Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup [Stove + Crockpot]

Chickpea noodle soup is warm, cozy, and ultimate comfort – packed with plant-based protein, fiber, & nutrients, and can be made on the stove or in a crockpot!

Cozy Chickpea Vegetable Noodle Soup

There’s nothing like a simple, nourishing noodle soup to warm you up and keep you cozy all fall/winter and any time you’re feeling under the weather. Having previously shared recipes for vegan chicken noodle soup and vegan jackfruit chicken noodle soup, we’re ditching soy but remaining high protein with chickpea noodle soup this time.

With warm, cozy flavors made by simple and inexpensive pantry ingredients, this vegan chicken noodle soup has all the comfort of the original but none of the meat. Better yet, it’s super budget-friendly, quick and easy to prepare, can be made on the stove or in a crockpot, and is a make-ahead friendly, simple one-pot meal.

Best of all, this vegetable noodle soup is versatile, and a great way to clean out the fridge. We’ve used a typical soup base of carrots, onion, and celery, but you can play around with veg you have in your kitchen. Combined with protein-dense chickpeas and hearty noodles, it’s a soup that will keep you full for hours.

Looking for more hearty vegan noodle soup ideas? Vegan minestrone soup or pasta, bean, and tomato soup are our faves. Looking for more hearty ways to enjoy chickpeas this winter? Try our creamy chickpea and carrot curry, vegan tandoori chickpeas, or vegan chickpea stew.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

What Could I Add to Vegetable Noodle Soup?

• Spinach: Add fresh or frozen spinach (or kate (guide to kale)) in the last few minutes.
• Other vegetables: Make a super nutrient-dense vegetable noodle soup with more veggies. E.g., zucchini (guide to zucchini), green beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, leek, etc. Potatoes, sweet potato, and squash work, too.
• Bay leaves: Add 1-2 bay leaves while the soup simmers for a boost in savory flavor.
• Herbs: Like thyme or rosemary sprigs to add depth. Remove before serving.
• Curry powder: For extra warmth and coziness in the vegan noodle soup.
• Red pepper flakes: For a hint of spice – used to garnish.
• Nutritional yeast (how to use nutritional yeast): Or vegan parmesan cheese to garnish for cheesy flavor.

How to Make Chickpea Noodle Soup

If they brown a little, that’s fine and will add even more flavor to the vegan chickpea noodle soup. Just be careful not to allow anything to burn, or it can turn the entire soup bitter.

This method is great for avoiding overcooked noodles AND gives the soup flavors more time to meld. If the pasta is still undercooked, cover it again and leave for 10 minutes.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Noodle Soup

1. First, complete steps 1 and 2 in a skillet on the stovetop.
2. Then, throw everything (except the pasta, parsley, and lemon) into the crock pot, mix well, and cook for 6-7 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH, stirring occasionally, adding more broth/water if needed. Stir in the pasta in the last 20-30 minutes.
3. Finally, add the parsley and lemon, stir, taste (adjust seasonings if needed) and serve.      

Recipe Pro Tips

• Cut the veggies evenly: So they cook evenly.
• To save time: You may be able to find pre-prepared mirepoix/soup base (fresh or frozen).
• Use high-quality stock: It makes up the base of the soup, so it’s important to use a good-quality, rich stock for the best flavor.
• For thinner soup: Add more vegetable broth (or water). You may need to adjust the seasonings, too.  
• For creamy chickpea soup: Before you add the pasta/noodles to the vegetarian chickpea noodle soup, blend a portion of the chickpeas and broth in a blender or in the soup pot using an immersion blender.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy a bowl of this hearty vegetable chickpea noodle soup alone or with:

• Bread (fluffy dinner rolls, crusty bread, focaccia, garlic bread, etc.)
• Cornbread
• Sandwiches (or a warm vegan grilled cheese/ panini)
• Salad (leafy green side salad with vinaigrette works best)

Storage Instructions

Leave the soup to cool and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor improves over time, though the pasta will continue to soak up broth, too. You may prefer to store the pasta and soup separately.

You can freeze this vegan noodle soup, with or without the pasta (which will become fairly mushy upon thawing), either in Ziplock bags or a silicone muffin tray for 3-4 months.

Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat the soup on the stove over medium-low heat or in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between. Add more broth if needed.