Brighten up your day with this delicious and comforting Greek lemon soup with chickpeas recipe! The healthy ingredients used not only contribute to the soups delicious flavor, but they also have many nutritional benefits. It’s vegan and Mediterranean diet friendly, and doesn’t take long at all to whip up!
Why Is This A Great Soup To Eat When You Have A Cold?
I know, I know…chicken noodle soup is the gold standard when it comes to soups to eat with a cold.
But who wants to thaw and cook chicken or turkey when they are sick?! Not me! And to be honest, this soup is just as healthy, if not, more healthy! I promise, this Mediterranean soup with chickpeas comes out just as flavorful and comforting as your favorite chicken noodle soup.
They way that the vegetable broth interacts with the starch of the rice yields broth that almost has that viscous, creaminess that soups like ‘Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup’ are known for. But without the meat!
The Health Benefits Of This Immunity Boosting Soup
This soup is LOADED with healthy ingredients to give you a nutrient boost that you might need during a cold or flu.
| Lemon Juice | One lemon has around 30.7 mg of vitamin C! That’s a little under half of the daily recommended value! Lemon juice also helps to improve the absorption of iron from plant foods. |
| Kale | Kale is a super food that is extremely nutrient rich. One cup has about 134% daily value of vitamin C, 684% daily value of vitamin K, 206% daily value of vitamin A (from beta-carotene) and so much more! The antioxidants found in kale have been found to potentially have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. Learn more HERE & HERE. |
| Ginger | Ginger contains ‘gingerols’, phenolic substances that have shown evidence of reducing oxidative stress and free radicals in the body. It is also known to exhibit other biological activities including potential anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It can not only help reduce the risk of disease, but ginger may be effective in fighting respiratory infections. |
| Onion | Onions contain a few compounds that have been reported to have a range of health benefits which include potential anticarcinogenic properties, antithrombotic activity, antiasthmatic and antibiotic effects. |
| Turmeric | Turmeric is an Indian spice that has been used for thousands of years for its flavor and its medicinal properties. The main compound in turmeric is curcumin, which is a strong antioxidant that also possesses substantial anti inflammatory properties. It also has anti-viral and anti-fungal properties! |
When To Serve It
Don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to be sick to enjoy this vegan lemon rice soup recipe! But it is nice to know how many health benefits your body will be reaping after eating it, is it not?!
You can also enjoy this soup:
How TO Make This A Gout Diet Recipe
Greek lemon soup with chickpeas also makes for a great gout diet recipe! One cup of chickpeas has 38 mg of purines, and kale has 48 mg of purines per 100 g, both of which are considered to be low amounts of purines.
Plus its anti inflammatory properties are very beneficial for the gout or arthritis sufferer. If you do have gout, omit the white rice, as white rice is very starchy and not considered a good food for gout sufferers.
*I am not a doctor or dietitian. Please consult with your doctor for any diet related questions, and before making any changes to your diet.
What Makes This A Mediterranean Diet Soup Recipe
If you’re new here, hi! This is Recipe Hippie, where I provide you with a free spirited approach towards Mediterranean diet recipes. You might have heard, but the Mediterranean diet is not a restrictive diet. It is more of a healthy lifestyle!
We do use vegetable broth, which is a processed ingredient. Feel free to swap it out for the homemade stuff! And when it comes to the rice, opt for brown or wild rice.
What Is The Mediterranean Diet? Foods List, Evidence Based Research
So you are interested in the Mediterranean diet! I don’t blame you, it’s been voted the ‘Best Overall Diet’ in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, & 2018 by US News and World Report! Many people enjoying this lifestyle swear by the health benefits. But what is the Mediterranean diet? Let’s dive into some evidence based research …
How To Store This Lemon Rice Soup Recipe
TO STORE IT – Allow the soup to come to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
Looking for some more simple, cozy soup recipes? Here are a few more of my favorites!
Did you make this recipe? It would mean so much to me if you would rate it below the recipe card and tag me in your creation on Instagram so I can admire your work! @RecipeHippie
Greek Lemon Soup With Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 small white or yellow onions, chopped
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chopped kale, stems removed
- 1 small bunch of thyme (about 15 stems, don't bother removing the leaves from the stems, they will fall off while cooking)
- 10 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups uncooked white or brown rice (opt for brown for healthier option)
- 1 tsp ginger spice, plus 1 tsp of chopped fresh ginger or squeeze ginger if you have it
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas
- ground black pepper, salt as needed (I did not add any salt)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, and toss in the chopped onion and carrots. Sauté until the onions are beginning to become translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Add the rice, sage, thyme, turmeric, ginger powder, chopped fresh ginger (if you are using it) and saute for about 60 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the 8 cups of vegetable broth. Toss in the rinsed can of chickpeas, and squeeze in the juice of one lemon.
- Bring the broth to a simmer, then reduce to low and cook until the rice is done, which takes about 25-30 minutes (taste test it to make sure). Toss in the kale, stir and remove from the heat. Carefully, using a spoon or fork, remove the thyme stems.
- Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper, and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t bother removing the thyme leaves from the stems. Just toss them in the soup, and they will fall off on their own. Just remember to remove the stems when the soup is done!
- TO STORE IT – Allow the soup to come to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE IT – Allow the soup to come to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight, freezer safe container. This soup can freeze for up to 3 months. Make sure you label your container with the date!
Did you like this vegan lemon rice soup recipe? If so, go check out my anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe!
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