This vegan chicken noodle soup recipe takes less than 30 minutes and has a gluten-free option! Made with soy curls, it's the ultimate warming comfort food.
Is there anything better than a bowl of delicious soup?
It's what we eat when we're feeling ill or in need of comfort, and it hits the spot like nothing else (except maybe carrot lentil soup or veggie stew).
Traditionally made with chicken stock and chicken pieces, those new to a plant-based diet will love this vegan version (which is also gluten-free).
Made with just 10 simple ingredients, it's the perfect recipe during colder months or sick days.
This vegan chicken noodle soup recipe is also incredibly simple to make, requiring just one large pot and less than 30 minutes.
Simply sauté your onion and celery, add in potatoes, carrots, and garlic, then soy curls, thyme and vegetable stock. Finally, throw in noodles and fresh parsley and voila!
(Psst! If you're new to a vegan diet, check out my 28 Easy Vegan Recipes for Beginners.)
What is vegan chicken noodle soup good for?
A bowl of vegan chicken noodle soup is traditionally eaten when you're feeling unwell.
It's great because not only does it provide a good burst of nutrients from the fresh vegetables (celery, onion, carrot and parsley), but it's very hydrating - both of which are important when you're feeling ill.
(For another sickness-busting meal, try my carrot apple soup.)
This classic vegan chicken noodle soup recipe also contains soy curls which are a good source of protein, so you're subbing out the chicken for a healthy plant-based source.
Ingredients needed
Onion, celery & garlic - These provide a great flavour base in the classic soup. Onion and garlic are also anti-inflammatory - great when you feel unwell.
Carrots & potatoes - Hearty and delicious in this soup. Carrots add a sweet flavour and potatoes are the perfect comfort food.
Dried thyme - A little goes a long way! You can also use fresh if preferred. (A bay leaf or Italian seasoning also work well if you don't have thyme.)
Soy curls - One of the best vegan chicken substitutes! Chewy and satisfying, these provide the 'chicken' in this soup and the texture is similar. (Do note soy curls are unflavoured and will take on the flavour of the soup/vegetable stock.)
If you prefer a soy-free option, you can switch these out for chickpeas instead. 🙂
Vegetable broth/stock (or vegan chicken broth) - Don't skimp on this! The vegetable stock or broth provides a lot of flavour and body to the soup.
Personally I like using vegetable broth powder, or if you want chicken flavoured, try Better Than Bouillon. If you're using bouillon cubes, you'll need to add about one cube per 2-3 cups water. (Feel free to add a little nutritional yeast and/or soy sauce if you want to add an extra flavour punch to your broth.)
Noodles - It wouldn't be a noodle soup without noodles. These give the soup that 'comfort' feeling and make it more well-rounded and filling. I've used gluten-free ramen noodles here, but any thick noodles will work.
Parsley - An extra health kick! These dark greens are full of iron and vitamins A, C and K. A flavorful soup if you're feeling a bit rundown!
Oil-free option - cook the veggies in water instead of oil if you're looking to avoid it. It won't affect the taste.
How to make vegan noodle soup
1) Saute onion and celery in a large pan on medium-high heat.
2) Add carrots, potatoes, garlic, thyme, soy curls and stock.
3) Simmer soup until potatoes are tender.
4) Add ramen noodles and parsley, and simmer for 3-4 minutes until noodles are cooked.
5) Season well and serve with fresh bread if desired.
Check out my web story on how to make this vegan noodle soup.
Tips
Don't overcook noodles - many ramen noodles (especially gluten-free pasta noodles) will fall apart quite quickly when overcooked.
For this reason I recommend just cooking them in the soup for 3-4 minutes to keep them al dente.
And if you plan to freeze it, only add in the noodles after you've defrosted it again - they won't survive being cooked, frozen, and reheated!
Add more liquid if reheating - If you reheat the soup, you might need to add a little more water/stock as it has a tendency to thicken as it cools.
What to eat with noodle soup
I really love serving this vegan chicken soup with crusty bread (you can use gluten-free if needed).
Alternatively, it's delicious served on its own as the potatoes and noodles make it one of the most hearty and comforting soups ever!
How to store leftovers
Store leftover soup in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for about 3-4 days.
You can also freeze it - avoid adding the uncooked noodles until you have defrosted the soup and are reheating it so they don't fall apart.
FAQS
Typically, chicken noodle soup contains both chicken pieces and chicken broth. This vegan noodle soup recipe is made with soy curls as vegan chicken pieces and vegetable/vegan broth.
Vegetable broth/stock cubes work really well, but you can also find vegan chicken stock if you're craving the taste. There are several brands on the market - Better Than Bouillon is a popular one.
Just use gluten-free ramen noodles. These Millet & Brown Rice Ramen Noodles are my favourite.
More easy vegan dinners
Best EASY Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 small potatoes, cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup dry soy curls, broken into bits (about 50g)
- 7 cups vegetable stock/broth or vegan chicken broth (if using stock cubes, use 1 cube per 2-3 cups water)
- 2 portions dry ramen noodles (about 150g - gluten free as needed)
- Large handful parsley, chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot on medium heat.
- Add onion and celery and fry for 5 minutes until transluscent.
- Add carrots, potatoes, garlic, thyme, soy curls and stock, and bring soup to a boil.
- Reduce heat and cover pan, letting it simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes are just tender.
- Add ramen noodles and parsley, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until noodles are soft (you might need to separate them out a bit with a fork).
- Season well with salt and pepper, and serve in bowls with fresh bread.
Notes
Nutritional information per serving
If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below. I'd love to know how you’ve made it your own!
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Tayler Ross
We had this soup for dinner last night and it was wonderful! So comforting and delicious!
Elizabeth
That makes me SO happy to hear Taylor. So glad you loved it 🙂
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
This soup rivals any of grandma's with real chicken. It's rich and flavorful and easy to make too!
Elizabeth
Helen you have no idea how much that means. I'm so glad you like it!
Rob
I just made this soup recipe for my niece who is vegan, but very much remembers actual chicken soup. She loved this soup! Great recipe!
Elizabeth
I am SO happy to hear that Rob! Thank you so much. 🙂
Lucy
This vegan chicken noodle soup was so warm and comforting and such a hit with everyone. I love how quick and easy it is to make so perfect for busy weeknights.
Elizabeth
Thanks Lucy! I feel the same way - you can't beat a simple weeknight meal!
Cpg
My family loved this recipe. Will definitely make again
Elizabeth
Oh I'm so glad!
Helen Fern
I'm trying to eat more vegan - and this soup makes it easy!! It's rich, flavorful and total fills the comfort quotiant!!
Elizabeth
Makes me so happy to hear Helen. 🙂
Jessica
This is the best version of "chicken" noodle soup I've ever tried! So warm, comforting and delicious!
Elizabeth
I'm so glad you loved it Jessica, that makes me so happy!
Swathi
Vegan Chicken noodle soup looks delicious. Perfect for any rainy day.
Elizabeth
I agree! It's the best rainy day food (and we have a lot of those in Vancouver...)
Anita
I really liked this but I wanted more of what I remember from the comforting soup of days gone by. So I added 4 more cups of vegetable broth and 2 T. Potato Starch. Also, I wanted a little more spice so I added two handfuls of Capitol Hill Seasoning (from Savory spice shop). This is the 2nd time I've made this so I really thought about what more I wanted for it to be really good for me. Thank you so much for all of this!!
Elizabeth
Thanks for the feedback Anita - love that you added those in. I'm all for people customizing my recipes to make them their own. 🙂 Noodle soup is such a personal meal, so it makes me really happy that you made it into what you needed!