Greek Avgolemono Egg Soup

Greek Avgolemono Egg Soup

The Greek food community has been making an egg-enriched soup for hundreds, if not thousands of years. In this version, the traditional lemon soup is fortified with roasted kabocha squash, kale and brown rice to make it a heartier version that can make it a meal.  A final sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds adds some welcome crunchy texture. The squash can be added to each bowl to retain its texture or added to the soup itself and stirred in.

Yield: 10 portions

Ingredients and Directions

Directions

Directions

  1. Heat stock in large pot. Season generously with salt and pepper, as it will be diluted with all other ingredients

  2. Transfer 2 to 3 cups of hot broth to a blender with 1 cup of cooked rice. Puree until smooth.

  3. As blender is running, carefully add lemon juice, then eggs and egg yolks, and puree until incorporated.

  4. Slowly whisk this mixture back into hot broth.

  5. Add kale and remaining rice. Bring up to gentle simmer and cook, stirring often until it thickens into a creamy soup. This can take from 2 to 10 minutes, depending upon temperature, soup quantity, and intensity of heat source. If it gets too thick, thin soup with additional stock. Note: As soup sits hot, it will thicken slightly. Thin and adjust seasoning as needed.

  6. Add lemon zest, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed.

  7. Squash (see garnishes) can be added into soup now or added to each bowl at service.

     

Ingredients

  • 64 oz. / 2 qt. rich, flavorful chicken or vegetable broth
  • salt and ground black pepper, as needed
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 - 3 oz. / 4 - 6 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 - 6 cups kale, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp. lemon zest
Garnishes

Directions

Ingredients

  • 2 cups roasted kabocha squash, bite/spoon-size chunks
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
  • ground black pepper, as needed
Assembly/Service

Directions

  1. If not already in soup, add one portion preheated squash to bowl.

  2. Ladle hot soup into bowl.

  3. Drizzle with olive oil. If desired, sprinkle with some extra black pepper.

  4. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

Retail Assembly

Directions

  1. Rapidly chill soup to below 45° F (7.2° C).

  2. Fill sterilized containers with soup, drizzle with olive oil.

  3. Cover, label and chill.

  4. Package with small container/bag of pumpkin seeds

To ensure food safety, eggs should be cooked until both the yolk and the white are firm. Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially for those with certain medical conditions. For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served, use either pasteurized shell eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella, or use pasteurized egg products.

Click here for more food safety information.