This vegetarian chicken noodle soup tastes just like the classic, but it's completely meatless! Chewy frozen-then-pressed tofu stands in for the chicken, and a savory no-chicken broth, tender egg noodles, carrots, celery and fresh thyme make it the big bowl of comfort food you want on a chilly day (or a sick day).
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Whenever the weather flip-flops between cool days and warm ones, it seems like everyone around us starts sniffling. And there's really only one cure for that: chicken noodle soup. For years, we took the easy route and bought Amy's canned no-chicken noodle soup. That is cheating, though, and nothing beats a pot of homemade soup.
We adapted this recipe from Tyler Florence's popular Chicken Noodle Soup, because it is awesome. We thought about using seitan in place of the chicken, but went with tofu instead. Clearly tofu is not chicken, but once it's been frozen and pressed, the texture comes remarkably close to the chicken bits in canned soup. This might not be the chicken noodle soup your grandma makes, but it's pretty darn close.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Firm or extra-firm tofu (the "chicken"). Regular water-packed block tofu, not silken, is the one to use here. Freezing it overnight and then thawing and pressing it turns it spongy and chewy, a lot like shredded chicken. If you'd rather skip tofu, homemade seitan chicken is the chewiest, meatiest option; rehydrated soy curls or a store-bought plant-based chicken strip also work (add pre-cooked strips in the last few minutes so they don't turn mushy).
- No-chicken broth. This is where most of the "chicken" flavor comes from, so it's worth seeking out. We like boxed Imagine No-Chicken Broth or a jar of Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base stirred into water. Regular vegetable broth works too, or make a batch of our vegetarian chicken stock.
- Noodles. Wide egg noodles give you the classic look and bite. For a vegan soup, use eggless noodles: flat rice noodles (also gluten-free), broken linguine, or a short pasta like rotini or small shells.
- Carrots, celery and onions. The classic soup trio. Slice the carrots and celery about the same thickness so they cook evenly.
- Fresh thyme and bay leaves. Whole thyme sprigs and bay leaves perfume the broth; fish them out before serving. In a pinch, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme instead of the fresh sprigs.
- Fresh parsley. A handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley at the end brightens everything up. Fresh dill is a lovely swap.
Helpful Tips
Don't skip freezing the tofu. Freezing makes the water inside the tofu expand into ice crystals, which leaves behind little pockets once it thaws. That's what gives the tofu its chewy, chicken-like texture and helps it soak up the broth. Pop the block in the freezer the night before, then thaw it in the fridge or in a bowl of warm water.
Press it well. Once thawed, frozen tofu releases a surprising amount of water. Press it for about 30 minutes with a tofu press or between towels under a heavy pan, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. For more ideas, see our tips on how to make tofu taste good.
Slightly undercook the noodles. Pull the pot off the heat when the noodles are just shy of tender. They keep cooking in the hot broth, so they'll be perfect by the time you ladle the soup into bowls instead of soft and bloated.
Season at the end. Store-bought broths vary a lot in saltiness, so taste the soup after the noodles are cooked and only then add salt and pepper. If the broth tastes flat, a small squeeze of lemon juice or a spoonful of bouillon paste wakes it up.
Plan to cook noodles separately for leftovers. If you know you'll have soup left over, cook only as many noodles in the pot as you'll eat right away and boil the rest separately. That keeps the broth from disappearing overnight.
Variations
- Vegan chicken noodle soup. Use eggless noodles and double-check that your no-chicken broth is vegan. That's it! For a different take, try our vegan chicken noodle soup with cabbage.
- Chickpea noodle soup. Swap the tofu for two cans of drained chickpeas, like in our vegan chickpea noodle soup.
- Gluten-free. Use rice noodles or your favorite gluten-free pasta, and make sure your broth is certified gluten-free.
- Extra veggies. Stir in a couple of handfuls of baby spinach or chopped kale at the end, or add peas, corn or diced potatoes along with the broth.
- Cozy "healing" version. Add a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger and extra garlic with the vegetables for a soothing, sinus-clearing bowl.
- Rice instead of noodles. Stir in cooked rice just before serving for a vegetarian "chicken" and rice soup.
Serving Ideas
This soup is hearty enough to be dinner on its own, especially with the tofu adding protein. For a classic soup-and-sandwich night, serve it with a maple sage apple and cheddar grilled cheese or a plate of warm crusty bread for dunking.
Saltine or oyster crackers are the nostalgic choice, and a simple green salad keeps things light. If you're feeding someone who's under the weather, a bowl of this with a mug of ginger tea is about as comforting as it gets.
Storing & Freezing
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the noodles keep soaking up broth as the soup sits, so by the next day it will be much thicker. Add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it on the stove or in the microwave, and taste for salt again. If you can, store the noodles and the soup separately to keep both at their best.
For freezing, it's best to freeze the soup without the noodles, which turn soft and fall apart once thawed. Freeze the broth, vegetables and tofu in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months (the tofu freezes beautifully, since it's already been frozen once). Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring it back to a simmer, and cook a fresh batch of noodles right in the pot.
More Cozy Vegetarian Soups
If you love this vegetarian chicken noodle soup, be sure to check out these other comforting ideas:
- Ginger Garlic Soup
- One-Pot Vegan Mushrooms & Dumplings Soup
- Noodle Soup With Roasted Chickpeas
- Best Vegetarian Comfort Food Recipes
- 75+ Vegetarian Soup & Stew Recipes
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- dutch oven or large stock pot with lid
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 celery ribs, sliced
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 14 oz firm tofu, or extra-firm (not silken), frozen overnight, thawed, pressed for 30 minutes (I use a TofuXpress) and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 quarts vegetable broth, no-chicken broth preferred
- 12 oz egg noodles, wide; use eggless noodles for vegan
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat.
- Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened but not browned.
- Pour in the broth, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the egg noodles, reduce the heat to a lively simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the noodles are just shy of tender. (They'll keep cooking in the hot broth after you take the pot off the heat, so they won't get mushy.)
- Remove from the heat and discard the thyme stems and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with the chopped parsley before serving.
Beth says
Love this soup so much - as does my 15 mo old. The only difference is I baked small tofu pieces in the toaster oven with garlic powder and a little soy sauce for about 15 mins at 375. adding the tofu pieces in at the very end. yum!
Kiersten says
I love the idea of baking the tofu first! 😀
Claire says
Does this freeze well?
Kiersten Frase says
Yes, I've frozen this soup many times and it freezes beautifully!
Sheila says
love this soup! it's what I crave whenever I'm sick.
Kiersten Frase says
It's perfect for when you're under the weather, isn't it? 🙂 I'm glad you enjoy it!
Darlene Ahearn says
Best Vegetarian Chicken Noodle Soup I have made. All my non vegetarian friends love it as well.
Rottenham says
I gave up meat voluntarily. I do not look for recipes that are "almost like meat." If I wanted chicken, I would eat chicken. If I want tofu, I'll eat tofu. This recipe would be just as good without the tofu.
However, I would use LS chicken broth, as it is healthier and tastier.
My 2 cents.
Kiersten Frase says
Well then by all means, make the recipe without tofu!
Natalie says
I've made this soup several times, and it hits the spot, and sorry, Rottenham, but there ARE some voluntary vegetarians who crave comfort foods of their past at certain times, chicken soup while sick is one of them. And the last time I checked, tofu isn't simply a meat replacement like mock meats. I like the inclusion of it in this soup to add protein, which helps a lot when you're feeling down and achy. But to each their own -- no need to be nasty about it. This is why carnivores think vegetarians are super judgmental mega douches. Kiersten, thank you for sharing your fantastic recipe. It has helped both veggies and meat-eaters in my family feel better.
Kiersten Frase says
Yeah, in my years of blogging, I've learned that it's impossible to make everyone happy! 🙂 I don't find myself craving meat, but I do find myself craving the comfort foods I ate when I was a kid, which is why I love doing vegetarian remake recipes. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Cere says
Uh, Rottenham clearly isn't a vegetarian, as evidenced by the fact they state they'd use chicken broth. So you're completely wrong, because Rottenham is a judgmental and superior animal-eater (not a carnivore, as humans are not carnivorous - please revisit your science classes), not a superior and judgmental vegetarian. So not only have you smeared vegetarians by spitting a tired cliche, you've also insulted them by lumping them in with their ideological opposite simply because they act the way you think vegetarians act. A spectacular fumble all around for you.
Dee Cee says
Name says it all......rotten ham
Meg says
Then don’t look for a vegetarian soup!
Renée says
Instead of the noodles i put in 3 small potatoes and i baked the tofu before-hand also and it was super good!
Kiersten Frase says
I'm glad to hear it worked out well like that!
Jane says
What does freezing the tofu before pressing and cubing it do?
Sarah says
I found this answer on Google: Some people don't love the texture but freezing your tofu is a great way to change the texture without much extra effort. Freezing tofu removes the excess water which makes tofu able to soak up your marinade better. It also makes your tofu less 'sponge-y' and gives it a sort of 'chewier' texture.
Nicole says
It helps give the tofu a “chicken like” texture. As a vegetarian who craves meat but won’t eat it, this is a neat trick.
Jess says
I loved this soup! I made it on a really yucky winter day and just when I thought I had everything, I realized I wasoit of tofu! I didn't want to drive the bad roads, so Irwin a can of chickpeas for
Protein. Turned out great! Hank you!
Kiersten Frase says
I love the idea of adding chickpeas - I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Amy says
Absolutely love this soup! Freezing the tofu definitely gives it a great texture.
Kristin says
Getting ready to make this delicious looking soup. Just wondering, does it really use 4 quarts of broth? It just seems like a lot.
Thanks!
Kiersten says
I know, it is. It makes a BIG batch of soup - but the good news is that it freezes beautifully. I make a big batch every month or two in the fall & winter for easy dinners and lunches. 🙂
Jules says
Is there a way to adapt this to a slow cooker / crockpot?
Rene' says
WONDERFUL recipe! My sister is a vegetarian, and I'm not, so I had only ever made regular chicken noodle soup for sickie friends. 🙂 When she came down with a cold, I went on the hunt for a veggie version. Yours hit the spot!
I made homemade veggie stock in my pressure cooker instead of using the No Chicken stock (though I LOVE No Chicken!!) I also used the Quorn veggie chicken breasts instead of tofu. Everything else I did the same, and it came out simply fantastic!
Kiersten says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I have a cold right now too and I was thinking about making it myself this week. 🙂
Rene' says
Oh, I hope you feel better! Forgot to mention I added a little fresh lemon juice and a bit of lemon zest. Something about the lemon really brings out the flavor - and a tad of Vitamin C never hurts! 🙂
sandra says
Hi this looks great. One question: when I freeze the tofu, do I take it out of its plastic container and drain it before putting it in freezer or do I just stick the container with tofu and liquid in it and freeze it? thanks for your help
Alissa says
Hi Sandra! I think you could do either. I've frozen tofu after draining it, as well as right in the package with the water, and the result is pretty much the same either way.
Anna says
Legitimate question... Why not simply call this "tofu noodle soup"? Why keep the chicken in the name, if there isn't any in it and it's meant to be vegetarian?
Katie Trant says
Good question, Anna. I think it's because chicken noodle soup is a recipe name that people can identify with, and are often looking to find a vegetarian substitute for. Tofu noodle soup doesn't have the same ring to it.
Lisa Field says
Thank you so much. My 14 year old daughter has IBS and meat has given her so many problems. For New Years she decided to try going vegetarian and now with a cold this really hit the spot for her. I have been trying to eat her specialty foods for support and she really LOVED this. I'm still learning how to cook with tofu and everything. This recipe was easy to make and and delicious to eat.
Jennifer says
I'm making this right now but kind of skeptical about 4 quarts of broth?
Rita says
Hi, I just need to comment - I've made this recipe several times and love it! I follow the recipe exactly, except instead of tofu, I use Quorn chick'n tenders.
The seasonings are spot on and my family likes it! Thank you for the excellent recipe!
Kasey says
This recipe came out amazing! I used Edward and Son's not chick'n bouillon, and the broth came out flavorless. I added some Better than Bouillon vegetable broth and it brought it to life. The tofu came out the perfect texture. Exactly what I've been craving!
Kat says
Just made this for my work lunches this week and it turned out great!
Mary Mcintyre says
Love this!!!! I use gardien chick’n strips instead of tofu
Karolina says
What’s the point of freezing and thawing