This vegan chicken noodle soup is so cozy and comforting. Incredibly tasty and ready in just 30 minutes, it's the perfect food when it's cold outside.
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This vegan chicken soup's flavor brings me back to my childhood. Coming in from the cold to a steaming bowl of hearty soup loaded with goodness is one of those winter memories many of us have.
Used as a traditional remedy for an oncoming cold, chicken soup has been a staple winter food for centuries.
This recipe is a vegan version of a classic chicken soup. We use a base of veggies, along with vegan chicken pieces - either frozen or refrigerated - and a vegan chicken broth for the authentic look, feel, and flavor.
But if you can't get your hands on any chicken-flavored vegan broth, don't worry! You can easily make this vegan chicken noodle soup recipe without it.
To complete this meal, just add cooked pasta or egg-free noodles to the vegan chicken soup. You can basically use any type of pasta you want. We used fusilli, a type of short spiral pasta, which works great and is easy to eat in the soup.
Let's show you how to make this amazing vegan chicken noodle soup!
Ingredient tips
Here's all you need to make this tasty vegan chicken noodle soup:
- Vegan chicken pieces - choose your favorite brand!
- Vegan chicken broth - for the typical 'chicken' flavor
Besides those two key ingredients you'll also want:
- Vegan butter or olive oil - we prefer vegan butter for its rich taste, but olive oil is a good alternative.
- Onion, carrots, celery - a flavoursome veggie trio
- Garlic
- Bay leaves and fresh thyme
- Nutritional yeast - a vegan kitchen staple!
- Fresh parsley - for an aromatic herby note.
- Salt and pepper
- Pasta or noodles - you can use any vegan pasta or noodles of your choice. Check the ingredients, as some types contain eggs.
For the best results and classic flavor, be sure to get your hands on vegan 'chicken' broth and pieces. If you can't, check out the section below on substitutes!
For the no-chicken pieces, we suggest you try your way through some of the range of vegan chicken substitutes out there. Some products do well to mimic the look and texture of chicken but taste a bit boring, while others look less 'real' but bring a lot of flavor!
Step by step pictures
Here's a visual guide on how to make vegan chicken noodle soup. For the full, adjustable, and printable recipe, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1 - Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to just about al dente.
Step 2 - In the meantime, saute diced onion, carrot, and celery in vegan butter (or olive oil) in a stockpot or large saucepan.
Step 3 - Add minced garlic, bay leaves, fresh thyme and the vegan chicken pieces and saute for a minute longer.
Step 4 - Add the prepared vegan chicken broth and the nutritional yeast and simmer the soup for 10 minutes.
Step 5 - Remove the bay leaves from the pan, and stir in the cooked pasta and chopped parsley.
Top tip
If you don't want the pasta or noodles to go overcooked and overly soft, cook it for a shorter time than the package instructions suggest.
Drain the pasta when it's still a bit firmer than you normally prefer. Once combined with the broth, it will continue to absorb water and be perfectly done by the time the soup is served.
Substitutions and variations
Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free pasta or noodles of your choice and ensure that the chicken pieces and broth you use are gluten-free.
As an alternative to the vegan chicken pieces, you can also use soy curls, soy chunks, tofu cubes, seitan or chickpeas. Or why not try our Crispy Baked Tofu?
If you can't get your hands on any vegan chicken broth, use vegetable broth and add a teaspoon of both onion powder and garlic powder. That will give you some extra flavor.
Spice it up! Add some cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper flakes for an extra kick. Or try some poultry seasoning and a dash of paprika for an instant flavor boost!
Serving
Serve with a fresh sprinkle of parsley or celery greens on top.
This soup is a great meal that doesn't need a side dish, but some crusty bread or crackers is tasty addition if you want!
If you are making a large batch of this soup for leftovers or meal prep, then don't combine all the noodles with the soup. Simply add noodles to a bowl and top up with the broth and store the leftovers separately.
Storage
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Ideally, store the soup and pasta/noodles separately so that the pasta doesn't become mushy.
Reheat soup in a pan on the stovetop, stirring frequently until thoroughly hot, or in the microwave in 30-second intervals.
Freeze this soup without the added noodles. Let the soup cool completely and then transfer it into freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as above.
More vegan chicken-inspired recipes
Try these other delicious vegan recipes inspired by classic dishes traditionally made with chicken...
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) pasta or noodles
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) vegan butter or olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 medium (1 cup) carrots chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 - 10 oz (225 - 280 g) vegan chicken pieces
- 6 cups (1440 ml) vegan chicken broth
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta or noodles until al dente (done but firm to the bite) or a minute less than the time on the packaging. Drain the pasta and set aside. In the meantime, start cooking the soup.8 oz (225 g) pasta or noodles
- In a large stock pot, heat the oil or melt the butter over medium heat.2 tablespoons (25 g) vegan butter
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery and saute for around 5 minutes.1 large onion, 2 medium (1 cup) carrots, 2 sticks celery
- Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and vegan chicken pieces. Saute for another minute.4 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 8 - 10 oz (225 - 280 g) vegan chicken pieces
- Add the vegan chicken broth and nutritional yeast. Stir, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes covered with a lid.6 cups (1440 ml) vegan chicken broth, ¼ cup (4 tbsp) nutritional yeast
- Remove the bay leaves and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta and chopped parsley. Stir through and serve.¼ cup fresh parsley, Salt and pepper
Notes
Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
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