This Vegetarian Dumpling Soup is comfort food at its best! If you're looking for a Vegetarian Chicken and Dumplings recipe, look no further! A broth packed with flavour, chickpeas for protein, and fluffy dumplings baked right in the soup, this recipe will have you feeling all the feels.
Get ready for a hug in a bowl
This Vegetarian Dumpling Soup recipe is about as comforting as I can think of, especially in the cooler months. As comforting as this Pasta e Ceci recipe, and that says a lot.
I didn't grow up eating chicken and dumplings, so I can't attest to the authenticity of this recipe. In fact, I'm positively sure it's highly inauthentic, but I'm hoping the deliciousness will make up for it.
I will say that it took me many test batches to come up with this recipe. I decided to replace the chicken with chickpeas for a Vegetarian Chicken and Dumplings kind of riff, much like in my Marry Me Chickpeas recipe. Well it turns out when you replace chicken with chickpeas you need to do a lot to build up layers of flavour.
The good news is, I finally cracked it! Going heavy on the aromatics, deglazing the pan with white wine, and adding a smoky touch with smoked paprika all were contributors to the rich flavor in this easy dumpling soup— and then one day I had the idea to mix in a secret ingredient (spoiler: it's nutritional yeast) and lo, I had finally hit the flavor jackpot. This is indeed a proud addition to our archive of hearty vegetarian soups and stews.
That, coupled with impossibly fluffy dumplings that cook right in the broth and you've got a cozy, carby, veggie-loaded Vegetable Soup with Dumplings riff that I hope you'll love as much as we do in the HNL house.
Let's Make Vegetarian Dumpling Soup Together!
Step 1: make the dumpling batter
First up, make your dumpling batter. All you need to do is whisk your dry ingredients together with a fork, and then drizzle in the melted butter and milk.
The dough should be shaggy and slightly thicker than pancake batter, but it should still drop easily from your fork.
Step 2: make your soup base
Now it's time to make your soup base! Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot, and brown the onions and garlic.
Add in the carrots, celery, potato, and spices, and sauté them for a few minutes to take the raw edge off.
Then you're going to pour in your white wine, and scrape all the flavorful browned bits off of the bottom of your pot. This is called deglazing the pan, for you word nerds.
Step 3: simmer the dumplings
Now pour in your vegetable broth, along with the nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and the chickpeas. Give it a good stir and then bring your soup to the boil.
Now it's time for the dumplings! Reduce the heat to a simmer, and using a couple of spoons or forks, drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the soup. Make sure your dumplings are spaced out so they're not touching.
Note - you should have enough batter for 10-12 good-sized dumplings.
Now cover the soup with a heavy lid and set a timer for 15 minutes. Don't be tempted to peek!
Step 4: the big finish
When the soup is done the dumplings should be floating and the vegetables tender. I usually test one dumpling to make sure it's cooked through - it should be nice and fluffy in the middle.
Now add your frozen peas and stir through. Remove the soup from the heat, and spoon the soup into bowls with a couple of dumplings per bowl.
Garnish with fresh parsley, and you are good to go!
Vegetarian Dumpling Soup with Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced potato
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 14- ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Fresh parsley for garnish
For the dumplings
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain salt
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
Make the dumplings
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, dried parsley, and salt.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon fine-grain salt
- Drizzle melted butter and milk over top, and use a fork to bring together a shaggy dough. It should be a texture similar to drop biscuits - thicker than pancake batter but a bit looser than scones.2 Tablespoons melted butter, ¾ cup milk
- Set aside to rest while you're preparing the soup.
Make the soup
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat (I use my Le Creuset dutch oven for this).2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, and sauté for 2 additional minutes.1 medium yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Add carrots, celery, potato, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.2 cups diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, 1 cup diced potato, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 2 bay leaves
- Add 2 tablespoons of flour, and sauté, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until flour is just starting to brown.2 Tablespoons flour
- Add ½ cup of dry white wine, and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot, until it has evaporated.½ cup dry white wine
- Add vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and the chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a boil.½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 4 cups vegetable broth, ½ cup nutritional yeast, 1 14- ounce can chickpeas
- Reduce to a simmer, and drop the dumpling batter into the soup in heaping tablespoons - it should make about 10-12 dumplings. Make sure they're spaced out evenly and try to avoid having them touch each other if possible.
- Place the lid on the pot, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes. The dumplings should be floating when they're finished, and the vegetables tender. I usually test one dumpling to make sure they're cooked through - they should be light and fluffy inside.
- Add 1 cup of frozen peas and stir through.1 cup frozen peas
- Remove the soup from the heat, and serve in bowls with a couple of dumplings per bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley.Fresh parsley for garnish
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- This soup has a lot of veggies in it, so I recommend you get all of your chopping done up front. That way, when you start actually making the soup, it'll come together really quickly. You can even do your chopping a day in advance and keep the veggies in an air-tight container in the fridge.
- Does this soup reheat well? It sure does! Since I made many (MANY) test batches of this recipe, I ate Vegetarian Chicken and Dumplings for lunch for weeks on end. I would typically reheat it in the microwave, which worked great.
- Can you freeze vegetarian dumpling soup? While most of my soups freeze like a dream, I have not tested freezing this recipe as I'm not convinced that the dumplings would freeze and reheat well. You can certainly freeze the soup base without the dumplings, bring to a simmer, and add the dumplings then.
- Can I use a different flour for the dumplings? HNL regulars know that I love a good wholegrain flour, but I do NOT recommend going that route for this recipe. Trust me, I tested making whole wheat and spelt flour dumplings, and they were not nearly as good as the all-purpose flour version.
- Can I make vegan dumpling soup? You sure can! The only non-vegan components of this recipe are the milk and butter in the dumpling batter, so simply replace them with melted vegan butter or olive oil, and a plant-based milk of your choice to make vegan dumplings.
Nutrition
Melinda says
I made this and it is so good. I’m a fifty year vegetarian and grew up eating chicken and dumplings. I’ve been missing something similar. I don’t like anything that taste anything like meat so this was perfect. The thick and creamy soup and the light dumplings……just right.
Katie Trant says
This comment makes me so happy, Melinda! So glad you enjoyed this one 🙂
Barbara says
This is such a great recipe! Love the umami/cheesy flavor that nutritional yeast adds to it. And the dumplings worked great too, reminding me of soups my mom usually makes back in Slovenia. I will definitely make it again👏🏼
Katie Trant says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this one, Barbara!
Charmian Carter says
I kn̈ow you were mot happy with the Instant Po version, but I am disabled have a severely disabled daughter who needs 24/7 care so I would like to give it a try in the Instant Pot. I also have 2 other grown up kids too. Have done dumplings before in the IP, but can not remember timings atm. They were fine though.
Katie Trant says
The problem with the Instant Pot is that you can't take the lid off and check for the doneness of the dumplings. I also found that it didn't save any time, the stovetop version takes about the same.
Andrea says
This is exactly what I need in my life right now. Adding to my to-make list for the weekend!
Katie Trant says
Let me know how it turns out!
Kara says
I really loved this soup! It was so unique and delicious, and the dumplings were great. I really recommend it! A totally different flavor from traditional vegetable soups.
Katie Trant says
Hi Kara, thanks for commenting! So happy to hear you enjoyed this soup as much as we do 🙂
Rachel says
Great flavour and enjoyed by all the family. Loved how easy the dumplings were compared to previous dumpling recipes I’ve tried, so will be doing that again! Only comment was that the liquid seemed to vanish so will up the stock amount a bit next time.
Nicola says
Outstanding recipe! Perfect to make ahead of time to keep on the stove to eat after a busy evening of sports and activities. I find those kind of meals the hardest to plan. I was particularly impressed how well the dumplings held up and didn't go soggy, even in leftovers. Will definitely make again 🙂
Janette says
1st time ever making dumplings - so easy to make and so delicious. A very filling meal perfect for those winter evenings
Emily says
This smelled so good the whole time it was cooking and the dumplings were super satisfying. I also have no idea what chicken and dumpling soup tastes like, but I love this chickpea version. Definitely a repeater.
Rena says
A snowy day, a refrigerator that needed cleaning out, and a toothache that makes chewing anything hard painful - this recipe called out to me. My husband and I enjoyed it - and there were plenty of leftovers for lunches. Thanks for taking the time to create these masterpieces. I would love to see your name on a cookbook cover one day.
Katie Trant says
Thanks Rena! So happy you enjoyed this comforting soup as much as I do.
Tara says
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Can I use veggie broth to deglaze?
Katie Trant says
Hey Tara - I think that would work. You'd lose a bit of the rich flavour that the wine adds, but otherwise should work just fine.