There is something almost magical about the way a steaming Vegan Chicken and Dumpling Soup can quiet a chaotic day, and this plant-based version captures that same hug-in-a-bowl sensation without a single animal product. By swapping traditional poultry for hearty seitan, rehydrated soy curls, or your favorite store-bought vegan chicken, you create a stew that is every bit as substantial and satisfying as the Southern classic you remember. The real star, however, remains the dumplings: pillowy, cloud-like biscuits that steam directly in the fragrant broth, soaking up savory notes of thyme, bay, and nutritional yeast while maintaining a delicate, fluffy interior.
Building depth in the broth is the secret to transcending “vegan alternative” territory and arriving at genuine comfort food. Aromatics like onion, celery, and carrot form the classic mirepoix base, while poultry seasoning (surprisingly vegan) and a splash of white wine or apple cider vinegar add that unmistakable savory tang usually provided by chicken fat. This recipe bridges the gap between nostalgic family dinners and modern plant-based eating, proving that you do not need meat to achieve the rich, velvety texture that makes chicken and dumplings a perennial favorite. Whether you are cooking for committed vegans, curious omnivores, or simply craving a cozy Sunday supper, this soup delivers the emotional warmth and physical sustenance that only a proper dumpling stew can provide.
Recipe Overview
- Cuisine: American / Southern-inspired, Vegan
- Course: Main Course / Soup
- Difficulty: Medium
- Servings: 4–6
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Calories: ≈380 kcal per serving
Ingredients
For the soup base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (ensure vegan/vegetarian blend)
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric (for color, optional)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup plant-based milk (unsweetened soy or oat)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 oz vegan chicken (seitan chunks, soy curls, or store-bought vegan chick’n), torn or cubed
For the dumplings
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cold vegan butter or vegetable shortening
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant milk (cold)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the aromatics
Heat olive oil or vegan butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onions turn translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, poultry seasoning, and turmeric (if using), stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. - Build the broth
Pour in vegetable broth, plant-based milk, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and vinegar. Stir well to combine. Add bay leaves and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. - Add the vegan chicken
Stir in your prepared vegan chicken pieces. If using soy curls, ensure they have been rehydrated in warm broth first and squeezed dry. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the protein is heated through and has absorbed some broth. - Prepare the dumpling dough
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold vegan butter using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter bits. Pour in cold plant milk and stir gently with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix; lumps are okay. Fold in chopped parsley if desired. - Cook the dumplings
Ensure the soup is at a steady, gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Drop the dumpling dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the surface of the soup, spacing them evenly. You should get about 8–10 dumplings. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and resist the urge to peek. Steam for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. - Finish and serve
After 15 minutes, check dumplings by inserting a toothpick into one; it should come out clean. Discard bay leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each portion gets 1–2 dumplings. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, a crack of black pepper, and a light drizzle of olive oil or melted vegan butter. Serve immediately in deep bowls while the dumplings are at their cloud-like peak—within the first 20 minutes they are fluffiest, though they remain delicious as they soak up the savory broth.
Vegan Chicken & Dumplings Soup
Comforting, creamy veggie broth with tender vegan “chicken” and fluffy steamed dumplings
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced into coins
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning (vegan)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 8 oz vegan chicken (seitan/soy curls/vegan chick’n), torn or cubed
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold vegan butter or shortening
- 3/4 cup cold unsweetened plant milk
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Sauté Aromatics
Cook onion, celery, and carrots in oil with a pinch of salt until softened (6–8 min). Add garlic, thyme, seasoning, and turmeric; stir 1 min.
Build Broth
Add broth, plant milk, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and vinegar. Add bay leaves and simmer 10 min. Season to taste.
Add Vegan Chicken
Stir in vegan chicken and simmer gently 5 min until warmed through and flavored.
Make Dumpling Dough
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold vegan butter until pea-sized bits. Stir in cold plant milk just until shaggy. Fold in parsley if using.
Steam Dumplings
Keep soup at a gentle simmer. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons (8–10). Cover tightly and steam 15 min—do not lift the lid.
Finish & Serve
Check dumplings (toothpick clean). Discard bay leaves. Serve hot with 1–2 dumplings per bowl; garnish with parsley, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil/vegan butter.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigeration: Store soup and dumplings separately if possible; the dumplings will absorb liquid and become dense over time. Keep in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Warm the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If the dumplings have become soggy, steam fresh ones in minutes using the same dough recipe, or simply enjoy the softened dumplings as a thick, comforting stew.
- Freezing: The soup base (without dumplings) freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. Prepare and steam fresh dumplings when ready to serve for optimal texture.
Flavor Variations
- Herb-forward: Add fresh dill, tarragon, or sage to the dumpling dough.
- Smoky: Include ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke in the broth.
- Creamy: Blend ½ cup of white beans or cashews into the broth before adding the vegan chicken for a richer, creamier base.
Conclusion
This Vegan Chicken and Dumpling Soup proves that plant-based cooking can deliver the same emotional resonance and textural satisfaction as traditional comfort food classics. By focusing on technique—building a deeply aromatic broth, selecting the right protein substitute, and mastering the gentle steam that creates fluffy dumplings—you create a dish that stands entirely on its own merits rather than serving as a compromise. The interplay between the tender, herb-infused biscuits and the savory, golden broth offers a multisensory experience that warms the body and settles the spirit, perfect for rainy evenings, recovery from illness, or simply when the soul craves nourishment. Moreover, the recipe’s flexibility invites personalization; whether you prefer a thyme-scented classic or a smoky, spicy variation, the framework adapts to your pantry and palate. Serving this to skeptical omnivores often results in surprised delight, as they discover that the satisfying chew of seitan and the richness of a well-seasoned vegetable broth can rival the original. As plant-based eating continues to evolve, dishes like this demonstrate that the future of comfort food is inclusive, sustainable, and deeply delicious. Keep this recipe in your winter rotation, and you will find that it only improves with each preparation as you refine the seasoning and dumpling technique to your exact preference.
Common FAQs about Vegan Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Why does my broth taste flat even with plenty of seasonings?
Depth comes from layering. Ensure you sauté the mirepoix until truly softened and slightly caramelized before adding liquid. Acidity (vinegar or lemon) added at the end brightens and rounds the savory notes.
Is seitan better than soy curls for this recipe?
Seitan offers a chewier, more “meaty” bite that holds up well, while soy curls have a more fibrous, shredded texture closer to dark meat chicken. Both work; choose based on your texture preference.
How do I prevent dumplings from dissolving into the soup?
Ensure the soup is at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, and do not stir once you have dropped the dough. The violent motion of boiling water can break them apart.
Can I make this in an Instant Pot or slow cooker?
For the Instant Pot, sauté the vegetables using the sauté function, pressure cook the broth base for 5 minutes, quick release, then add dumplings using the sauté function with the lid on (not sealed) for 15 minutes. Slow cookers are trickier for dumplings; prepare the soup base on low for 6 hours, then transfer to a stovetop to steam dumplings properly.
Can I add potatoes to the soup base?
Absolutely. Diced Yukon Gold potatoes added with the carrots create an even heartier stew. They should be cut small (½-inch dice) to cook through in the simmering time.
Why did my dumplings turn out gummy inside?
They likely needed more steaming time, or the heat was too low. Ensure the broth maintains a steady, bubbling simmer under the lid so the steam can cook the interior fully.
How can I make this oil-free?
Sauté the vegetables in a splash of vegetable broth instead of oil. For the dumplings, substitute the vegan butter with cold mashed potato or unsweetened applesauce, though the texture will be less rich.
Why did my soup become cloudy?
Cloudiness usually comes from boiling the broth too vigorously after adding flour-based dumplings, causing starch to disperse. Maintain a gentle simmer and avoid stirring the dumplings directly.
Is nutritional yeast necessary?
It adds a savory, cheesy umami depth that compensates for the lack of animal fat, but you can substitute with an extra tablespoon of soy sauce or a spoonful of white miso paste.
What vegetables can I substitute for the classic mirepoix?
Fennel adds a subtle anise sweetness, parsnips offer earthy sweetness, and leeks provide a milder onion flavor. Keep the total volume similar to maintain the soup’s body.
