Lemon Herb Soup (Printable Page)

Refreshing Mediterranean soup with citrus zest, parsley, dill, and thyme in vegetable broth.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced

→ Broth

06 - 5 cups vegetable broth, low sodium

→ Citrus and Herbs

07 - Zest of 1 lemon
08 - Juice of 2 lemons, approximately 6 tablespoons
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

→ Finishing

13 - 1/2 cup cooked rice or gluten-free orzo, optional
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Add garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
03 - Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, dill, chives, and thyme. Simmer for 5 additional minutes.
05 - Add cooked rice or orzo if using. Heat through for 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh herbs and lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, with barely any active time once everything hits the pot.
  • The lemon and herbs do all the heavy lifting, so you taste pure, clean flavors without pretense.
  • It's gentle enough for when you're not feeling well but elegant enough to serve to guests without apology.
02 -
  • Add the herbs at the very end, not at the beginning—they'll lose their brightness and turn dull if they simmer too long.
  • Taste before you serve because broth brands vary wildly in saltiness, and you don't want to oversalt or undersalt your own cooking.
03 -
  • If you don't have fresh herbs, dried thyme and parsley work, but add fresh herbs at the end anyway for that brightness that makes this soup memorable.
  • Zest your lemon before cutting it in half for juice—it's so much easier and you won't lose any of that precious fragrant zest.
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