Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup

Imagine a delicious vegan chicken noodle soup, and that’s what we’ve got here! This simple Chickpea Noodle Soup is loaded with veggies, plant-based protein, fragrant chickpea broth, and a handful of pasta tossed in at the end. Made in the Instant Pot for super fast and easy cooking, but stovetop instructions are also included.

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I first posted this recipe for Chickpea Noodle Soup way back in 2012, and it has sat in the archives collecting dust ever since. 

It was a bit of a PITA to make, to be honest, with chickpeas that needed to be soaked overnight, a homemade chickpea broth that took a couple of hours to make, and then, finally, a vegan noodle soup that came together after much production. It occurred to me recently, in the middle of a sleepless night, that I could probably make this soup in the Instant Pot in a fraction of the time it took before and with much better results.

And lo, my friends, I was right. So what we have here today, many years later, is a riff on vegan chicken noodle soup that’ll knock your socks off. It’s loaded with flavour, packed with plant-based protein, and if you’re looking for a bright and flavourful vegan soup to get you through the dreary winter months, you need to look no further. 

If you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, fear not. I’ve streamlined the original recipe to make it much easier to make this soup on the stovetop, too. I got you, boo. 

What’s in this Vegan Noodle Soup?

So, instead of making chicken noodle soup, we’re veganizing this thing and making chickpea noodle soup. Fun, right? Let’s get into what you need:

• Chickpeas –> We’re using dried chickpeas today.
• Onion –> A nice big diced up yellow or white guy will do the trick. 
• Carrots –> We’re building in layers of flavour.
• Celery –> Moooooore flavour.
• Garlic –> Again with the flavour!
• Ginger –> Yasss queen.
• Veggie broth –> Homemade or your favourite brand is fine.
• Pasta –> Use your favourite pasta shape.
• Rosemary –> Forgot to include in the picture, but it’s there!
• Thyme –> Again, forgot to include. My bad.
• Salt and pepper –> Bringing it home. 

Do I need any special equipment to make chickpea noodle soup?

My preferred method for making this soup is in the Instant Pot (or whatever electric pressure cooker you’ve got going on). If you don’t have an Instant Pot, a large heavy-bottomed pot will do the trick for stove top cookery. 

How do you make vegan noodle soup?

I’m going to talk you through how to make Chickpea Noodle Soup in your Instant Pot. For stove top instructions please jump down to the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Step 1: Turn your Instant Pot to “sauté normal” and heat a bit of olive oil in the bottom of the pot. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, celery, carrots, rosemary, and thyme. 

Sauté, stirring frequently, until vegetables are slightly softened. About 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Hit “cancel” on your Instant Pot to turn off the heat. Add the vegetable broth, water, and dried chickpeas to the pot.

Seal the lid, and turn on to “pressure cook, high” for 35 minutes. It will take about 10-15 minutes to come up to pressure. 

When the pressure cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, and then flip to “venting” to quick-release the remaining pressure. 

Step 3: Remove the lid and test a few chickpeas. They should be tender, but not mushy. If they’re still very firm you can replace the lid and pressure cook for another five minutes, followed by a quick release.

I find this step is usually not necessary, especially given that we’re going to pressure cook the pasta in the next step. Note! The soup will be very brothy at this stage. This is normal. 

Step 4: Add the dried pasta. Replace the lid and set the Instant Pot to “pressure cook, high” for three (3) minutes. The pressure cooker should come to pressure quite quickly since the soup is already hot.

Once the time is up be sure to quick release immediately.

Step 5: Remove the lid from the Instant Pot, check that the pasta is al dente, and stir through the greens. They will wilt nicely in just a couple of minutes. 

Step 6: Serve!

Do I need to soak the chickpeas before making this soup?

Nope! If you’re using a pressure cooker to make your vegan noodle soup, no soaking is required. 

However, if you’re going to be making this soup on the stove top I encourage you to use chickpeas that have already been soaked and cooked (related: how to cook dried beans) or canned chickpeas. You could also make my Instant Pot Chickpeas if you prefer to start with cooked beans.

Can I make this soup in advance?

Your chickpea noodle soup will last well in the fridge for 3-5 days.

As the pasta keeps absorbing liquid, the longer you leave your soup, the softer your noodles will be. If you’re planning to make it well in advance (like a couple of days), I recommend adding freshly cooked pasta to the chickpea soup base rather than cooking the pasta in the soup. 

Can I freeze this soup?

The chickpea soup base without pasta freezes beautifully. I don’t recommend freezing it with the pasta in the mix as it gets weird and slimy when it defrosts. 

Rather, I suggest you freeze the soup base, and add freshly cooked pasta when you’re ready to serve.

Can I add a different kind of green?

Sure thing. You can throw in handfuls of baby spinach, arugula, or even small broccoli florets. I like to add Kale Chips on the top for garnish too, but that’s totally optional. (Related: Air Fryer Kale Chips)

Hey Nutrition Lady, are chickpeas healthy?

Chickpeas are a super food, with about 12.5 grams of fiber per cup. That’s 50% of the recommended daily intake of dietary fiber! 

About two-thirds of the fiber in chickpeas is insoluble, which is great for digestive health, particularly in the colon. The remaining third is soluble fiber, which can help lower our LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides; important for cardiovascular health.

The protein-fiber combination in chickpeas is key for stabilizing blood sugar levels, as both protein and fiber move through our digestive systems at a moderate pace. This protein-fiber combination is also beneficial for improving our sense of satiety.

Chickpeas provide antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, but also contain concentrated supplies of antioxidant phytonutrients such as flavonoids and polyphenols. They also contain valuable amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

Similar Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Vegan Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Carrot Soup with Garlicky Greens
Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry
Red Lentil Stew

This recipe was originally published October 30, 2012. It was retested, rephotographed, and updated on January 2, 2020.