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Featuring ready-to-use tofu, vegetable bouillon, tiny pasta stars, chopped vegetables, and fresh herbs, this vegetarian chicken noodle soup recipe provides a meatless alternative to traditional chicken noodle.
Reminiscent of canned “no chicken noodle” soup but prepared with fresh vegetables, this veggie-friendly soup offers up a big bowl of comfort on sick days, snow days, or any day at all. Warm and hearty, It’s almost like eating a hug.
Why Make Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup?
I’m a longtime vegetarian/pescatarian, but I still love a good bowl of chicken noodle soup. For me, this comfort food classic represents both a “sick day” staple (especially when paired with a stack of Saltine crackers!) and a dose of childhood nostalgia.
When I lived in the US, I always kept a few cans of Amy’s No Chicken Noodle soup in the pantry for whenever a craving hit. Unfortunately, Amy’s products aren’t readily available in the UK, and I haven’t found a suitable vegetarian or vegan chicken noodle soup alternative. So, I’ve started making my own vegetarian chicken noodle soup.
Easy and inexpensive to prepare, this vegetarian soup recipe features staple ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen cabient, so you can cook up a pot without a trip to the grocery store.
Chicken Noodle Soup (Without the Chicken!)
Exactly how do I make chicken noodle soup without chicken? Ready-to-use tofu!
Unlike a standard block of tofu, ready-to-use-tofu (a.k.a. “quick and tasty” tofu, “ready to cook” tofu, or “marinated” tofu) already boasts a chewy texture similiar to chicken. It does not require pressing or freezing, and—as the name suggests—comes ready to use straight out of the package. For this no chicken noodle soup recipe, I used Cauldron Quick and Tasty Tofu:
Instead of ready-to-use tofu, you can try a vegetarian chicken substitute such as frozen “chicken style” or “no chicken” pieces (although I haven’t personally tested this swap, so experiment at your own risk!) Or, freeze a block of traditional firm or extra-firm tofu before making the soup. Freezing gives tofu a meatier, spongier texture, more closely reminiscent of chicken than the smooth, soft texture of tofu right out of the package.
Regardless of the type, I prefer to use my hands to crumble the tofu into the soup, rather than slicing it into cubes.
Ingredients for Making No Chicken Noodle Soup
In addition to ready-to-use tofu, the following ingredients help to make this meatless soup great:
Good-quality vegetable bouillon
Choose a flavorful brand, and not a “low sodium” variety. I recently bought low sodium bouillon cubes by accident, and couldn’t understand why my food lacked flavor—don’t make this mistake!
Pastina (teeny tiny pasta shapes)
I developed this recipe with pasta stars, but you can also use another type of pastina (“little pasta”), such as alphabet letters. I haven’t tested this recipe with egg noodles or larger pasta shapes, but if you choose to go this route, you’ll need to increase the amount of liquid (and the cook time) accordingly.
White wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce
These ingredients provide a touch of acid and an extra umami hit. For acid, you can substitute another vinegar (such as white vinegar or malt vinegar), or add a squeeze of lemon juice. And if you don’t have Worcestershire, Marmite works equally well.
Olive oil
For cooking the vegetables. You can also use unsalted butter, or substitute garlic oil for an additional flavor boost.
Good-quality herbs and spices
We’re all guilty of keeping a few ancient bottles in the back of the spice cabinet, but old dried spices don’t contribute much in the way of flavor. (Old bay leaves seem to be especially useless!) So check those dates, and make sure your bay leaf, onion powder, and dried basil were purchased relatively recently.
Fresh vegetables
Chopped celery, carrots, and onion help to build a flavorful base for this vegetarian chicken noodle soup. I don’t recommend using frozen vegetables. And ditto on the parsley and thyme—choose fresh, fragrant herbs, rather than dried.
Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup Tips and Tricks
This vegetarian chicken noodle soup requires no fancy equipment, but you will need a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot. You’ll also want to have a good-quality ladle on hand for serving your soup. I prefer to use a metal ladle, rather than a silicone or plastic one.
Taste as you go! Vegetable broths and bouillon cubes vary wildly in taste and quality, and some add more flavor than others. The same goes for dried herbs and spices. As you cook, continue to taste the broth and season as required.
Do not overcook the pasta. Small pasta shapes cook very quickly anyway, and the pasta will continue to soften even after you’ve removed the pot from the heat. Cook just 4-5 minutes, or until pasta is barely tender. You don’t want mushy soup.
Serving Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup
This no chicken noodle soup makes a great lunch, or a simple weeknight dinner. Serve it alongside:
- Puff pastry cheese sticks (or anchovy sticks, if you’re pescatarian like me!)
- Homemade dinner rolls or a slice of soda bread
- Savory hand pies or a puff pastry tart
- A giant green salad, or a fruit salad
- Croutons or crackers (oyster crackers or even just classic Saltines)
Is This Also a Vegan Chicken Soup?
Yes! Although I developed this as a vegetarian chicken noodle soup recipe, it’s technically vegan as well. Just double-check the bouillon cubes and pasta to make sure that these ingredients do not contain any animal products.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
This vegetarian chicken noodle soup is best eaten while piping hot, ladled into bowls straight from the stovetop.
That said, you’ll enjoy the leftovers, too. I like to stir in an extra 230 milliliters (1 cup) of water before transferring my leftover soup to an airtight container—while refrigerated, the pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so the extra water helps the leftovers to remain soup-like rather than overly thick.
Reheat soup in a saucepan on the stovetop. Or, ladle the leftovers into serving bowls and microwave it on medium-high power, stopping to stir periodically until evenly heated throughout.
Other savory vegetarian recipes you might enjoy:
Cheese Pizza Rolls
Pithivier with Mushrooms, Leeks, and Potatoes
Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza
Baked Veggie Nuggets
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Print
Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
Description
A vegetarian chicken noodle soup recipe, for those who prefer their chicken noodle soup without the chicken!
Ingredients
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium (6-7-inch) carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1.65 liters water (7 cups)
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
125 grams ready-to-use tofu, crumbled (about 1 cup)
85 grams pasta stars, or other tiny pasta shapes (1/2 cup uncooked pasta)
10 grams chopped fresh parsley, plus more to garnish (1/3 cup, not packed)
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot.
Add the onion, celery, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat until celery is soft and onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the carrots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes more.
Add the water, bouillon cubes, dried basil, onion powder, and thyme.
Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Add the bay leaf and crumbled tofu and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Stir in the pasta and cook for4-5 minutes more, or until pasta is just barely tender. (Do not overcook—pasta will continue to soften as the soup cools.)
Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, white wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to three days. Soup can be reheated in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Notes
*I like to add an extra 230 milliliters (1 cup) of water to the leftover soup. The pasta will absorb additional water in the fridge, and I’ve found that this helps the leftovers to remain soup-like.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Stovetop