A plant-based soup for the soul.
My recipe is the perfect alternative to traditional chicken noodle soup. I use simple ingredient swaps that keep all the flavor and nutrition we cherish in this familiar comfort food. This chicken-less and egg-less soup lacks nothing in nutritional benefits so make it for a friend that's come down with a cold or when you need an easy dinner that will have plenty of leftovers. Soy curls have 10 grams of protein per serving, so adding them in with the vegetables makes this a well-rounded meal. My trick for getting the best flavor for this (and any soup I make) is to let it sit overnight in the fridge then serve the next day. Also, you can add the cooked pasta noodles right into the soup, but to keep the noodles from getting mushy, I cook them separately and leave them out of the soup until I'm ready to serve. When I reheat the soup leftovers, it's easy to throw a pot of water on and cook up some noodles to add in fresh.
A little about the ingredients
Soy Curls - Soy curls are a great meat alternative that can be used in many recipes that call for chicken. They come dry packaged and can be re-hydrated before cooking by soaking in water or broth then baking, boiling, or pan-frying.
Chicken-less Seasoning - Chicken-less seasoning is similar to chicken bouillon. A blend of spices that flavor any recipe with chicken seasonings. Often the spices, not the meat, are what give a recipe its familiar "chicken" flavor.
Refined Coconut Oil - Refined coconut oil is a more processed version of coconut oil that results in a milder-taste (less coconut flavor) and a higher smoke point than unrefined coconut oil.
Monosodium Glutamate - A common (and sometimes controversial) ingredient that enriches any food. Full information about what it is and how to use it can be found here
Chicken-less Noodle Soup
Prep time: 30 mins. Cook time: 40 mins. Serves: 8-10
Ingredients:
Soy Curl "chicken" and broth ingredients:
3 c. water
2 Tb. vegan chicken-less Seasoning (I this one from Trader Joe's)
2 Tb. refined coconut oil
8 oz. Butler Soy Curls
Vegetables:
4 c. carrots chopped
4 c. celery diced
2 c. onions chopped
2 cloves of garlic
Spices:
2 Tb. dried parsley
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. celery salt (optional to taste, can use regular salt instead)
1 tsp. vegan chicken-less seasoning
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. monosodium glutamate (optional)
Other ingredients:
32 oz. vegetable broth
8-10 c. water (depending on soup consistency preference)
3 Tb. plant-based butter (can use oil instead)
26 oz. pasta noodles (I used these)
Equipment:
Large pot with lid
Medium-sized pot
Medium-sized mixing bowl
Instructions:
1. Make broth and soak soy curls
In a medium-sized pot over med/high heat, add 3 c. water, coconut oil, and chicken-less seasoning to make a broth then heat up a low boil
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add soy curls and pour hot broth over the top and leave to marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients
2. Prep and cook vegetables
Chop carrots, celery, and onion into similar bite-sized pieces
Finely mince garlic
In a large stockpot over med/high heat, melt plant-based butter
Add carrots, onion, and celery and cook until vegetables begin to slightly soften and lighten in color about 7-8 minutes
Add minced garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute
Add parsley, thyme, celery salt, chicken-less seasoning, and black pepper and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant
3. Add soy curls, broth, vegetable stock, and water to the vegetables
To the stockpot with vegetables, add the soy curls and the broth they were marinating in, vegetable stock, and 8-10 c. water
Bring soup to a boil, then a slow simmer for at least 20 minutes until vegetables are soft and some liquid reduced
4. Cook pasta noodles (I recommend adding cooked noodles once the soup is done or at the time of serving)
In a medium-sized pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta noodles per package instructions or until al-dente
Add cooked noodles to the soup and serve
Enjoy!
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