Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 medium carrots (peeled)
- 1 large celery rib
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
Pantry & Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed; approximately 15 ounces or 425 grams)
- 4 cups (1 litre) vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup (145 grams) orzo pasta
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Roughly chop the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Use a food processor to pulse them until finely minced. If a food processor is unavailable, finely chop them by hand to achieve a similar texture.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the minced vegetables and dried thyme. Gently fry, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft and almost undetectable, allowing their flavors to infuse the soup.
- Add Chickpeas and Stock: Stir in the drained chickpeas and pour in the vegetable stock. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.
- Cook Orzo: Once boiling, add the orzo pasta. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the orzo is al dente, typically a couple of minutes, following package instructions.
- Prepare Almond Butter Mixture: While the orzo cooks, place the almond butter in a bowl and add a ladleful of the hot soup broth. Stir well to dissolve the almond butter completely.
- Finish and Season: When the orzo is cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the almond butter mixture, lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust lemon juice or salt as needed, adding more lemon juice gradually to avoid overpowering the soup.
Notes
- Using a food processor helps to evenly mince the vegetables for a smoother soup texture, but finely chopping by hand works as well.
- Adjust the lemon juice to your personal preference to keep the soup nicely balanced and bright.
- For a creamier soup, you can substitute the vegetable stock with part water and add more almond butter.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- To keep the orzo from absorbing too much liquid when reheating, add a bit of extra vegetable stock or water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegan
