Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

This cozy vegan chicken noodle soup features savory baked tofu, lots of noodles, and tender veggies simmered in seasoned vegetable broth. Tastes just like the stuff mom used to make, without the meat!

I went a bit off track last week and shared something sweet in the middle of the week, so now I’m going to continue with the trend and share something savory over the weekend Boy, things are getting crazy around these parts! Also, it’s a chilly, overcast Sunday where I’m at, and as I might have mentioned before, it was a heck of a week. What better way to unwind and restore than with a cozy bowl of vegan chicken noodle soup?

This one has honestly been a long time coming. It was before I even started blogging that my husband (who I really have to thank for much of the motivation and inspiration behind these recipes) asked if I could create a vegan chicken noodle soup. A few years later I’m happy to say that the answer is a resounding yes.

I almost used seitan in place of chicken here. It would certainly make things easier and seitan more closely resembles chicken. In the end I decided against it because (1) you guys generally seem to prefer tofu, and (2) concocting a savory tofu for this soup sounded like lots of fun.

And fun it was. Delicious too. I dug the seasonings big time, and I’m pretty darn sure this formula will make a repeat performance in at least a few other recipes this winter.

If you prefer seitan, feel free to substitute it for the tofu. No need to bother with the marinating and baking though. Just chop it up and brown it a bit, or go super lazy and skip the browning.

FAQ & Tips for Making Awesome Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

• Wait, poultry seasoning…doesn’t that contain poultry? The only poultry seasoning I’ve ever come across is just a blend of herbs, but check the ingredients just to be safe. I used McCormick brand, and I can confirm that that one is vegan.
• What about the pasta. Doesn’t that contain egg? Dried pasta is generally vegan! There are a few exceptions, like egg noodles, so check the ingredients before buying.
• Look for liquid smoke near the barbecue sauces at your supermarket.
• To keep this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.

Need some guidance on how to make my vegan chicken noodle soup? Check out my video!

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5 from 2 votes

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Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

This cozy vegan chicken noodle soup features savory baked tofu, lots of noodles, and tender veggies simmered in seasoned vegetable broth. Tastes just like the stuff mom used to make, without the meat!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy vegan soup, tofu recipes, tofu soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 301 kcal

Author Alissa

Ingredients

For the Savory Baked Tofu

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
• 1 lb. firm or extra firm tofu, drained, pressed at least 20 minutes, and diced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes

For the Tofu Noodle Soup

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine, optional, but really nice
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 6 oz. rotini pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh parsley

Instructions

Make the Savory Baked Tofu

1. Stir together broth, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, poultry seasoning, olive oil and liquid smoke in a medium bowl. Add tofu cubes and toss a few times to coat. Allow to marinate about 30 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed, tossing occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment. Arrange tofu cubes in an even layer on parchment and bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Make the Tofu Noodle Soup

1. While tofu bakes, coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place over medium heat. When oil is hot, add leeks, celery, carrots and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are slightly softened, 5 minutes.
2. If using wine, add it now and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook, uncovered, until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
3. Add broth, thyme and bay leaf. Stir a few times and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. While soup simmers, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain into a colander and toss with a bit of olive oil.

5. If you're serving all of the soup right away, add the pasta and the tofu, then ladle into bowls. Othewise, divide the pasta and tofu into bowls and ladle soup overtop. Sprinkle with parsley. Store the leftover soup separatedly from the pasta and marinated tofu to avoid it getting soggy/losing flavor.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to substitute seitan or your favorite savory marinated tofu. You can skip the marinating and baking steps if you do that.

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

Amount Per Serving (2 cups (1/6 of the total recipe))

Calories 301 Calories from Fat 102

% Daily Value*

Fat 11.3g17%

Saturated Fat 2.1g11%

Sodium 1275mg53%

Potassium 644mg18%

Carbohydrates 26.6g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4.1g5%

Protein 17.3g35%

Calcium 160mg16%

Iron 4.1mg23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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