One pot vegan chicken noodle soup

So comforting.

It’s the perfect antidote to a chilly day. And of course, it’s basically a necessity when the sniffles strike.

Many of us grew up on the canned, non-vegan variety.

But homemade is so much more delicious with chunks of carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.

This easy soup comes together in one pot, noodles and all, which is very convenient.

Finish with a handful of crackers or warm bread for the ultimate comfort meal.

In this post:

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Oil: My preferred option is avocado oil. But you can choose any cooking oil that you enjoy like olive oil or organic canola oil.

Standard soup ingredients: Garlic, onion, celery, carrots, and water.

Herbs & seasonings: Dried parsley, dried basil, dried thyme, bay leaves, salt & black pepper. If you like, you can finish with an optional garnish of fresh parsley.

Bouillon: I recommend Better Than Bouillon, no chicken base. They really nail that old school flavor that takes you back to childhood.

Or you can replace water + bouillon with vegetable broth/veggie stock.

Noodles: Usually chicken noodle soup is made with egg noodles. Walmart sells Great Value egg-free ribbons that work beautifully here.

That said, you can use any small, bite-sized noodles that you like. Farfalle or fusilli work well.

Or you can break long noodles like spaghetti or lasagna noodles into smaller sections.

Vegan chicken: There are tons of vegan chicken options available.

Tofurky lightly seasoned chick’n is my go-to option. It’s sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. (It’s also great in vegan chicken tacos!)

But you can use any vegan chicken you like.

I’ve made it with bite-sized pieces of homemade vegan chicken seitan and store-bought seitan like Upton’s traditional. It works well with either.

You could use Soy Curls. Or you can replace vegan chicken with 1 ½ cups of chickpeas, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans.

This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

1. In a large soup pot, sauté the following in oil:

• Minced garlic
• Chopped onions
• Sliced celery
• Sliced carrots
• Pinch of salt

2. Once the onions are fragrant & translucent, add the following:

• Dried parsley
• Dried basil
• Dried thyme
• Pepper

3. Add the following:

• Water
• Better Than Bouillon, no chicken base
• Bay leaves

4. Bring to a boil.

Then add the following:

• Noodles
• Vegan chicken

Boil noodles until al dente (about a minute shy of what’s on the package). Then lower heat, cook for a couple minutes more, and ladle into bowls.

If you like, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

You can make this soup your own by varying the ingredients.

Vary the broth: Instead of using Better Than Bouillon no chicken base + water, use vegetable broth or veggie stock.

Vary the shape of pasta: Try fusilli, penne, farfalle, rotini, or macaroni. Or break spaghetti or lasagna noodles into smaller pieces.

Vary the protein: Use homemade or store-bought seitan chicken, Tofurky chick’n, Soy Curls, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, or Great Northern beans.

Vary the veggies: Add red bell peppers, mushrooms, spring peas, cubed potatoes, leeks, and/or kale.

Be aware that if you add a lot more ingredients (especially ones that absorb liquid like potatoes), you’ll likely need to add more broth and seasonings.

Add a delicious finish: For brightness, finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle on vegan parmesan cheese. Or add a handful of freshly chopped parsley or cilantro.

This comforting vegan chicken noodle soup has protein, veggies, and carbs. It’s basically a full meal on its own.

You can serve it with crackers & dairy-free cheese, like tofu ricotta or vegan feta.

It also pairs well with a simple spinach salad.

Leftover soup will keep for 3 or 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Be aware that the noodles will continue to soften in the broth & soak up liquid.

It’s not a problem for me. But if you are concerned about the noodles becoming too soft, you can remove them & store separately.

Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until warm.

You can freeze the soup without the noodles in a freezer bag or freezer-proof container. (Noodles get too mushy in the freezer.)

Once you’re ready to enjoy the soup, move it to the refrigerator to thaw.

Then reheat in a pot on the stove or microwave. Cook noodles separately & add them.

📖 Recipe

Vegan chicken noodle soup

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 5 votes

It doesn't get cozier than vegan chicken noodle soup! It's loaded with veggies, noodles, and satiating vegan chicken. This one-pot meal is a great antidote to cold weather or if the sniffles have got you down.

Serves 4 as a meal, 8 as a side.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: cold weather food, comfort food

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred oil
• ▢ 1 cup chopped onions white or yellow
• ▢ ¾ cup sliced celery
• ▢ 1 cup sliced carrots
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ Generous dash of pepper
• ▢ 7 cups water
• ▢ 1 ½ Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon, no chicken base
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 8 ounces vegan chicken about 1.5 cups, chopped small
• ▢ 3 cups small shaped pasta about 6 ounces
• ▢ Handful of fresh parsley chopped, optional garnish

Instructions

• ▢
  Bring a large soup pot to a medium heat with oil. Add chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for a few minutes, until onions are translucent and fragrant.
• ▢
  Add dried parsley, dried thyme, dried basil, and a generous dash of pepper. Fully combine with the veggies.
• ▢
  Add water, Better Than Bouillon no chicken base, and bay leaves. Stir and bring to a boil.
• ▢
  Once the water is boiling, add small shaped pasta and vegan chicken. Boil until the pasta is al dente. (That's usually about a minute short of what's listed on the package instructions. If using Great Value egg-free ribbons, boil for about 5 minutes.)
• ▢
  Once the noodles are al dente, lower the heat and cook for a couple minutes more. You want time to allow the flavors to meld & the soup to come to a reasonable eating temperature.
• ▢
  Remove the bay leaves. Taste for salt & pepper, and add more if needed. Then serve. Garnish with a handful of chopped fresh parsley, if you like.

Notes

Vegan chicken noodle soup is usually made with egg noodles. Walmart sells egg-free noodles from Great Value that work well here. Or you can use any small-shaped pasta you enjoy like farfalle or fusilli. 

For vegan chicken, Tofurky lightly seasoned chick’n works well here. Look for it in the refrigerated section. Or you can use store-bought or homemade vegan seitan chicken. One other option is that you can replace vegan chicken with 1.5 cups of chickpeas, Great Northern beans, or cannellini beans. 

Storage instructions

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days.

Be aware that the noodles will continue to soften in the broth & soak up liquid. If you are concerned about them becoming too soft, you can remove the noodles & store them separately.

Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave until warm.

You can freeze the soup without the noodles in a freezer bag or freezer-proof container. Once you’re ready to enjoy the soup, move it to the refrigerator to thaw. Then reheat in a pot on the stove or microwave. Cook noodles separately & add them.

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Nutrition

Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5453IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg