Lemon Orzo Soup

Spring is here and that means it’s time to indulge in light, bright foods. It’s not quite hot out yet so light soups with a spring twist are wonderful meals this time of year. That’s why I’m sharing my vegan lemon orzo soup recipe to kick off a healthy spring!

• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, cut into rounds or dice
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• juice and zest of 1 1/2 lemons
• 1/2 package of Beyond Meat chicken strips, chopped into bite size pieces (optional)
• 8 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 handful chopped Italian parsley
• ¼ cup orzo pasta
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons Vegan Better Than Bouillon (chicken flavor adds nice dimension)
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat.

Add in the onion and garlic and saute until translucent and fragrant. Then add in the carrots and celery. Sweat over medium heat, covered with lid, for about 15 minutes until fragrant.

Add in the broth and the juice and zest of lemons and let the soup come up to a simmer. Toss in chopped vegan chicken, if you are adding that it.

Once the soup has reached a simmer, add in the orzo and better than bouillon, allow to boil and taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add in more lemon juice if you desire.

Once the orzo is cooked, about 15 minutes, turn the heat off. Add in spinach and the parsley, mixing well to combine.