds out the lemon's acidity and ties the broth together. Second, fermented soy sauce contains compounds that research found increase plant-based iron absorption by more than three times. The chickpeas in this soup are rich in that type of iron, and the soy sauce helps your body make use of it.
Does the type of soy sauce matter?
For the flavor, any soy sauce works. For the iron benefit, naturally brewed soy sauce (labeled 'naturally brewed' or 'Shoyu') is what the research tested. Chemically hydrolyzed soy sauce goes through a different process and may not contain the same compounds that help with iron absorption.
Is 22g of protein enough for a full meal?
At 627 kcal with 22g of protein, this soup works as a complete dinner. The protein comes from both chickpeas and orzo. If your daily targets run higher, a side of Greek yogurt or a handful of nuts pairs well and brings the meal closer to 30g per sitting.
Can I meal prep this soup?
You can, but expect the texture to change. Orzo keeps absorbing liquid as it sits, so a meal-prepped portion will be thicker and more stew-like after a day in the fridge. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating to bring back the soupy consistency.
