Ready for an easy vegan noodle soup recipe with a rich flavorful broth? This comforting recipe is a family-friendly meal that's not only quick and easy to prepare, but also packed with healthy ingredients. Perfect for those busy weeknights when you want a nutritious, satisfying dinner without the fuss.
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There's nothing quite like a good bowl of warm, comforting noodle soup, especially during those chilly Canadian winters. It's like receiving a cozy hug in a bowl! This vegan noodle soup recipe is not just a simple, nourishing meal to warm you up, but it's also a family favorite that has been passed down from my beloved Grandma, my Vovo.
Vovo was my inspiration and motivation in the kitchen. Despite living halfway across the world from each other, our shared love for cooking brought us together. As a child, I didn't quite understand her meticulous ways in the kitchen, like her careful peeling of garlic or her constant tasting and adjusting of recipes. But as I grew older, I began to appreciate these moments and her kitchen became a sanctuary for me, filled with fragrant smells, wonderful flavors, and good company.
This easy soup recipe, inspired by Vovo, is made with minimal ingredients and comes together quickly. It's a versatile dish where you can add any veggies you like, and it's easily adaptable to be gluten-free by using rice-based noodles. The key to this soup is to take the time to sauté the onions and garlic with the spices, allowing the flavors to fully develop. One thing she taught me was that the broth of the soup is the difference between great and just OK.
This vegan noodle soup recipe may be simple, but it's packed with flavor and love, just like Vovo's cooking. She also inspired these delicious Brazilian vegan cheese breads (which make the perfect pairing to this recipe)
👪Why Your Family Will Love This Recipe
As a mom with a family of my own, I know how important it is to find meals that everyone will enjoy. This vegan noodle soup recipe is a hit in my house, and here's why I think your family will love it too:
- It's Delicious: This soup is packed with flavor. The combination of fresh veggies, hearty tofu, and chickpeas in a savory broth makes for an irresistible meal.
- It's Nutritious: This soup is not just tasty, but also packed with nutrients. It's full of protein from the tofu and chickpeas, and vitamins and minerals from the veggies.
- It's Versatile: This recipe is flexible. You can easily swap out the veggies based on what your family likes or what you have on hand.
- It's an Easy Dinner: This soup is simple to prepare and doesn't require any fancy cooking skills. Plus, it's a one-pot meal, which means less cleanup!
🥒 Will Picky Eaters Like This Vegetarian Noodle Soup?
As a parent, I've had my fair share of dealing with picky eaters. But this vegetarian noodle soup has been a game-changer. Here's why my pickiest eaters enjoyed this recipe and why your may too:
- Familiar Ingredients: This soup uses familiar ingredients like pasta and veggies, which are usually well-accepted by picky eaters.
- Customizable Toppings: Kids love to customize their food. They can add their favorite toppings like crispy tofu, chickpeas, or even some shredded cheese if dairy isn't an issue.
- Fun to Eat: There's something fun about slurping up noodles. It makes mealtime less of a chore and more of an adventure.
- Great Texture and Flavor: The soup has a pleasing texture from the pasta and veggies and a savory flavor from the broth. It's a combination that's sure to win over picky eaters.
⏲️ Time-Saving Tips
Whipping up a hearty vegan soup doesn't have to consume your entire evening. Here are a few tips to help you save time:
- Use Canned Chickpeas: While cooking chickpeas from scratch can be cost-effective and healthier, canned chickpeas are a great time-saver. Just be sure to rinse them well before using them.
- Use Store-Bought Broth: If you're short on time, using a store-bought broth can be a great alternative to homemade. Choose a low-sodium version to control the salt level in your soup.
- Use Leftovers for Protein: If you don't have time to prepare the tofu or chickpeas, use any leftover cooked protein that you have on hand. This doubles as a great budget and waste saver too!
- Double the Recipe: This soup is perfect for meal prep. It keeps well in the fridge for up to a week, and it freezes beautifully. Make a double batch and you'll have a ready-to-go dinner for another night.
🍜Ingredients
Creating this delicious vegan noodle soup recipe begins with gathering simple ingredients. Here is what you need:
- Gluten-free elbow pasta: I used Barilla for this recipe, but any brand works. It adds a delightful texture to the soup.
- Onions: I love using onions to form the base of the soup. Onions give it a sweet and savory flavor.
- Garlic: Along with the onion this is my usual base for most recipes. It helps create a delicious base.
- Carrots: A classic in most soup recipes. Along with the garlic and onions, it helps create flavor.
- Vegetable broth: I used a store-bought version for this recipe. Make sure to check the label to ensure it is gluten-free.
- Bay leaves: To enrich the flavor of the broth
- Italian seasoning: Adds a nice flavor.
- Soy sauce: Just enough to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Lemon juice: A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens up the flavors.
Additional Optional Ingredients:
- Button mushrooms: I love adding mushrooms to enhance the flavor and bring a deep richness to our broth. Plus it is a great way to get my kiddos to eat them.
- Green beans: For a pop of color.
- Kale: Kale helps make this soup hearty and nutritious. Plus, they add a beautiful color!
- Firm tofu and chickpeas: Our plant-based protein source! Crispy chickpea and tofu cubes are a must in my opinion!
- Tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt: These are for the crispy tofu and chickpeas. They make them flavorful and deliciously crispy.
For full quantities, see the recipe card for the full recipe.
💡 Recipe Tips for the Best Hearty Vegan Soup Recipe
Creating the best hearty vegan noodle soup recipe starts with understanding a few key cooking tips:
- Invest in Good Broth: The broth is the backbone of making a delicious soup. A homemade broth will make all the difference. That's why we add so many ingredients like onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, and spices. If you're using store-bought broth, choose a low-sodium version so you can control the salt level.
- Don't Overcook the Noodles: To avoid mushy noodles, cook them until they're just al dente. They'll continue to cook a bit in the hot soup.
- Don't add the Noodles: If are making a large batch or plan on leftovers, cook the noodles in a separate pot and add them when you are ready to eat. This will prevent the noodles from getting soggy.
- Add Kale at the End: Adding the kale at the end ensures it stays bright and vibrant, adding a beautiful pop of color to your soup.
- Season to Taste: Don't forget to taste your soup before serving. Adjust the salt and spices as needed. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end can brighten up the flavors.
Remember, the best meals are made with love and patience. Enjoy the process of creating this lovely soup, and your family will enjoy eating it!
👩🏽🍳Step-By-Step Instructions: Vegan Noodle Soup
Just a few simple steps to create this one-pot vegan chicken noodle soup topped with crispy chickpeas and tofu!
Step 1: Preheat
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating, you can start prepping your veggies.
Step 2: Prepare the tofu and chickpeas
In a bowl, mix the ingredients for tofu and spread them out on an oiled baking sheet (or use a non-stick baking mat). To the same bowl add the ingredients for the chickpeas, mix, and spread onto the same baking pan. Don't overcrowd the pan and bake until crispy, about 25 minutes.
Pro tip: Stir them halfway through to ensure they get crispy on all sides.
Step 3: Sauté onions
Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once they soften (about 2 minutes), add in the mushroom, carrots, garlic, salt, and Italian seasoning. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.
Pro tip: Sautéing the onions until they're golden brown will add a depth of flavor to your soup.
Step 4: Make the soup broth
Once sautéed, add in the green beans, broth, and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
Step 5: Add the noodles
Once the soup is boiling, add in the noodles. Continue to cook until the noodles are done.
Pro tip: Don't overcook the noodles, you want them to have some firmness to them
Step 6: Add the kale and lemon juice.
Then add in the chopped kale, mix, and remove from the heat. Let it sit until the kale wilts. Pour in the lemon juice and stir.
Pro tip: Adding the kale at the end ensures it stays bright and vibrant, adding a beautiful pop of color to your soup.
Step 7: Top with protein
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy tofu and chickpeas, some green onions, and parsley.
Remember, this veggie noodle soup recipe is not just about following the steps. It's about enjoying the process of creating something delicious and healthy from scratch.
🥬 Substitutions & Variations
In my kitchen, we use what we have on hand. It's okay if you're missing an ingredient or two from this vegan noodle soup recipe. This section is here to help you make substitutions and variations based on what you have available or your family's preferences.
Substitutions:
- Gluten-free elbow pasta: You can substitute it with other types of gluten-free noodles like rice noodles, ramen noodles or egg noodles, if gluten isn't a concern.
- Onions: Leeks or green onions can be used in place of onions.
- Garlic: If you're out of fresh garlic, garlic powder or minced garlic from a jar can work in a pinch.
- Carrots: Parsnips or sweet potatoes can be used as a substitute for carrots.
- Vegetable broth: Vegetable stock or a bouillon cube dissolved in water can be used if you're not strictly vegetarian.
- Bay leaves and Italian seasoning: If you don't have these, you can use a mix of dried basil, oregano, and thyme, or even celery salt.
- Lemon juice: If you don't have fresh lemons, white wine vinegar can add a similar tang.
- Button mushrooms: Portobello or cremini mushrooms can be used instead.
- Green beans: You can substitute with peas or asparagus.
- Kale: Spinach or Swiss chard can be used in place of kale.
- Firm tofu and chickpeas: If you're not vegan, you could use cooked chicken or turkey. For a vegan option, canned lentils work well or soy curls.
- Tapioca flour: Cornstarch can be used as a substitute for tapioca flour.
Variations:
- Thick Soup: For a thicker soup, you can blend a portion of the soup and mix it back in.
- Creamy Vegetable Noodle Soup: Add a splash of coconut milk for a creamy vegetable noodle soup.
- Spicy Noodle Soup: Add a dash of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of chili paste for a spicy noodle soup.
- Add Grains: You can add cooked quinoa or rice for extra heartiness.
- Use Different Proteins: Try it with tempeh or seitan instead of tofu and chickpeas.
- Umami Kick: Add a splash of soy sauce for an extra umami flavor.
Remember, the best part about cooking is making a recipe your own. Feel free to experiment and adjust this recipe to suit your family's tastes and needs. Enjoy your cooking adventure!
❔FAQ
Of course! If tofu or chickpeas aren't your thing, you can substitute it with other plant-based proteins like lentils or tempeh. If you're not strictly vegan, cooked chicken or turkey would work too.
Yes, you can! For a slow cooker, add all the ingredients (except the pasta and kale) and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add the pasta and kale in the last 15-20 minutes. For an Instant Pot, sauté the veggies, add the remaining ingredients (except the pasta and kale), and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release. Add the pasta and kale, and use the sauté function to cook until the pasta is done.
This soup is already a pretty complete meal with protein, veggies, and carbs. But if you want to add something on the side, a simple green salad, some crusty gluten-free bread, or even some roasted veggies would complement this soup nicely.
If you find that the noodles have absorbed a lot of the broth, don't worry! You can simply add more broth or water to the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you're planning on having leftovers, you might want to cook the noodles separately and add them to individual servings. This way, the noodles won't continue to absorb the broth as the soup sits.
🥣Make this next
I hope you enjoyed this vegan noodle soup recipe. If you did please leave a star rating or comment, we love to hear from you! If you are looking for more easy nourishing family meals check out thsee recipes:
Until next time, tchau
📖 Recipe
Easy vegan noddle soup
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 button mushrooms diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce sub with ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 8 cups vegetable broth homemade if possible
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 box gluten free elbow pasta I used Barilla
- 2 cups green beans quartered
- 2 cups kale chopped
- ¼ cup lemon juice
Crispy tofu
- 1 block firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Crispy chickpea
- 1 cup cooked chickpea or 1 can
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl add the ingredients for the tofu and mix. Place onto a baking sheet. Then to the same bowl add the ingredients for the chickpeas. Mix and then add to the baking sheet. Bake in the oven until crispy, about 25 minutes.*Make sure you don't crowd the baking pan. You can also cook this step in an air fryer at 375 for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat saute the onions in olive. Once they soften (roughly 2 minutes) add in the garlic, mushrooms, carrots, salt, and Italian seasoning. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.
- Next, add in the broth, soy sauce, green beans, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once the soup is boiling add in the noodles and green beans. Continue to cook until the noodles are done.
- Then add in the chopped kale, mix, and remove from the heat. Let it sit until the kale wilts. Pour in the lemon juice, stir then serve.
- Ladle into bowls and top with the crispy tofu, some green onions and parsley.
