Chickpea Noodle Soup is comforting, nourishing, and sure to make you feel better, no matter what ails you. It's like the classic chicken noodle soup you grew up with, only vegan!
I received a complimentary copy of Homestyle Vegan to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
To me, soup is the ultimate comfort food. Whether it's creamy Tomato Basil Soup or silky Vegan Potato Leek Soup, it's like a hug in a bowl.
As a kid growing up, there was nothing like a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup to make me feel better when I was under the weather. Of course, my mom usually heated up a can of Campbell's condensed soup with that distinctive salty yellow broth. I had a choice of noodle shapes since she always kept the pantry well stocked.
So when I learned I could pick a recipe from the cookbook Homestyle Vegan to share with you, I was immediately drawn to the Chickpea Noodle Soup. I've been excited about the book ever since I heard Amber was working on it. You may be familiar with Amber's work from her website Good Saint (formerly Fettle Vegan). She creates delicious plant-based recipes, many of which are gluten-free.
And now when I eat this Chickpea Noodle Soup, it almost feels like a warm embrace from my mom.
Homestyle Vegan
Before we get to the Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe, I want to share with you a little more about Homestyle Vegan. While other vegan cookbooks often rely on faux meats and tofu, this cookbook leaves them out completely.
There's no weird or exotic ingredients here. You can easily find all the ingredients at your local market. And while the dishes are typically American, they also work well as part of a Mediterranean diet.
In addition, the recipes are very personal to Amber, based on what she grew up eating in Maine. You'll find remakes of classic dishes such as French Onion Soup, Green Bean Casserole with Crunchy Onions, and Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies.
The book is divided into the following sections:
- Rise + Shine
- Meals That'll Stick To Your Ribs
- Feed Your Friends
- Crowd-Pleasers
- Cook Up Some Comfort Food
- Bake Sale-Worthy Baked Goods
- When Cookies Won't Cut It
- Have A Drink
- Stock Your Pantry
Besides the soup, I've also tried the Sloppy Chicks, which is a healthier (and delicious) version of Sloppy Joes.
And I'm really excited to try these recipes:
- Rosemary Garlic Hasselback Potatoes
- Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Vegetable Pot Pie
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
I could go on and on! And I really think you're going to love the Chickpea Noodle Soup.
Instructions
This soup is easy to make with basic ingredients. In fact, you may already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen, like onion, carrots, and chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
You can make it in well under an hour, which is a requirement for me when I'm feeling under the weather.
- In a cast-iron Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, fresh thyme and bay leaf and sauté until the veggies are softened, but not browned.
- Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Once the soup is boiling, add the noodles and chickpeas and cook for about 8 minutes, until the noodles are almost completely cooked. They will continue cooking in the liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the heat and serve with freshly chopped parsley and salty crackers or bread.
This recipe is perfect for freezing in individual portions so that you always have some when you need it. I love it whenever I'm in need of some cozy comfort food. Plus it's perfect when I have a cold or allergies.
Storing
Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen indefinitely and reheated as needed. I recommend leaving out the noodles when you freeze the soup. Then quickly cook some pasta in your favorite shape and add it to the soup after you reheat it.
More easy vegan soups
When I want other classic soups from my childhood, I like to make Vegan Vegetable Soup. Or if I'm in the mood for something spicy, especially when I'm congested or my sinuses are acting up, I turn to Vegan Taco Soup.
And soup is so easy to make if you have an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker. Some of my favorites are Vegan Wild Rice Soup, Vegan Potato Corn Chowder, and Instant Pot Lentil Soup.
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★
📋 Recipe
Chickpea Noodle Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 quarts vegetable broth
- 8 ounces whole wheat rotini noodles, (or substitute gluten-free noodles)
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a cast-iron Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, fresh thyme and bay leaf and sauté until the veggies are softened, but not browned.
- Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
- Once the soup is boiling, add the noodles and chickpeas and cook for about 8 minutes, until the noodles are almost completely cooked (don’t worry, they’ll continue cooking in the water). Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the heat and serve with freshly chopped parsley and salty crackers or bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Hannah
Made this today to satisfy a hearty soup craving and it was delicious. The kids had multiple bowls too. I added a little dill because it’s growing well in the garden, and for some reason dill finds its way into all of my veggie soups.
Amy Katz
Dill is a wonderful addition. I will try that the next time I make this soup. Thank you, Hannah!
LisaRose
Hi, Amy,
Could you veganize Italian Wedding soup, or it’s Mexican counterpart, albóndigas? How about pozole? Thanks!
Amy Katz
I'll add them to my list!
Christina
Yes, this is tasty and healthy! I suggest you try this with organic gluten free millet, as an alternative to noodles or pasta. Don't we love soups?
Amy Katz
I love that suggestions, Christina. Millet is so good and nutritious!
Aubrey
This recipe is AMAZING - I found this post last month and have already made it 3 times. I did not have fresh thyme but did have good quality dried thyme, I added 2 tsp of that and I think it worked really well. I also think what I did that worked really well was make vegetable stock using Better Than Bouillon Not Chicken variety - it tastes exactly like chicken noodle soup. I have been vegan for 3 years and vegetarian for many years before that, so having this recipe is a great cruelty free way to wax nostalgic. Thank you for sharing!
Amy Katz
I'm so glad you are enjoying the soup, Aubrey! Great idea to use the Better Than Bouillon Not Chicken!
Kendraking
I made this soup and my family absolutely loves it!
Amy Katz
I'm so happy to hear this!
Ashlyn
Made this soup when I had the stomach bug and I ate it for a week. It was amazing! Making it again soon!
Amy Katz
That's fantastic, Ashlyn! I'm glad you're feeling better now.
Erin Spencer
Bang on. Ate this for days when I was sick with a cold. It saved my life and got more delicious every day!
Amy Katz
That's fantastic to hear, Erin! So glad the soup helped.
Onahleigh
This sounds absolutely perfect for me right now, I’m always nervous though about adding uncooked noodles to a soup and then leaving it on the stove for too long and getting mooshy noodles 😬 how long can this be left on the stove for? I make dinner and leave for work and my husband comes home and eats about 2 hours later.. would I need to refrigerate this after I finish making it?
Amy Katz
I think that will be fine. But another option is to cook the noodles separately and then add them to the soup before eating.
Faith Segal
Excellent! I think that next time we'll make it we'll try with some additional vegetables, like pumpkin and squash.
Amy Katz
Great idea, thanks Faith!
Linda
I made this when I was fighting off a cold. I had all the ingredients except the thyme. It was the tastiest soup I had in a long time. I finished the entire batch in 3 days and will be making this a staple soup in my household!
Amy Katz
That's fantastic to hear, Linda! I hope it helped you get over your cold.
Elsie
Made this for friends who are vegans. It is easy and delicious.
Amy Katz
Thank you, Elsie!
Lisa
Any suggestions as far as change of ingredient measurements or order of steps to make this soup in an Instant Pot?
Amy
Hi Lisa, I haven't tried making this soup in my Instant Pot yet, but I did find this article that might help: https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/how-to-convert-a-recipe-into-a-pressure-cooker-recipe/
Amber
AMY! Thank you SO much for your glowing and gorgeous review! Im makes me so happy to hear that you loved the soup! XOXO
Amy
Congratulations on such beautiful cookbook, Amber! I am so happy for you!