Reflection Soup with Lemon Zest

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-21 · Updated 2026-04-21

A bright, clear soup where lemon zest creates a shimmering surface, mirroring the refraction properties of light in water. This american-inspired soups ready in about 50 minutes pairs chicken broth, medium carrots, stalks celery for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp fresh dill
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp white pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Dice carrots and celery into 1/4-inch pieces. Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat, add vegetables, and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Whisk in flour until smooth, then gradually pour in chicken broth while stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes until carrots are tender.
3. Step 3: Stir in minced lemon zest, chopped dill, salt, and white pepper. Reduce heat to low, add heavy cream, and simmer for 5 minutes without boiling.
4. Step 4: Strain soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing gently on solids to release liquid. Return to low heat for 2 minutes to ensure smooth texture.