Avgolemono (Greek Egg-Lemon Soup)

To make this light and refreshing soup an all-in-one meal, add shredded chicken and spinach to the stock when the Arborio rice is almost done. You can also enjoy the soup with a Mango-Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich—the sweetness of the mango is the perfect foil to the tartness of the lemon.

Serves 4 
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cooking Time 30 minutes

7 cups chicken stock,
      preferably homemade
1 cup Arborio rice
3 eggs, separated
juice of 3 lemons
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
tarragon leaves for garnish (optional)

1  In a pot, bring stock to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add Arborio rice and lower heat to a simmer.

2  Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. You can do this with a handheld or stand mixer to make it easier. Beat in the egg yolks and lemon juice.

3  When Arborio rice is al dente (this will take roughly 20 minutes), take the pot off the heat. Ladle out 2 cups of stock into a bowl and let cool slightly.

4  Temper the lemon and egg mixture: take the stock you ladled out and slowly pour it into the bowl with the eggs and lemon juice, whisking continuously. This prevents the eggs from curdling.

5  Add the egg mixture to the pot (still off the heat) and stir to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve garnished with tarragon leaves, if desired.

Reheating tip: When reheating Avgolemono, don’t use a microwave. The key is to slowly warm the soup on the stove, over a very low fire. Stir often and don’t let the pot get too hot; otherwise, the eggs will curdle.

Photography by Kai Huang | Food Styling by Cleone Baradas