Avgolemono soup is a delicious Greek soup made with chicken or vegetable stock, lemon juice, eggs, and rice. It’s a hearty, comforting soup that is full of flavor. But many people wonder – just how many calories are in a bowl of this bright, lemony soup? In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the calorie count of avgolemono soup made with various ingredients and serving sizes.
What is Avgolemono Soup?
Avgolemono soup is a traditional Greek soup made with chicken or vegetable stock, lemon juice, eggs, and rice. Some key features of avgolemono soup include:
- Brothy, thick, creamy texture from the eggs
- Bright, tangy lemon flavor
- Warming chicken or vegetable stock base
- Tender pieces of chicken or vegetables
- Creamy, thick texture from eggs and rice
There are many variations on avgolemono soup across regions in Greece. The soup may be enriched with ingredients like orzo pasta, potatoes, carrots, parsley, dill, and more. The core ingredients remain lemon, egg, stock, and rice.
Avgolemono Soup Calorie Count
The calories in avgolemono soup can vary considerably based on the specific ingredients used in the recipe. Factors like meat versus vegetable stock, additional vegetables, pasta or rice, and portion size all impact the calorie count.
Here is an overview of the calorie count for different types of avgolemono soup:
Chicken Avgolemono Soup
Chicken avgolemono soup starts with a rich chicken stock base. Here are approximate calories for 6-8 oz serving sizes:
- Chicken avgolemono with rice: 150-200 calories
- Chicken and vegetable avgolemono: 180-250 calories
- Chicken avgolemono with orzo: 200-300 calories
The chicken and starch ingredients like rice and pasta increase the calorie count. More veggies bulk up the soup with extra nutrients.
Vegetable Avgolemono Soup
For a lighter, veggie-packed option, vegetable stock can be used instead of chicken. Here are the approximate calories for 8-12 oz serving sizes of vegetable avgolemono:
- Veggie avgolemono with rice: 120-180 calories
- Veggie and carrot avgolemono: 150-220 calories
- Veggie, carrot, zucchini avgolemono: 180-250 calories
Loading up on healthy vegetables significantly lowers the calorie count. The heartier the vegetables, the more calories the soup will have.
Serving Size
Portion sizes make a major difference in the calorie count. A small 6-8 oz serving of soup will be lower in calories than a large 12-16 oz bowl. For reference, here are the calories in 6 oz and 12 oz portions:
- 6 oz chicken avgolemono with rice: 150 calories
- 12 oz chicken avgolemono with rice: 300 calories
- 6 oz veggie avgolemono with carrots: 120 calories
- 12 oz veggie avgolemono with carrots: 240 calories
As you can see, doubling portion sizes also doubles the calories. Sticking to a smaller serving size is an easy way to limit your calorie intake.
Nutrition Facts for Avgolemono Soup
Now that we’ve explored approximate calorie counts, let’s look at the detailed nutritional profile of avgolemono soup. We’ll use a traditional chicken and rice avgolemono soup as an example.
Here are the nutrition facts for 1 cup (approx 8 oz) of chicken and rice avgolemono soup:
Chicken and Rice Avgolemono Soup (1 cup)
| Calories | 167 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 124 mg |
| Sodium | 761 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
Key details to note:
- 167 calories per 1 cup serving
- 8 g of fat, mostly from the chicken stock
- 124 mg cholesterol
- 761 mg sodium – a relatively high amount
- 12 g carbs, mostly from the rice
- 12 g protein from the chicken stock and egg
The sodium is quite high, typical for broth-based soups. You can reduce the sodium by using low-sodium chicken stock.
Let’s compare this to a veggie version with carrot and zucchini:
Veggie, Carrot and Zucchini Avgolemono Soup (1 cup)
| Calories | 96 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 2.5 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.7 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 106 mg |
| Sodium | 433 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 11 g |
| Fiber | 1.5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
With veggie stock instead of chicken, we reduce the calories, fat, sodium and increase fiber. This vegetable-based version has 71 fewer calories per serving compared to the chicken soup.
Lowest Calorie Options
If you are looking to lower the calorie count even further, here are some tips:
- Use vegetable stock instead of chicken or beef
- Increase low-calorie veggies like carrots, zucchini, spinach
- Limit starchy additions like rice, pasta, or potatoes
- Stick to a 6-8 oz portion size
- Trim extra fat from chicken or beef before cooking
- Use part skim milk or egg substitute instead of whole eggs
- Boost flavor with fresh herbs instead of oils
Following these guidelines can create a hearty avgolemono soup under 150 calories per serving.
Highest Calorie Options
On the other hand, if you want a higher calorie, heartier soup, you can make these adjustments:
- Use fatty chicken or beef stock
- Add starchier vegetables like potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Use white rice, orzo pasta, or bread crumbs
- Drizzle with olive oil or cheese
- Add cream or coconut milk
- Go for larger 12-16 oz portion sizes
With these adjustments, it’s easy to make a creamy, rich avgolemono soup over 300 calories per serving.
Tips for Weight Loss
If you are aiming to lose weight, avgolemono soup can be a healthy option when prepared mindfully. Here are some tips:
- Pay attention to portion sizes – an 8 oz serving is plenty filling
- Bulk up on non-starchy veggies like spinach, zucchini, celery
- Use vegetable stock or chicken breast without skin
- Avoid heavy starches like pasta, rice, or cream
- Flavor with lemon, herbs, spices instead of oil or butter
- Balance with protein from chicken breast or beans
- Enjoy as a starter instead of a dense main course
Sticking to veggie-based avgolemono soup in sensible portions can be an excellent lower-calorie option while providing satisfying flavor.
Tips for Muscle Gain or Bulking Up
If your goal is to bulk up or gain muscle, avgolemono soup can also be adapted:
- Use higher fat chicken thigh meat with skin instead of breast
- Include white rice, barley or pasta for extra carbs
- Cook with olive oil or butter
- Add tahini or pine nuts for healthy fats
- Include cream or coconut milk for extra calories
- Make larger 12-16 oz portions
- Add feta, cheddar or parmesan cheese
- Pair with whole grain bread or pita
This creates a higher calorie, heartier soup to help meet higher calorie needs for muscle growth. The balance of protein, carbs and fats helps support an active lifestyle.
Summary
So in summary, the calories in avgolemono soup can range quite a bit based on the specific ingredients used, from around 100 calories per serving for a veggie-based version up to 300+ calories for a hearty chicken and rice soup. Paying attention to portion size, using vegetable stock, and bulking up on low-calorie vegetables can help decrease the calories. While incorporating more starches, fats, full fat dairy and bigger portions can increase the calorie density for times when you need extra energy. At the end of the day, avgolemono is a nourishing, comforting soup that can be adapted to suit many different nutrition needs.
