Lemon Rice Soup
Updated Dec 02, 2025
Stovetop lemon rice soup with vegetables and short-grain rice cooked until tender, then finished with fresh lemon juice.
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Try my vegetarian lemon rice soup!
Lemon rice soup is something I look forward to every winter. It’s lemon season, and I’m already making lemon pasta and lemon potatoes on repeat, but lemon rice soup is what I want when it’s freezing outside, and I need something warm and filling without a lot of steps.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Lemon Rice Soup Ingredients
- Vegetable broth: You can use homemade vegetable broth or buy low-sodium vegetable broth at the store.
- Onion: Here’s a quick tutorial on how to chop an onion.
- Carrot: Read my tips on how to peel and chop carrots. Baby carrots also work.
- Celery: Here’s how to chop celery into bite-sized pieces.
- Zucchini: Read my tips on how to chop zucchini. I leave the skin on because it’s full of nutrients, but you can peel it if you want.
- Short-grain rice: I recommend arborio or sushi rice. You can use long-grain rice if that’s what you have. If you use brown rice or wild rice, add an extra 25 minutes to the cooking time. Diced potatoes and riced cauliflower are good rice alternatives.
- Garlic: Here’s how to mince garlic. You can also use frozen garlic.
- Olive oil: You can substitute with avocado oil or another neutral oil.
- Lemon juice: Here’s how to juice a lemon. Freshly squeezed tastes best, but bottled lemon juice is fine if that’s what you have.
- Seasonings and spices: Oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and fresh parsley. I also like fresh cilantro and chives for serving.
How to Make Lemon Rice Soup
Lemon Rice Soup Recipe
Lemon rice soup is made with fresh lemon juice, vegetables, short-grain rice, and broth. Simple ingredients and an easy stovetop method.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 carrot chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 zucchini chopped
- ½ cup short-grain rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice plus lemon slices for garnish
- chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook until fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini, rice, and bay leaves until well incorporated, about 1 minute more. Add the vegetable broth and water, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook, covered, until the rice is fluffy and the vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in as much of the lemon juice as you'd like. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Stir often near the end of the cooking time so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days. Reheat low and slow on the stove so you don’t overcook the rice. Or, reheat covered in the microwave.
- Freezing: Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove. Add a splash of fresh lemon juice to revive the flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 426mg, Potassium: 263mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3559IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Video Tutorial
Recipe Variations
- Add more protein. Drain and stir in a can of chickpeas or white beans.
- Simmer with a Parmesan rind. Add it to the pot while the soup simmers and remove it before serving. It might dissolve, so don’t worry if you can’t find it!
- Stir in freshly grated ginger. Add it when you add the garlic. This is great for warmth and a bit of a kick if you’re feeling under the weather.
Recipe Tips
- Use leftover rice to save time. If you do, reduce the vegetable broth to 2 cups and reduce the simmer time to only 10 minutes.
- Don’t add the lemon juice until the soup finishes cooking. If it simmers for too long, it may taste bitter.
- Stir often near the end of the cooking time. This helps keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Serving Ideas
- Bread: Olive Bread, Air Fryer Bread, Garlic Cheese Bread
- Salads: Green Goddess Salad, Classic Greek Salad, Simple Green Salad
- Sandwiches: Tuna Melt Sandwich, Turkey Salad Sandwich, Vegan Cauliflower Pita Sandwich
FAQs
Why is my soup so thick?
The rice absorbs the liquid as it sits. If your soup thickens too much, stir in some warm broth or water before serving.
Is white rice a short-grain rice?
Some varieties of white rice are short-grain, while others are not. Arborio and sushi rice are short-grain. Regular white rice and calrose rice are medium-grain. Basmati and Jasmine rice are long-grain.
Can I make the soup creamy without using dairy?
Yes! When the soup is done cooking, before you add the lemon juice, blend a portion of the soup and then mix it back in. Or, you can add a splash of coconut milk.
Comments
This was delicious and so easy to throw together with ingredients I already had on hand! My amounts were slightly off just based on how much I had of each item, but it still turned out super yummy! I’d make it again in a heartbeat!
Yay! So glad this soup worked with what you had on hand, that’s great!! Thanks!
This soup is delicious! I recommend making it if you’re feeling under the weather or just craving some comfort soup. It comes together so easily with great flavor!
Aww, so happy you found it comforting and easy to make!! Thank you, Victoria!
Hi do you think it would be good if I added a can of beans to this soup? Thanks!
Btw I love your recipes !!!
I love that idea! Make sure to rinse and drain the beans. You can add them at the end if you want the beans to retain their shape or with the rice if you want them broken down a little more. If they go in with the rice, check if you need to add maybe an extra 1/2 cup of water just in case it’s too thick. Enjoy!
Try this soup
Glad you like it, Stacy!!
Absolutely loved this recipe! I’ve been super sick with a sinus infection and wanted a good bowl of soup, this totally hit the spot. I don’t eat meat but my husband does so I added some pre-made pulled chicken from the grocery store in his bowl. I used bone broth instead of veggie broth for a protein bump but left everything else the same and it was PERFECT. This will definitely be a staple in our house moving forward.
Sounds amazing, hope you feel better soon!
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