Almost Chicken Noodle Soup

Almost Chicken Noodle Soup is a vegetarian alternative to the classic chicken soup. A lick-out-the-bowl-kind-of-soup that hits the spot whether you're sick or well.

Sitting here, nursing a chest cold, I'm reminded that January, with its runny noses, colds and flu, is the perfect time to make and post another soup recipe. Chicken Noodle Soup would seem to be the most obvious choice but I'm a vegetarian, as is Don, so we don't eat the barnyard fowl, even in a soup, even if we are sick. But a steaming bowl of something sure hits the spot when one is chilled to the bone even though the house temperature is a balmy 27 degrees (about 80 degrees F.) The lure and lore of a bowl of chicken noodle soup is not lost on my psyche and I long for its so-called healing powers. (Well, that last sentence sounded rather heavy!)

A few years ago while doing a little experimenting with a vegetarian chicken soup I had  the (brilliant) idea to use eggs in the broth like you would if making an egg drop soup. And so it came to be that "Almost Chicken Noodle Soup" was born. Everyone enjoyed the soup and now family and friends request it when visiting (even those without the sniffles). You'll find this is a lick-out-the-bowl-kind-of-soup and is very good whether you're sick or well.

Almost Chicken Noodle Soup is so named because it uses eggs in place of the chicken-- and eggs are almost chickens, aren't they. 😉

Printable recipe at end of post.

Almost Chicken Noodle Soup

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 6 cups water
• 2 vegetarian chicken style bouillon (each makes 2 cups)
• 1½-2 cups medium or wide egg noodles
• ½ cup frozen green peas
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt & pepper to taste

How to make it:
Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onion, celery and carrots. Sauté on medium low heat until the onions are translucent and the celery and carrot are beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  

Add the water and vegetarian chicken bouillon and bring to a gentle boil for a few minutes. The carrots should still be crisp. Add the egg noodles and bring back to a simmer. Cook according to package directions. My bag of noodles said to cook for 9 minutes for a soft noodle and I like them soft. If you like lots of noodles use the full 2 cups of uncooked noodles.  

When the noodles are cooked to your liking add the frozen green peas, returning the soup to a gentle boil. Stir in the beaten eggs. The eggs will immediately cook. If you like chunks of eggs do not stir until the eggs are in the pot. If you like very small pieces of egg, stir continuously when pouring in the egg. Add salt and pepper to taste. I find the soup salty enough with the two bouillon cubes but that will depend on the brand of bouillon you use. The soup is now ready to serve.

Makes 4-6 servings of soup. 

Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onion, celery and carrots. Sauté on medium low heat until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.  

After the vegetables are sautéed add the water and bouillon cubes and bring to a gentle boil.

 

McCormick All-Vegetable Bouillon is my favourite vegetarian bouillon. It comes in beef style, chicken style and vegetable--all very tasty.

The vegetables won't take very long to cook so add the noodles to the boiling broth soon after it comes to a boil. The vegetables and noodles should cook together at the same time.  

Once the noodles are cooked add the frozen peas and bring back to a boil.

Add the eggs to the gently boiling soup. Stir while adding for fine egg strands or stir after adding for chunkier egg pieces. 

 

The eggs take less than a minute to cook.  

And there you have it-- Almost Chicken Noodle Soup.

Almost Chicken Noodle Soup ready to combat the winter chills.

To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩