Vegan Greek Lemon and Rice Soup (Avgolemono-Style)
Vegan Magic: Silken Tofu Avgolemono Soup 🍋✨ Creamy, dreamy, and packed with lemony zing—this vegan avgolemono is a game-changer. We're using blended silken tofu to create that iconic, velvety texture that usually comes from eggs.
It’s just as comforting, protein-rich, and soul-warming as the traditional version. Perfect for when you're feeling under the weather or just need a big bowl of sunshine.
Key Details
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated Calories
Per Serving: Approximately 250-300 calories.
Ingredients
For the Soup Base:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups (2 quarts) good-quality vegetable broth
½ cup uncooked long-grain white rice (such as Jasmine or Basmati), or orzo
1 bay leaf
For the "Avgolemono" (Tofu-Lemon) Sauce:
1 (12.3 oz) package firm silken tofu
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2-3 large lemons)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (for a subtle "cheesy" depth, optional but recommended)
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste
For Garnish:
Fresh dill or parsley, finely chopped
Lemon slices
How to Prepare
1. Sauté the Aromatics:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened and translucent.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Simmer the Soup Base:
Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, add the uncooked rice. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
3. Prepare the "Avgolemono" Sauce:
While the soup is simmering, combine the silken tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and cornstarch in a high-speed blender.
Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth, creamy, and free of any lumps. This step is crucial for the right texture.
4. Temper and Thicken the Soup:
Once the rice is cooked, remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
This is the key step to prevent curdling: Ladle about 1-2 cups of the hot broth from the pot. With the blender running on low, slowly and carefully stream the hot broth into the tofu-lemon mixture. This gradually warms the tofu sauce.
Pour the now-warmed tofu-lemon mixture back into the large pot with the rest of the soup, stirring constantly.
5. Final Heating and Seasoning:
Return the pot to very low heat. Gently warm the soup, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes. Do not let it boil, as boiling can cause the silken tofu to separate and become grainy. You will see the soup thicken slightly.
Season generously with salt and pepper. The amount of salt needed will depend on your vegetable broth. Taste and adjust, adding more lemon juice for extra tang if desired.
6. Serve:
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a generous amount of fresh dill or parsley and a slice of lemon.
