Name: Greek Lemon Soup —Avgolemono
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 8 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock, divided; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon white pepper; 1 1/2 cups orzo; 1 dash sugar; 4 eggs (whites and yolks separated), room temperature, such as Eggland\'s Best; 3 large lemons, juiced; 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill; 1 dill sprig per serving (fresh thyme, mint, or chives may be used); 4 to 6 paper-thin lemon slices (1 per serving)

Photo by Mark Weinberg

Test Kitchen-Approved

Author Notes

The name of this classic Greek soup emulsion of lemon and eggs comes from its two main ingredients: egg (avgo) and lemon juice (lemono). The key to this soup is tempering the egg and lemon mixture by slowly adding hot stock and then whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. You then stir the mixture into the soup, which becomes all velvety lush lemony goodness. A Greek salad and warm pita bread are wonderful accompaniments to this soup. —ChristineQ

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: ChristineQ is from Bainbridge Island, Washington.
WHAT: An eggy, lemony, orzo-spiked bowl of goodness.
HOW: Cook orzo in stock, temper the eggs and lemon juice, simmer, and serve.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Thanks to the magic of lemon and eggs, in just 30 minutes you've got a bowl of soup that's both easy and complex. We'd eat a bowl of this any season, but it's particularly perfect for early spring. Pantry meals just got a lot brighter -- and a lot more special. —Food52

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Soup
8 cups homemade or store-bought chicken stock, divided
1 ¹/₂ teaspoons kosher salt
¹/₂ teaspoon white pepper
1 ¹/₂ cups orzo
1 dash sugar

Lemon Egg Mixture & Garnish
4 eggs (whites and yolks separated), room temperature, such as Eggland's Best
3 large lemons, juiced
¹/₄ cup finely chopped fresh dill
1 dill sprig per serving (fresh thyme, mint, or chives may be used)
4 to 6 paper-thin lemon slices (1 per serving)

In This Recipe

Tools

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Directions

To prepare the soup, bring stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Lower heat to a simmer and add salt, pepper, and orzo; cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside 2 cups of stock.
To prepare the lemon-egg mixture, beat egg whites in a medium-size bowl until soft peaks form. (You can do this with a handheld mixer [on medium] or with a stand mixer.) Beat in the egg yolks and lemon juice. Pour 2 cups of reserved hot stock slowly into the lemon and egg mixture, whisking continuously until all is incorporated. Return soup to medium-low heat and whisk in lemon-egg mixture. Add chicken stock back into the soup and simmer until thickened slightly, about 20 minutes.
To serve the soup, ladle into warm bowls and garnish with white pepper, chopped dill, a dill sprig, and sliced lemon.

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39 Reviews

Katie B. March 23, 2020

Sorry, might be a silly questions, but in step 2, what does simmer for 2-0 minutes mean? did the author intend to write 20? or 2?

Katie B. March 23, 2020

*whoops, question!

LaVonne M. March 23, 2020

At this point the rice is cooked and the soup has been tempered. Simmer just to keep it warm but don't ever let it boil.

lori November 11, 2019

I'm guessing rice would work just fine? Being g.f., wheat isn't an option for me.

Connie B. November 10, 2019

Love, love, love this soup!

Connie B. November 10, 2019

I have quite a bit of leftover soup....assume it wouldn't freeze well and still be good at a later time?

LaVonne M. November 10, 2019

I wouldn't freeze it for later. It'll keep in the refrigerator for more than a week.

Bethany S. August 15, 2018

This ended up being a little tinny/metallic tasting. What could I have done wrong with the eggs -anyone know?

Jennifer N. February 22, 2019

A little late on this, but did you use tools/pans that were non-reactive? The lemon can take on a metallic taste if they are cooked/whisked with reactive materials.

Nancy M. August 3, 2018

My Greek relatives use a blender to prepare the lemon/egg emulsion. Start with the whites and then the other ingredients in the order given. When adding the hot broth, keep the blender running continuously while you drizzle the stock in.

Nanny L. December 31, 2016

This is by far one of my all time favorite soups. It gives you the richness of cream without any dairy! I have always devieated a bit by adding shredded chicken breast and some sort of greens (spinach, or arugula) at the bottom of each bowl, just to make it a complete meal!

Eleanor November 13, 2019

Your suggestions sounds great making it a little more filling & I love spinach and arugula; even without the chicken!!!

jencordes February 19, 2016

I see how that can be confusing. It's the same reserved 2 cups of stock once the eggs and lemon are added. Not sure why it was worded that way. So, egg whites are whipped first (makes soup thicker and velvety), then egg yolks and lemon, then the 2 cups of stock are added. Then it all goes back in the soup pot (the one with stock and orzo). Good luck! It's great! I do add a bit more lemon though!!

tastysweet February 19, 2016

Thank you for clarifying. Now it is understood.

tastysweet August 4, 2018

Thank you for explaining this. I must have read this four times and still was confused. Wish they would rewrite it.

tastysweet February 19, 2016

I too was a little confused with recipe. If the reserved 2 cups,of warm stack that was saved goes into the egg mixture and then added to the soup with the orzo, what other stock are we talking about where you say add the chicken stock back to the soup. What am I missing? Read three times. Please help,me out so I can make this. I really love this kind of soup. Though I have had chicken in it many times.

jencordes January 1, 2015

Egg white answer:
2. Beat egg whites till soft peaks form. BEAT IN egg yolks and lemon.

Duh!

jlo3 April 3, 2014

Hi Christine,
Thanks for the post.
Avgolemono is one of those recipes that is easiest to follow and understand when you've seen a demo in action. Easy for us who have grown up with it to understand exactly what you're talking about. Well done on your explanation of a technique that would ideally benefit from step by step images or even better, a video.
I must say I prefer the delicateness of rice over orzo for this soup but if people prefer orzo, I don't think anyone we need to be avgo'lemono snobs about it.
It's correct that the soup isn't quite as light in texture the next day but I actually love the flavour, even if it's a tad thicker-I compensate for this by using less rice in the first place.
Extra 1/2 lemons on the side allow each diner to squeeze in additional juice to taste, yum!
Cheers,

Piubellamiu January 26, 2014

Hi, I get also problem with this riecipe..., where go eggwhite?
The autror forgot to write it, and Im affraid my soup was not well done. Christine Please clarify this for me. Thank you

Eleanor B. January 16, 2014

I don't see any problem with the the directions in the lemon egg mixture. It's very plain-follow directions for eggs & add to 2cups reserved chicken stock(which should be lukewarm)than slowly stirring into the soup & simmer on low heat til thickened slightly. Serve as in 3rd step!!

Joyce January 8, 2014

Orzo is pasta, not rice. I wouldn't put it in anyway, just my preference. I never met a recipe I couldn't modify!

Kathy S. November 6, 2013

So??? I am not a rice person so that is fine with me….

LaVonne M. November 6, 2013

This is not authentic Greek egg and lemon soup. For one thing, the authentic version uses rice. Also, there is no dill added.

Jessica March 12, 2014

Unnecessarily snarky.

mdinmn March 18, 2014

she's right...(LaVonne) and not snarky at all... I think helpful

suparna J. November 6, 2013

Where do the eggwhites go ??

Kathy S. October 29, 2013

I am also very confused. 8cups stock, divided - How?
Pour 2 cups reserved hot stock into egg mix. Add stock back into soup? Which stock? you mean the stock with the orzo? Please clarify steps…. I have read it 5 times and still can make no sense of it.

CMR October 29, 2013

I've made this soup a few times since I posted. I heat all 8 cups of the stock first, add the orzo, then take 2 cups of the stock from the pot, add it to the egg/lemon mixture, then add that back into the pot. I've had no problems doing it this way. Super yummy soup!

Ashley November 22, 2013

The directions are confusing. You set aside 2 cups from step one, then you add those two cups into the lemon mixture. You're two cups of reserve stock are now used. After the soup is on the heat again with the lemon mixture (which has the 2 cups of stock set aside) you're supposed to add the chicken stock back into the soup. The last step is either redundant or a typo. Please clarify

Brenda B. October 23, 2013

made for a supper date for a friend loved by all it was so sweet served in French onion soup bowls with a lemon slice on top

CMR April 6, 2013

I agree with bgavin, I find step 2 VERY confusing. I assume I am taking 2 cups of stock from the soup to add to the lemon-egg mixture, and that I add that back to the soup once it's incorporated. But the last sentence says to add chicken stock back into the soup and simmer...I'm not sure what chickedn stock is left... Please help!