Cypriot Cuisine: Traditional Avgolemono Soup and Sauce

This soup can be found in almost any tavern. Its homeland is considered to be Greece, but in Cyprus, of course, it is just as popular as on the mainland.

• Avgolemono: Soup or Sauce?
• Avgolemono Analogues
• Recipe from a Famous Chef
• Frequently Asked Questions

Avgolemono: Soup or Sauce?

The name of the soup literally translates to "eggs and lemons," and besides being a soup, this mixture also serves other functions.

Avgolemono is a family of both sauces and soups made from egg yolks and lemon juice mixed with broth and heated to thicken.

Avgolemono Sauce

Avgolemono as a sauce is used for vegetable dishes, as an addition to dolma or artichoke dishes. It is also served with stewed pork or meatballs. Outside Cyprus and Greece, you may also find variations served with fish, chicken, and pasta.

Avgolemono can be used to thicken soups and stews. For example, avgolemono is added to Greek soups like youvarlakia (with meatballs) and magiritsa (lamb offal soup).

Avgolemono Soup

As a standalone soup, avgolemono is typically made with chicken broth, although meat (usually lamb), fish, or vegetable broths can also be used. Typically, rice, orzo, pastina, or tapioca are cooked in the broth before the egg and lemon mixture is added. The consistency of the soup ranges from almost stew-like to nearly brothy.

For the soup, whole eggs are usually used, but sometimes only yolks. The whites can be beaten into foam separately before being mixed with the yolks and lemon juice, or whole eggs can be beaten with lemon juice.

Avgolemono Analogues

Similar dishes can be found in Greek, Arab, Sephardic, Turkish, Balkan, and Jewish-Italian cuisines.

In Sephardic Jewish cuisine, it is called agristada, and in Jewish-Italian cuisine, it is known as bagna brusca, brodettato, or brodo brusco. In Arabic cuisine, it is called tarbiya or beida bi-lemoune ("egg with lemon"), and in Turkish, it is terbiye. It is also widely used in Balkan cuisine.

Although avgolemono is often considered a Greek dish, it originally comes from Sephardic Jewish cuisine and was prepared by Jews in Iberia before the expulsion from Spain. However, in its current form, the dish avgolemono has become deeply rooted in Greek tradition.

Avgolemono Recipe

We took this recipe from the famous Greek-Cypriot chef, culinary seminar host, and TV show presenter Christoforos Peskias.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 liter of broth (chicken, meat, or fish broth)
• 5-6 eggs
• 2 lemons

Preparation

1. Heat the broth. Pour 1 liter of broth into a pot and set it on low heat. Let it heat up while you prepare the egg-lemon mixture.
2. Prepare the egg-lemon mixture. In a large bowl, crack 5-6 eggs (both yolks and whites). Squeeze the juice from 2 lemons (or more/less to taste) and strain it directly into the bowl with the eggs. Whisk the eggs and lemon juice vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy.
3. Temper the eggs. Remove the pot from the heat and leave it for a few minutes. While continuing to whisk the egg mixture, begin to gradually add the hot broth, pouring it in small portions with a ladle. It is important to keep stirring to prevent the eggs from curdling. Add about half of the total broth to warm up the mixture.
4. Combine the soup. Pour the heated egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the remaining broth. Return the pot to very low heat and stir constantly until the soup becomes frothy, creamy, and slightly thickened. Important: Do not let it boil! It’s best if the temperature does not exceed 80°C.
5. Serving. Remove the soup from the heat and pour it into a clean pot to avoid overheating the eggs. Serve in bowls, sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Serve with pieces of chicken and a cherry tomato salad with parsley.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cypriot Cuisine

What are the traditional dishes in Cyprus?

These include souvlaki (skewers of pork, chicken, or lamb), moussaka (mince with eggplants and potatoes), afelia (pork marinated in red wine with coriander), stifado (beef in wine with onions), kleftiko (lamb mince with potatoes), and sheftalia (sausages made from minced meat, spices, and herbs).

Are there shrimp dishes in Cypriot cuisine?

Although Cypriot cuisine is not rich in seafood, there are some interesting dishes besides fish. For example, saganaki shrimp, cooked in a fragrant tomato sauce with feta cheese.

Where can I try Avgolemono?

Almost any establishment that markets itself as Greek cuisine will serve either this soup, avgolemono as a sauce, or both.

What cheeses are available in Cyprus besides Halloumi?

The famous cheese and almost the brand of the island, Halloumi, has a competitor. This is the increasingly popular cheese, Anari. Here’s our article about it.

Where can I try wine in Cyprus?

In short—everywhere. From shops to any tavern. But if you want to do it thoughtfully, it's better to visit the wineries of Cyprus and taste the drinks.

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