Fascinating History of Greek Lemon Soup- Avgolemono and Recipes
Updated: 6 days ago
A Brief History
The popular Greek Lemon Soup- Avgolemono originated between 323-33 BC known as the Hellenistic period. In Greece food and recipes were influenced by the Mediterranean diet practiced in many neighboring countries. The word Avgolemono means lemons and egg. The recipe was influenced by the countries of Italy, Turkey, Spain, and the Jewish citizens in Turkey, In Greece they experimented using different ingredients creating their own special recipe.
Chicken became a common item in Greece becoming more available to consumers. They used in in many dishes and it is used in this soup recipe. Byzantine Turkish chefs taught the Greeks how to clarify broth and introduced using citrus fruits in soup. The technique of adding a beaten egg to hot broth became popular.
Avgolemono soup promotes health and nutrition. It was designed to be a healthy satisfying meal. There are different recipes for Avgolemono soup using chicken, fish, or vegetables. Common ingredients used in this soup are diced chicken, broth, celery, carrots, onion, egg yolks, lemon juice, cream, rice or orzo, and fresh herbs.
The Jewish culture had a soup called agaristid that influenced the recipe of Greek Avgolemono. The brought these recipes with them as they migrated to Turkey, the Balkans, Italy, the Mediterranean, and Greece. Greek Lemon soup was shaped by many different cultures.
Lemon and egg sauce in the Middle East was used for lamb, fish, and vegetables. It was also used in soups and casseroles. An egg and lemon sauce was used in the Canary Islands hundreds of years ago. Lemon and egg sauce was made in Venice too.
One of the first recipes for making lemon sauce was found in 14th century Catalina. In London an egg lemon sauce was created for boiled lamb or mutton in 1846. A recipe for the soup appeared in 1942 in cookbook called And The Greeks A Book of Hellenic Recipes. Other recipes for Greek Lemon Chicken Soup were found in the Mediterranean Food cookbook 1955 and Cookbook of the Jews in Greece 1986.
Some Tips For Making Greek Lemon Chicken
Soup
Use fresh egg yolks beaten at room temperature. They work better than whole eggs.
Use fresh squeezed lemon juice not concentrate
Use orzo or rice and cook separately. Rinse and soak rice to remove excess starch in warm water 10 to 20 minutes. Rinse rice in a colander
Cook chicken in the oven and cut into bite size pieces
Sauté vegetables in olive and add cooked chicken
Make you own broth or used a commercial chicken stock brand
Mix egg yolks and lemon juice in a separate bowl at room temperature
Add some chicken broth and whisk to keep eggs from cooking
Add the egg yolk and broth after soup has cooled to 160
Whisk mixture into soup
Serve rice or orzo separately
Add herbs near the end basil, dill and parsley work well.
Different Recipes Online For Greek Avgolemono Soup
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup, Laura Nathan, Easy World Recipes, 2026
The Ultimate and Authentic Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup) By Elena Parvantas MS, Rd. Olive Tomato, 2026
Greek Lemon Chicken Soup by Meghan Splawn, The Kitchen, March 13, 2024
Greek Lemon Soup, by Snejana Andreeva, June 16, 2026, The Modern Nonna
Vegan Greek Lemon Soup By Ella Contis, Best Served Vegan , February 20, 2021
Psarosoupa - Fish Soup with Avgolemono, Diane Kochilas, 2026
Lemon Fish Soup Recipe, by Chef Hadi, May 6, 2026, Easy Mediterranean Dinners 2026
References:
The Food Timeline, Soups Avgolemono, by Lynn Olver, Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Library Collection 2020
Avgolemono : Uncovering the Origins of Greece's Iconic Chicken and Lemon Soup, by Donald Andrews, All Food FAQ, 2026
Where Did Avgolemono Come From? Worldwide Greeks, 2025
This Greek Chicken Soup Has A Surprising Sephardic History, Emily Paster, October 2. 2019 The Nosher
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