There’s just something nostalgic about noodle soup. Many people know that this recipe is often used as a get-well remedy or merely a comforting meal. If you’re pining for flavors of the past in a plant-based format then you’ll love this vegan version of the classic chicken noodle soup from Rebecca Hincke, author of The Vegan Pasta Cookbook. What’s better than a vegan “chicken” noodle soup sans chicken? This recipe includes tofu pieces instead of chicken and typical plant-based ingredients that are simple and nutritious.

The recipe swaps out chicken broth for vegetable broth and contains small soup pasta. You can use any small soup pasta at your local grocery store. You’ll likely find orzo, stelline, margheritine, or ditalini pretty easily. This recipe uses stelline which is a pasta shaped like little flowers. Whichever pasta you choose, just be sure the shapes are small enough to cook when put directly into the soup. If you opt for larger pasta, simply cook separately until al dente and add to your vegan chicken noodle soup when it has finished cooking.

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Vegan chicken noodle soup

Enjoy the chewy texture of baked tofu mixed with classic veggies like carrots, celery, corn, and onion to make a comforting vegan alternative to the classic chicken noodle soup. The addition of rosemary, thyme, garlic, and lemon to the vegetable broth make this soup all the more tasty. Finally, the small pieces of pasta added to the recipe ties all the elements together for a comforting meal.

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Servings people

Ingredients

For the baked tofu

297 grams extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

For the soup

2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
1 large white onion finely diced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
4-5 large cloves garlic minced
2 medium carrots diced
1 large rib celery diced
2 litres vegetable broth
1 cup water plus more as needed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 dried bay leaves
Few sprigs each of fresh rosemary and thyme (optional)
85-142 grams dried small soup pasta
1 cup frozen or canned whole kernel corn
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve

Few sprigs each of fresh rosemary and thyme, leaves only (optional)
Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

Start by making the baked tofu. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Dice the tofu or break it into small chunks and transfer to a bowl. Add the olive oil and soy sauce, and season with salt and pepper.
Toss to fully coat the tofu, then bake for 30 minutes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Once golden and crispy, remove the tofu from the oven and set aside. (alternatively, use vegan chicken pieces and add to saucepan).
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.
If you’re using vegan chicken pieces, add the chicken, along with the herbs, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken starts to brown slightly.
Add the garlic, carrots, and celery, and cook for another 5 minutes to soften up the veg before pouring in broth and water, along with the lemon juice, bay leaves, and fresh herbs (if using).
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the pasta and increase the heat to medium.
Cook for another 10 minutes at a gentle boil, then add the corn and baked tofu “chicken” (if using) and simmer for a few minutes more.
Remove the bay leaves before serving. Season with salt and pepper. If the pasta has thickened the soup too much, feel free to add a little extra water and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
Garnish with herbs and a sprinkle of Almond Parm, if you like.

If the pasta you’re using requires more or less cooking time, adjust accordingly.

If you want the soup to remain more broth-like, you can cook the pasta separately—to al dente—drain, and stir into the soup just before serving.

This recipe was republished with permission from food photographer and recipe developer, Rebecca Hincke. You can find her Instagram here and her cookbook The Vegan Pasta Cookbook here.