30-Minute Chickpea Noodle Soup with Spinach

  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Serves 6
  • Serving size: ⅙ of recipe
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Ideal for when you’re nursing a cold, or anytime you want something warm and comforting, this flavorful vegan noodle soup comes together in just 30 minutes. The recipe features fresh spinach and brown rice spaghetti, but feel free to substitute your favorite greens for the spinach and any whole-grain pasta for the brown rice spaghetti. Fusilli or penne would work nicely too! This soup is delicious leftover, but it will thicken as it cools. Keep extra vegetable broth on hand to thin it out when reheating.

Ingredients

  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (more if you like spice)
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice flour
  • 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 8 ounces uncooked brown rice spaghetti (½ pound)
  • 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (drained)
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½–¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

  • Combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes in a large soup pot; add ⅓ cup of water, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onions soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add more water as needed to prevent burning.
  • Stir in the brown rice flour. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring constantly for another 2 minutes.
  • Add the vegetable broth, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, crack the spaghetti noodles in half and add them to the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook, partially covered, for another 12 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas and continue to simmer for another 3 minutes.
  • Add the spinach, and cook for 1 more minute, just until the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Depending on the vegetable broth you use, you may need more or less salt. Serve hot.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (⅙ of recipe): 283 calories, 58 g carbohydrates, 9.4 g protein, 2.5 g total fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 429 mg sodium, 11 g fiber, 7.6 g sugar

Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.

Comments (20)

(5 from 11 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Marcia

Delicious! I’m not sure why others think it is bland. Maybe they should use a better broth. The only change I made was that I used 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme and basil.

Veronica

Just made this soup & was awful . Had no taste at all . I make soup all the time but make in the instant pot . Maybe the flavours would blend better using the instant pot . I s as Lao would have used less pasta in the soup . May try again using my instant pot .

mary

Where can I find nutritional breakdowns for your recipes?

Lisa, Forks Over Knives Support

Hi Mary, We are currently working on adding nutritional information to all our recipes and anticipate for this feature to be live on the website in coming months. Please stay tuned for updates!

Maria

It's so gooood!

Ronnie

Love this! I always have chickpeas on hand!

Jennifer Lacroix

Another FOK hit! My family kept saying, “Wait! This is like chicken noodle soup without the chicken!” They couldn’t believe an old traditional favorite could be replaced by earth friendly plant-based ingredients. :)

Anne

I have a terrible cold...thanks to the grandkids. Last night I was wanting something warm and soothing as well as quick and easy to make. This was perfect. It made a lot of soup so I'm set for a few days. I added extra lemon and a pinch more than a pinch of salt because it needed a little flavor boost. Could be my stuffy nose made the flavors dull. I also sprinkled some chopped parsley on top of my bowl. I will make this even when I'm healthy!

Toni Oros

Nutritional value ?

Victoria

I unfortunately found this a little boring. I would eat if I was feeling under the weather and preferring something a bit blander. But I am also getting back into the plant based eating after far too long on the junk stuff. So it could just be where I am at in the journey

Lynde

What is a substitute for brown rice flour?

Soosn

If you have brown rice, can just grind a tiny amount. It works! S

Megan Edwards

Hi Lynde, You can use any other type of flour that you have on hand, the brown rice flour was given to make this recipe gluten-free. Any other flour will work just as well as a thickening agent for the broth. Let us know how it goes!

Karen

Why the brown rice flour? Can you use plain all purpose flour (what’s on hand)?

Meg

To make it gluten free… that’s why the brown rice flour. : )

Shannon

Made this a few weeks ago. OH. MY. GOODNESS. SOOOOOOO GOOD! Wanted to share, but really didn't either.

Melissa Pack

This is a go to for a comfort Fall dinner! Perfection!

Teanaria Morehu

I absolutely love these recipes thank you for sharing

Sue

Looks yummy going to make this for dinner

Bonnie

Made this tonight. It was so simple, fresh and delicious. Def a favorite. Thank you!

About the Author

Headshot of Ashley Madden, B.SC(Pharm), ACPR, CHNC

About the Author

Ashley Madden, B.Sc.(Pharm), ACPR, CHNC

Ashley Madden is a full-time food lover and self-professed health nut. She’s also a pharmacist, holistic nutritionist, graduate from the Natural Gourmet Institute, and healthy food blogger. Madden is adamant that health starts in the kitchen. She specializes in plant-based, gluten-free, and oil-free recipes, which you can find on her blog Rise Shine Cook. Her work has been published on Mind Body Green, One Green Planet, and Healthline as well as in Vegan Lifestyle Magazine and Thrive Magazine. Madden works with individual clients, teaches private and group cooking classes, and educates others about the power of a healthy plant-based diet and lifestyle. Find her on Instagram and Twitter.
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