Greek Tomato Soup with Rice and Lemon Recipe
This Greek tomato soup is lighter than the Polish version with pasta, but thanks to the rice it’s still filling. The addition of lemon and herbs makes it taste like summer in a bowl, even in the middle of winter. In Greece, similar soups are often served as a quick weekday lunch, with a slice of bread and some olive oil.
A simple, everyday Greek-inspired tomato soup that feels light yet satisfying thanks to rice, with a bright lemony note and herbs that bring a taste of summer to your table all year round.
Chef's tips
Don’t skip the small amount of sugar – it doesn’t make the soup sweet, it just rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes. Adjust the lemon at the very end; the soup should be pleasantly tangy but not sour. If your stock is salty, add salt gradually and taste as you go.
How to serve
Serve in warm bowls, topped with plenty of fresh parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil. It pairs well with crusty bread, toasted pita, or a simple Greek-style salad with cucumber, tomato, and olives.
Ingredients
- canned tomatoes two cans, chopped or whole, peeled - 800 g
- vegetable stock homemade or from a cube - 1 l
- rice white, e.g. long-grain - 80 g
- onion medium - 1 piece
- carrot medium, coarsely grated - 1 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 2 cloves
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- bay leaf - 1 piece
- dried oregano - 1 teaspoon
- lemon juice or to taste - 2 tablespoons
- sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt or to taste - 0.75 teaspoons
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- parsley chopped leaves for serving - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Peel the onion and finely dice it. Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side of a grater. Peel the garlic and finely chop it.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent but not browned.
- Add the grated carrot and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until it softens slightly. Then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes (if they are whole, crush them with a spoon), add the stock, bay leaf, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes so the flavors can meld.
- After 10 minutes, add the rice, stir, and cook for another 15 minutes over low heat, until the rice is tender but not overcooked. Stir from time to time so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Remove the bay leaf. If you prefer a smoother soup, you can briefly blend it with an immersion blender, leaving some vegetable pieces.
- Finally, add the lemon juice, stir, and taste. Adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon if needed.
- Serve the soup hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley. You can drizzle a little olive oil on top.
Storage
Zupa gęstnieje, bo ryż wchłania płyn – przy podgrzewaniu dolej trochę wody lub bulionu, aby uzyskać odpowiednią konsystencję. Do mrożenia najlepiej odłożyć porcję bez ryżu lub z mniejszą jego ilością, bo po rozmrożeniu ryż może być bardzo miękki.
