This comforting Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup tastes like childhood, but without the chicken. No packaged "meat" substitute required, thanks to shredded seasoned mushrooms! You'll be surprised at how deeply flavorful the broth is, without needing to simmer away for hours. (Gluten Free option)
12ozking oyster mushrooms(trumpet mushrooms, see note 1)
4tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, divided
¾teaspoondried ground sage
1½teaspooncelery salt, divided
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1lbyellow onions, diced(3 cups)
3carrots, thinly sliced
3celery, thinly sliced
5clovesgarlic, minced
2tablespoonsfresh thyme leaves
2cupschopped leek(about 1 medium)
10cupsvegan chicken broth(or vegetable broth, see note 2)
2tablespoonsnutritional yeast
7ozdried egg-free wide ribbon noodles(or egg noodles, see note 3)
Instructions
Shred mushrooms: Cut off the mushroom tops and slice them as thin as possible. Then, rake a fork down the base of the remaining stems to shred them.
Cook mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Scatter in mushrooms. Let cook undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Cook, stirring infrequently, until half the mushrooms are brown, another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in sage, ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) of the celery salt, and pepper. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
Cook veggies: Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil to the pot. Add onion and cook until golden brown on the edges, about 6 minutes. Add carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and the remaining ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) celery salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Simmer: Stir in the leeks, vegan chicken broth, and nutritional yeast. Cover with a lid partially ajar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Cook noodles: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and shake well. (Note: To prevent noodles from sticking, drizzle a bit of extra olive oil over the noodles in the colander. Then shake to lightly coat)
Assemble: Divide the noodles and mushrooms into bowls, then ladle the hot soup over top. Garnish with more pepper.
Notes
Mushrooms: King Oyster mushrooms have large white stalks and brown tops. The stalks are edible—that's where the "meat" shredding action happens (see post above for photos). You can find at well-stocked grocery stores and Asian grocery stores. You can substitute King Oyster with regular Oyster mushrooms, but they won't have quite the same "shredded chicken" appearance. If using Oyster mushrooms, simply tear them them into thin strands using your fingers (a fork isn't necessary). Alternatively, if you don't like mushrooms, omit them and skip step 1 and 2. If omitting the mushrooms, you can prepare the rest of the soup as is, or if you prefer, add a prepared vegan shredded chicken substitute to the bowls just before serving.
Noodles: You can use wide (broad) egg (or eggless) noodles for this recipe. Alternatively, use a short pasta noodle. Choose gluten-free if needed.
Storage tips: Store the soup and noodles separately, so the noodles don't swell. To prevent the noodles from sticking together, lightly toss them with extra olive oil after cooking and draining. To reheat, warm the soup over the stove, then spoon the hot soup over the noodles in bowls—or submerge the noodles in the pot of soup right before serving.