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Chickpea Noodle Soup is a vegetarian version of chicken noodle soup, featuring protein-rich chickpeas instead of chicken. It has all of the flavor and comfort of the original!

chickpea noodle soup in 2 mugs

This soup is special because you don’t need any vegetable broth to make it. The veggies and spices create plenty of flavor as they simmer, and the noodles add starchiness to the broth as they cook, helping to thicken it up a bit, too.

Ingredients You’ll Need

chickpea noodle soup ingredients in glass bowls

What’s in chickpea noodle soup?

  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Onion
  • Noodles
  • Chickpeas
  • and loads of flavor!

If you use a chickpea-based pasta for this recipe, like I tend to do, the broth will get extra starchy, because gluten-free pastas tend to release more starch than regular white or whole wheat noodles do.

You can always add extra liquid to this soup, if you prefer a runnier texture, but in that case be sure to season with extra salt to compensate for the flavor getting diluted with extra liquid.

chickpea noodle soup overhead in mugs

The flavor of this soup is entirely dependent on you seasoning it enough, so don’t be light-handed with the salt.

Don’t skip the tamari (you can use soy sauce, if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe) because it adds an umami flavor that makes this recipe extra delicious.

How to Make Chickpea Noodle Soup

1. Sauté the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, and saute the onion, carrots and celery until tender, about 8 minutes.

sauteed veggies and herbs in pot

Add in the garlic, tamari (shh… this is our secret ingredient!), and thyme, and stir briefly for 1 more minute.

2. Simmer. Add the noodles, chickpeas, and water, then season with salt and pepper.

water, noodles and chickpeas added to soup

Bring the broth to a simmer, and let the soup cook until the noodles are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Enjoy! Adjust any seasoning to taste, then serve warm right away. This soup tastes just as delicious as the version made with chicken, if not better!

cooked soup scooped in ladle

This recipe is actually adapted from my popular Chicken & Vegetable Soup, which I’ve been making for years with water, instead of broth, too.

I hope you’ll give it a try, because it’s such a time saver, and makes this soup more budget-friendly.

chickpea noodle soup lifted on spoon

Helpful Tips & FAQ

Need to make it gluten-free? This soup is naturally gluten-free when you use gluten-free pasta, like chickpea or brown rice noodles, and tamari, which is a gluten-free soy sauce.

Is it vegan? Yes! This recipe is vegan as-written.

Can I make it soy-free? Tamari is a gluten-free soy sauce, so you can leave it out if you need a soy-free recipe. In that case, you can swap it for coconut aminos for a boost of flavor, or simply just season it with extra salt. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice, to brighten up the flavor.

Need to swap the beans? If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can use any other white bean with similar results, or leave the beans out all together for a veggie noodle soup.

Want to use the Instant Pot? You can make this recipe in an electric pressure cooker using the directions in the notes below this recipe. Just like cooking Instant Pot pasta, you’ll need to allow plenty of time after pressure cooking for the foam to settle, so don’t try to quick release this recipe!

ladle lifting up chickpea noodle soup

I hope you’ll try this vegetarian chicken noodle soup soon, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

More Soup Recipes

If you want more healthy comfort food, try these other ideas!

chickpea noodle soup in 2 mugs

Chickpea Noodle Soup

4.82 from 33 votes
Chickpea Noodle Soup is like a vegetarian chicken noodle soup, made with chickpeas instead of chicken. It's ultra flavorful and comforting!
prep10 mins cook25 mins total35 mins
Servings:6

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion , chopped
  • 3 carrots , chopped
  • 3 celery stalks , chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas
  • 8 ounces short pasta
  • 8 cups water
  • fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
  • ground black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until they start to soften, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, tamari, and thyme and stir for 1 more minute.
    sauteed veggies and herbs in pot
  • Add in the chickpeas, pasta, water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the pasta is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
    water, noodles and chickpeas added to soup
  • When the pasta is tender, adjust any seasoning to taste. I usually add another teaspoon of salt (start with just a 1/2 teaspoon at a time), and then serve warm. Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    cooked soup scooped in ladle

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 6 servings, or about 2 cups of soup. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Instant Pot directions: If you'd prefer to make this in the Instant Pot, use the Sauté function to complete Step 1, then press the Cancel button to change settings. Add in the ingredients in Step 2, secure the lid and turn the pressure release to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes then allow the pressure to naturally release for 20 minutes. (This allows any foam to settle, so it won't spew out of the vent!) Move the pressure release to venting to release any remaining steam pressure. Season to taste, and serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 338mg | Potassium: 331mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5198IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chickpea noodle soup

If you try this Chickpea Noodle Soup, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it.

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Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. This soup couldn’t be easier and tastes amazing. The broth is super yummy and would make a great base for any siup. Thank you once again for another amazing recipe.

  2. Wonderful soup! I added some chopped fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp of turmeric, and chopped kale. My boyfriend who hates chickpeas loved it.

  3. This recipe got rave reviews, and I followed it to a T! However, all I could taste was the 1 tablespoon of tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)…therefore, it did not taste like chicken/chickpea noodle soup.

    1. Yes, I actually tested this recipe with chickpea noodles (Banza brand), so gluten-free noodles will definitely work here. Gluten-free noodles tend to be starchier than wheat-based noodles, so they thicken up the broth as they cook nicely.

  4. We made your recipe tonight and it was delicious. We had previously had another chickpea noodle soup, but this was the best! We used one quart of low sodium veggie broth, and one quart water, reducing the salt to three quarters of a teaspoon. So flavorful and easy. Will certainly make this again. Love your website!