Looking for cozy comfort food that’s good for both you and the planet? Jessica Bippen, MS, RD, has a chickpea noodle soup recipe that’s a plant-based take on classic chicken noodle.
This vegan noodle soup ticks all the boxes when it comes to the flavor and comfort of classic chicken noodle soup—all the while being completely plant-based.
Hearty chickpeas and vegetable broth replace chicken and chicken broth to make this a vegan soup that anyone will love! Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight meal or a comforting soup when you’re under the weather, this soup will soon become your go-to!
Nutrition Highlights
Here’s what makes this chickpea soup recipe a healthy cold-weather staple.
Onions, Carrots + Celery
Also called mirepoix, this colorful medley of veggies provides lots of flavor and nutrients to this hearty vegan noodle soup.
First, onions are a good source of vitamin C, B6, biotin, chromium, and fiber. Second, carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. They also contain a high amount of vitamin K, biotin, and fiber.
Lastly, celery is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber, and also a good source of potassium, folic acid, vitamins B6 and B1.
Additionally, each of these vegetables contain antioxidants with protective properties that can support your health.
Garlic
This fragrant allium does more than provide flavor. Garlic contains plant compounds that promote a healthy immune system, among other health benefits. In fact, research indicates that garlic can reduce the length of cold symptoms by 70 percent.
If you ask me, that’s a pretty good reason to go heavy on the garlic when cooking during cold and flu season!
Chickpeas
This hearty bean (aka garbanzo) is an easy replacement for chicken in this soup. Plus, it’s also packed with nutritional value.
A cup of cooked chickpeas provides 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber, which helps keep you feeling full longer. Chickpeas are also a good source of vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate and vitamin A.
Noodles
In this chickpea soup recipe, noodles provide energy in the form of carbohydrates. The amount of carbohydrates and fiber will vary depending on the type of flour used to make the pasta.
Then, in regards to pasta shape, choose your own adventure! Pasta comes in all shapes and sizes, so have fun with it! While smaller pasta works better for this recipe, if spaghetti noodles are all you have, simply break them into smaller pieces before adding them to the soup.
Tip: Looking for even more protein? Try using pasta noodles made from chickpeas or lentils.
Vegetable Broth
Opt for a low-sodium vegetable broth or stock. Bonus points if you make your own! Doing so lowers its sodium content and allows you to adjust the salt to your taste before serving.
While we need sodium to survive, the Standard American Diet exceeds the recommended daily intake of less than 2,300 milligrams. (That’s mainly through the overconsumption of processed foods that use salt or different sources of sodium for flavor and preservation.)
Tip: If your soup needs more flavor but you want to cut back on sodium, try seasoning with more thyme, pepper, or even adding a squeeze of fresh lemon!
