Greek Spinach Soup with Lemon, Rice, and Fresh Dill

Greek spinach soup is a bright, comforting soup of tender spinach, rice, lemon, and dill, inspired by Greek spinach-and-rice cooking. This version finishes with a gently warmed egg-and-lemon mixture for a silky broth, making a satisfying one-pot meal that is hearty without feeling heavy.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 medium carrots, finely diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
3 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon (9 g)
¾ cup (145 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
10 packed cups (300 g) baby spinach, roughly chopped if the leaves are large
2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells)
⅓ cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 2 medium lemons
1 teaspoon (2 g) finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup (10 g) chopped fresh dill, plus a little more for serving if desired
½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta, optional, for serving

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the onion and carrots, mince the garlic, and rinse the rice under cool water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain the rice well. Wash and dry the spinach if it is not already washed, then roughly chop any especially large leaves. Zest and juice the lemons, keeping the juice and zest separate. Measure out the dill so it is ready to stir in near the end.
Soften the vegetables. Warm the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften. They do not need to brown; lower the heat if the onion starts to color quickly.
Add the garlic and rice. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the drained rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes so each grain is lightly coated with oil. This quick step helps distribute the rice through the soup, but it is not necessary to toast it until deeply colored.
Simmer the rice. Pour in the broth and add the bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for 18 minutes, stirring once or twice to keep rice from settling on the bottom. Check a few grains: they should be nearly tender, with a little bite remaining, because they will cook briefly again with the spinach.
Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach in a few handfuls, stirring each addition into the broth as it collapses. Simmer uncovered for about 4 minutes, until the leaves are wilted and the rice is tender. Remove the bay leaf. Take the pot off the heat while you prepare the lemon mixture; avoiding a rolling boil from this point helps keep the eggs smooth.
Whisk and temper the eggs. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Slowly ladle about 1 cup (240 ml) of hot broth into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Add a second ladleful in the same way. This gradual warming, called tempering, brings the eggs closer to the soup’s temperature and reduces the chance of scrambling them.
Finish the soup safely and season. Slowly pour the tempered egg-and-lemon mixture into the pot while stirring continuously. Set the pot over low heat and stir gently for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the soup is steaming and uniformly warm; do not let it boil. Use a food thermometer to check the soup in the center of the pot. USDA FSIS guidance for egg dishes is a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Stir in the dill, taste, and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed. Serve promptly, with feta and extra dill if you like.

Tips

Use low-sodium broth. The broth reduces slightly as the rice cooks, and feta can add salt at the table. Starting with low-sodium broth makes the final seasoning easier to control. If your broth is salted, begin with less added salt and adjust after the lemon and dill go in.
Rinse the rice and watch the simmer. Rinsing removes excess surface starch, which can make the broth overly thick. Keep the heat gentle once the rice reaches a simmer and stir the bottom occasionally. A hard boil can break up the rice and make the vegetables mushy.
Temper patiently for a smooth finish. Whisk hot broth into the eggs gradually rather than pouring the eggs straight into the pot. Keep stirring as the mixture goes back in, and use low heat. If the soup seems thin at first, give it a minute or two of gentle stirring; the egg mixture thickens the broth without needing cream.
Adjust the lemon at the end. Lemons vary in size and tartness, so the stated amount is a starting point rather than a reason to stop tasting. Add extra juice a teaspoon at a time after cooking. For a milder flavor, start with ¼ cup (60 ml) juice and serve extra wedges alongside.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup hot in wide bowls, making sure each serving gets a balance of broth, rice, and spinach. A small scattering of crumbled feta and chopped dill gives it a salty, herbal finish; lemon wedges let each person sharpen the flavor to taste. Warm crusty bread or toasted pita is useful for soaking up the lemony broth.

For a fuller meal, pair it with a simple Greek-style salad of cucumber, tomato, olives, and red onion, or serve smaller bowls before roasted vegetables or grilled fish. The soup is filling enough to stand on its own for lunch, especially with bread. If serving a group, keep the pot warm over very low heat and avoid bringing it back to a boil after the egg has been added.

Variations

Make it vegetarian. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth; choose one with a savory, full flavor so the soup does not taste watery. For a vegan version, omit the eggs and feta. The broth will be clearer and less silky, but the lemon, dill, and spinach still make a flavorful soup; a spoonful of olive oil stirred in at the end adds a little richness.
Use another green. Chopped mature spinach works well, though it may need an extra minute or two to soften. Swiss chard is a practical substitute: slice the stems finely and cook them with the onion and carrots, then add the leaves with the spinach would go in. Kale can also be used, but it has a sturdier texture and needs a longer simmer before the egg mixture is added.
Change the rice or make it heartier. Short-grain rice makes a thicker, softer soup; brown rice takes substantially longer to cook, so cook it separately according to its package directions and stir it in near the end. For added substance without changing the cooking method much, add 1 cup (165 g) drained cooked chickpeas when you add the spinach.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking in a covered, shallow container. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Rice absorbs broth as it sits, so expect the leftovers to be thicker; stir in a splash of water or broth when reheating. The egg-and-lemon finish may look slightly less smooth after chilling, which is normal.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in a saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring often, until it is steaming throughout and reaches 165°F (74°C). Do not let it boil, since vigorous boiling can make the egg-thickened broth grainy. You can also microwave a serving in a covered, microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until evenly hot and 165°F (74°C). Freeze leftovers in airtight containers for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above. The rice will soften further after freezing, and the texture of the broth may be less silky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Greek spinach soup the same as spanakorizo?
It is closely inspired by spanakorizo, a Greek spinach-and-rice dish, but this recipe has enough broth to eat with a spoon as soup. Greek home versions vary: some are more like a saucy rice dish, while others use more liquid, lemon, herbs, or an egg-and-lemon finish.

Can I use frozen spinach?
Yes. Use about 10 ounces (280 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess water. Stir it in after the rice is tender and simmer just long enough to heat it through, usually 2 to 3 minutes. It will be softer and less leafy than fresh spinach, but it works well in the soup.

Can I make the soup without eggs?
Yes. Leave out the eggs and tempering step, then stir the lemon juice and zest directly into the soup after removing it from the heat. The broth will be lighter and less creamy. Add the lemon gradually and taste as you go; feta at the table can provide extra richness and saltiness if desired.

Why did my egg-and-lemon mixture curdle?
Eggs are more likely to scramble if they are added cold to very hot soup, if the broth is not whisked into them gradually, or if the finished soup boils. Temper with two ladlefuls of hot broth, stir continuously as you add the mixture to the pot, and keep the heat low while checking the temperature with a thermometer.

Can I prepare any part of it ahead?
You can dice the onion and carrots, wash the spinach, and measure the other ingredients a day ahead; store prepared vegetables covered in the refrigerator. For the best rice texture, cook the soup close to serving time. If making the entire soup ahead, chill it promptly and reheat gently, knowing that the rice will absorb more broth and the finished texture will be thicker.

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

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