This Avgolemono recipe (classic Greek Lemon Soup) is creamy with a lovely lemon flavor. And it’s ready in under 15 minutes.
Did you know that Americans ate about 5 eggs per week per person last year? The actual number is 251 eggs per person. I thought it would be more.
That’s probably because I love eggs so much. So full of satisfying protein filled goodness. I know I eat more than 5 per week. Especially lately since discovering Avgolemono Soup.
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
What Is Avgolemeno Soup?
Avgolemeno Soup is a Greek soup with a name that literally means Egg (avgo) Lemon (lemeno). It’s a creamy soup that gets its silkiness and thickness from the addition of whisked eggs. There’s a good hit of lemon in there for tang as well. And it often contains chicken and some rice or a small pasta like orzo.
I really like the lemon in this classic Greek soup. It turns the otherwise rich soup into something refreshing that you can definitely eat on a hot summer day or a cold winter day.
Making It Quicker
A traditional Avgolemono Soup can take quite awhile to make. It can be simmered on the stove for hours. For instance, this recipe by Chef Cat Cora takes over 3 hours to make. My version is much quicker – it’s ready in under 15 minutes. There are lots of things that make this egg-lemon soup so quick. First is the use of store-bought chicken stock. I like to use a No-Sodium version. They tend to have more real flavor since they can’t depend on salt.
I also used rotisserie chicken from the grocery store when making this soup. You could instead use leftover cooked chicken, like these Baked Chicken Breasts. This is an easy way to have chicken soup any day.
But the Souper Tip for this soup, the thing that makes it so delicious so quickly, is to use a really small pasta shape. Look for one that cooks in about 5 minutes, like Acini Di Pepe. Your grocery store probably has this shape. It’s tiny tiny tubes. It’s sold in a little bag so search for it wedged between all those pasta boxes.
If you’re looking for more tips for making quick delicious soups, check out all my Souper Tips here.
More Quick Soup Recipes
I have so many delicious soup recipes, many of which can be made in 15 or 20 minutes.
Avgolemono Soup Recipe (Greek Lemon Soup)
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
DESCRIPTION
This Greek lemon soup is luxurious and creamy with a lovely lemon flavor. The key to making this quickly is the use a tiny pasta shape that cooks in around 5 minutes.
To make the soup as quick as possible, first read through the recipe. As you read, gather up all the tools, pots, bowls and ingredients that you’ll need. Then start cooking. Yield 6 1/2 cups
Ingredients
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 2 lemons*
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 of a cooked rotisserie chicken**
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup acini di pepe pasta (tiny tiny tubes)
Instructions
- Put a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove. Turn the heat to high. Add the chicken stock. Cover and let it come to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl the dissolve cornstarch in the cold water. Juice the lemons until you have 1/3 cup juice*. Add it to the cornstarch mixture.
- Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. Use an egg beater on medium to whisk eggs until frothy, 1-2 minutes.
- Once the broth is simmering, add the salt to the broth. Stir. Remove 1 cup of hot broth and set a side.
- Add the pasta to the pot. Bring it back to a boil over high. Stir. Reduce to a simmer. Stir occasionally until al dente, 5-6 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch-lemon mixture to the eggs. Mix.
- Tear the chicken into pieces.
- Slowly add the cup of hot broth that you set aside to the egg mixture stirring constantly.
- When pasta is cooked, add the chicken. Stir. Heat through 30 seconds.
- Turn off heat. Add the egg mixture slowly stirring.
- Put heat on low and stir constantly for a minute.
- Serve. If the soup sits for a while before serving, it will thicken more. Add hot water to thin it. Do not ever let the soup come to a boil.
Love this recipe? I’d appreciate it if you could scroll down and add a *5 star rating* to help others know they’ll love it as well!
Notes
*If you’re unsure about all that lemon juice, try subbing it for 1/4 cup of lemon juice mixed with 2 Tbsp. water.
**About 2 cups of chopped or shredded chicken meat.
This post originally appeared in August 2014 and was revised and republished in November 2023.
Very good & easy recipe to follow! We boil the chicken to make stock the day before, store in fridge & remove/skim excess fat off top. Having all the set up ready ahead, chicken cut up, etc is the key….always make a double batch!!
That sounds amazing, Aimee! Thank you for sharing.
I grew up in Greece and love this soup but don’t have the time to make it from scratch. Love the shortcuts and the end result. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Stella! I’m so happy to hear that.
Oh my gosh- I am so happy you have this recipe posted! I had made a soup similar to this years ago, that even my picky eater girls loved, but I’ve not been able to find it since. I can’t wait to make this for dinner this week! I have bookmarked this, and put it on my Pinterest page so I won’t lose the recipe again!
This soup sounds wonderful! So easy too!! Perfect for busy weeknights!
This looks like such a delicious soup that could be served no matter the season. I’m going to add this to our soup dinner menu, can’t wait to slurp it up!
Can I used bottled lemon juice?
Shari, Sorry for the delay. Yes you can. For a recipe like this where lemon is a star, I prefer to use fresh for that subtle extra brightness. But bottled will work just fine. -Christine
I never realized there were eggs in Greek Lemon Soup. Looks delicious.
This is a hearty and comforting soup Christine!
A lovely soup made even lovelier by taking only 15 minutes to cook! Your shortcuts make it easy to make Avgolemono even on a busy weeknight.
So perfect! You know normally our August weather is hot and sticky, but I had to wear long sleeves yesterday! I’d love to curl up with this soup!