Roughly chop the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Pulse them in a food processor until they form a very fine mince. If you don’t own a processor, mince everything as finely as you can with a knife.

Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium–low heat. Add the minced vegetables and the thyme, then cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they’re soft and fragrant — about 12–15 minutes. The goal is a base that blends into the broth rather than chunky veg.

Stir in the chickpeas and pour in the vegetable stock. Increase heat to bring the pot to a gentle boil.

Add the orzo, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the pasta is tender but still has a little bite (follow your orzo package timing — usually only a few minutes).

While the pasta cooks, put the almond butter in a small bowl and whisk in a ladleful of the hot broth until smooth. This prevents lumps and creates a velvety addition for the soup.

Remove the pot from the heat. Stir the almond-broth mixture back into the soup, then add the lemon zest, one tablespoon lemon juice, and the salt. Taste and add more lemon or salt if you like — lemon brightens quickly, so add juice incrementally.