Lebanese Vegetable Soup with Rice, Chickpeas and Lemon

Lebanese vegetable soup, often called shorbat khodra, is a flexible, comforting soup of seasonal vegetables simmered with warm spices and finished with herbs and lemon. Versions vary from household to household; this one includes chickpeas and rice for a hearty one-pot meal, with a bright, savory broth that is easy to adjust to what you have.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 medium carrots, diced, about 1 cup (200 g)
2 celery ribs, diced, about 1 cup (100 g)
3 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon (9 g)
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) Lebanese seven-spice blend
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground coriander
1 can (14.5 ounces / 411 g) diced tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added
7 cups (1.66 L) low-sodium vegetable broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into ½-inch cubes, about 2 cups (350 g)
1½ cups (190 g) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup (95 g) short- or medium-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
1 medium zucchini, diced, about 1½ cups (200 g)
1 cup (145 g) frozen peas
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, about 1½ cups (250 g)
1¼ teaspoons (7.5 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
½ cup (15 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon (0.7 g) dried mint

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables and rice. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes and zucchini; trim and cut the green beans, mince the garlic, and rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Doing this before heating the pot keeps the cooking steps moving smoothly. If your broth is salted, plan to add less salt at first and adjust near the end.
Soften the aromatic vegetables. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften. Add the garlic, seven-spice blend and ground coriander. Stir for about 1 minute, just until fragrant; avoid letting the garlic brown, which can give the broth a bitter edge.
Build the broth. Stir in the diced tomatoes, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Add the vegetable broth, potatoes, green beans, salt and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 12 minutes. The potatoes should be starting to turn tender but should still hold their shape.
Add the rice. Stir in the rinsed rice, making sure it is not clumped at the bottom. Return the soup to a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Stir once or twice, especially near the bottom of the pot, because rice can settle and stick as it releases starch. Keep the simmer gentle rather than boiling hard so the vegetables do not break apart.
Finish with the quick-cooking ingredients. Add the zucchini, frozen peas and chickpeas. Simmer for 8 minutes, or until the rice and potatoes are tender and the zucchini is cooked but not mushy. If the rice is still firm, simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes and check again. Rice varieties and the age of the rice can affect how quickly it softens.
Season and serve. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley and dried mint. Taste the broth and add more salt, pepper or lemon a little at a time. Rest the soup for 2 minutes before ladling; it will thicken slightly as the rice settles. For a looser consistency, stir in a splash of hot broth or water just before serving.

Tips

Use seven spice if available, but keep the substitute simple. Lebanese seven-spice blends vary, and some are easier to find in Middle Eastern groceries than in a standard supermarket. If you cannot get it, use ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper in its place. The soup will still be warm and aromatic, though the blend will taste less layered.
Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces. Small, even cubes cook at roughly the same pace. Pieces that are too large may leave the potatoes firm when the rice is ready, while very small zucchini cubes can dissolve during the final simmer.
Mind the rice as the soup cooks and cools. A quick stir keeps grains from sticking, but frequent vigorous stirring can break up tender vegetables. The soup also thickens as it stands because the rice continues to absorb broth; add hot liquid to restore a spoonable consistency.
Adjust salt after the lemon. Broths differ in saltiness, and lemon changes how seasoning comes through. Start with the listed amount if using low-sodium broth, then taste after adding lemon before adding more salt.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot in deep bowls, with extra lemon wedges and a little chopped parsley at the table. Warm pita, flatbread or crusty bread makes a useful accompaniment for catching the tomato-and-spice broth. A simple plate of olives, sliced cucumber and tomatoes can round out the meal without competing with the soup.

If you want a more substantial spread, serve it before grilled vegetables or a main dish of roasted chicken, lamb or fish. Keep any sides simply seasoned; the soup already brings vegetables, chickpeas, rice and a distinct lemony finish. For individual bowls, a small drizzle of olive oil is an optional finishing touch, not a requirement.

Variations

Use the vegetables in season. Replace green beans with chopped cabbage or add a cup of diced sweet pepper. You can swap the zucchini for yellow summer squash. Keep the total amount of vegetables close to the recipe so the broth remains balanced, and add delicate vegetables near the end rather than giving them the full simmer.

Make it without rice. Leave out the rice and simmer the vegetables until tender. The broth will be thinner, so serve it with bread or add another ½ cup (85 g) of drained chickpeas. Alternatively, add ½ cup (45 g) broken vermicelli during the final 5 to 7 minutes, checking the package guidance and stirring to prevent sticking. Vermicelli softens faster than rice and gives the soup a different texture.

Change the legumes or make it richer. White beans can replace chickpeas in the same drained quantity; they are softer and make the broth creamier around the edges. For a non-vegetarian variation, use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth. If adding cooked meat, stir it in with the chickpeas so it heats through without becoming tough. For a fully plant-based pot, check that the broth is vegetable-based.

Vary the finish. Fresh mint can replace dried mint; use about 1 tablespoon (3 g), finely chopped, and add it with the parsley. A pinch of chili flakes adds heat, while extra lemon makes the soup sharper. These are optional adjustments rather than a fixed traditional formula; Lebanese home-style soups have many regional and family variations.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow, covered containers. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The rice will absorb more broth over time, so expect the chilled soup to be much thicker than it was in the pot. Stir in water or vegetable broth as you reheat it to bring it back to the consistency you like.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave, stirring occasionally so it warms evenly. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. If reheating on the stove, bring the soup to a steady simmer and verify the temperature rather than relying only on steam or appearance.

For longer storage, freeze the cooled soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality, leaving a little headspace for expansion. Rice can become softer after freezing and thawing, but the soup remains usable. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F (74°C); add broth or water as needed. Do not leave the soup at room temperature to store it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lebanese vegetable soup always made with rice?

No. There is not one single version of Lebanese vegetable soup. Some cooks use rice, some add vermicelli, and others make a broth centered on whatever vegetables are available. This recipe uses a modest amount of rice so it thickens the broth without turning the pot into a rice dish.

Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?

Yes. Replace the 14.5-ounce (411 g) can with about 2 cups (360 g) peeled, chopped ripe tomatoes and their juices. Fresh tomatoes can be less concentrated or less ripe than canned ones, so the broth may taste lighter. Simmer them with the onion mixture for a few minutes before adding the broth, and adjust salt and lemon at the end.

Can I make this soup ahead?

Yes, but rice continues to absorb liquid as the soup sits. For the best texture, cook the soup through and refrigerate it, then thin it with broth or water while reheating. If making it a day ahead specifically for guests, you can cook the vegetables and broth without the rice, refrigerate within 2 hours, and simmer freshly rinsed rice in the reheated soup until tender.

What can I use instead of chickpeas?

Use drained white beans in the same quantity, or leave the chickpeas out and increase the green beans or peas by about ½ cup (70 g). White beans are softer and will blend into the broth more readily; extra green vegetables keep a lighter texture. If using dried beans, cook them separately until tender before adding them, rather than putting uncooked beans directly into this soup.

Why is my soup thicker the next day?

The rice takes up broth while it cooks and continues absorbing some liquid as the soup cools, so a thicker texture is normal. Add a little water or vegetable broth during reheating, then taste again for lemon, salt and pepper. If you prefer a brothier leftover portion, store cooked rice separately from the soup next time and combine them when serving.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).