Vegan Chicken Soup w/ Jackfruit & Potato

Jackfruit, potatoes, brown rice and tons of veggies in a hearty bowl of vegan chicken soup! I don’t always claim things taste like chicken, but in this case, it really tastes like chicken soup! Trust me, try it!

This recipe was originally published in November 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.

Yes, I realize the conundrum!

I more often than not, try to refer to my recipes by what they truly are. For instance, my chickpea salad sandwich is a chickpea salad sandwich, and not a vegan egg salad sandwich.

That being said, I really, really, really couldn’t get on board with calling this a jackfruit, potato, carrot, mushroom soup with rice. Right?

And if you’re all for vegan chicken recipes, you won’t want to miss my vegan orange chicken. Spoiler alert – it’s made using soy curls.

But back to my vegan chicken soup.

I kid you not, the first time I made it, my husband, AKA Mr. Healthy Kitchen truly believed he was eating chicken. The flavours and texture are just spot on!

My mom and nephew also devoured generous bowl during my recipe testing and both love this dish!

No one could believe this dish was vegan, nor that there was no chicken in it. It even looks like chicken!! Hence, vegan chicken soup, it is!

Jackfruit is such an awesome substitute for chicken, whether you’re new to a vegan lifestyle, a vegan veteran, or just curious! Jackfruit works amazingly well, not just in this soup recipe, but also in my vegan “chicken” salad too!

How to make it

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Gather your ingredients and start by washing, peeling and cutting all your veggies.

If you want a chunkier soup, hand chop your veggies. For a creamier texture, or for serving picky eaters, use a food processor to finely chop your veggies. Either way, get all your veggies peeled and chopped. (photos 1-2)

NOTE: If you’re working ahead, you may prep all your veggies and refrigerate overnight. Just place your potatoes in a bowl of water to prevent browning.

Drain and rinse your can of jackfruit very well. You want to wash off as much brine flavour as possible. Then use your hands or two forks pull apart the chunks to resemble shredded chicken. The jackfruit is easy to pull apart. The core pieces are a little bit harder, but you can still break it apart with your hands. Don’t toss any of those harder pieces out, use it all in your soup! (See shredded jackfruit in photo 2 above.)

Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a large pot with a tablespoon or two of water, until softened. (photo 3)

Then add the peppers and mushrooms and sauté a few more minutes, until reduced. (photo 4)

Now add ALL remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the tofu. Bring your pot to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the rice is cooked, approx 30 minutes. (photos 5)

NOTE: I’m skipping the oil here to keep this dish lower in calories and fat. If you prefer, you may sauté in some cooking oil instead.

While the soup is cooking, place your tofu in a blender and process until smooth. You may add a drop or two of water if needed to get things moving. (photo 6-7)

Once the soup is cooked, turn off the heat, and pour in the blended tofu. Mix well.

Serve garnished with a sprinkle of parsley, if you’d like, and enjoy.

What to serve with it

This vegan chicken soup is quite filling, so you may enjoy on it’s own, or with a light side salad.

It also pairs particularly well with crusty bread for dunking or with some cornbread or fluffy biscuits.

What else can I add?

There’s a big variety of fresh veggies in our vegan chicken soup, but if you want to add even more, you definitely can.

Some great options include green beans, zucchini, peas, asparagus and corn. For the quicker cooking veggies, add them only in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, so they don’t get too soft.

You may also stir in a handful or two of baby spinach once your soup is cooked.

How long does it keep?

This vegan chicken soup keeps refrigerated for 3-4 days. Since I’m using rice instead of noodles, you won’t need to worry about noodles getting too soggy sitting in the fridge.

You may freeze leftovers for up to 2 months in an air tight container. Make sure to let the soup completely cool down before storing and leave a little space for expansion.

PS. This is a great recipe to freeze in individual portion sizes all winter long. It’s perfect for chilly days, and the ultimate comforting bowl of goodness when you’re battling a cold.

Can I make any substitutions?

Feel free to sub or omit any of the veggies you’re not keen on.

• You may sub the potatoes for sweet potatoes, if preferred. Note that this will make the soup sweeter in flavour.
• I like medium firm tofu, as it thickens the soup nicely. But use what you have on hand. Soft or silken tofu will also work.
• For soy free, sub the tofu for a can of blended white kidney or canellini beans. Or, use a cup or so of your favourite plant based milk. Note that the milk option won’t thicken your broth, but it will add extra creaminess.

Expert Tips

Use a food processor for finely chopped veggies if you’re feeding picky eaters. If you prefer a stew-like texture, hand chop the veggies a little larger.

If you’re not a tofu fan, DON’T WORRY! I promise, you won’t taste it in the soup. The tofu adds lovely creaminess and silkiness without altering the flavour. (But if you can’t have soy for health reasons, see above for substitution suggestions.)

Prep ahead of time. You may fully chop and prep all your veggies a day in advance. Just make sure to keep your potatoes in water once peeled and chopped to prevent them from turning brown.

More vegan soup recipes

• Healthy Broccoli Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Vegan Stew [Oil Free]
• 5 Ingredient Creamy Cauliflower Soup
• Thai Peanut Chickpea Soup Instant Pot
• Spiced Sweet Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Quinoa
• Or check out this collection of the best vegan soups ever!

If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

Buon appetito

Rosa

Vegan Chicken Soup w/ Jackfruit & Potatoes

Jackfruit, potatoes, brown rice and tons of veggies in a hearty bowl of soup! I don't always claim things taste like chicken, but in this case, it really tastes like chicken soup!

5 from 13 votes

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 312kcal

Author: Rosa

Equipment

Vitamix Blender

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 red onion finely chopped
• ▢ 2 large carrots peeled & sliced
• ▢ 2 celery stalks diced
• ▢ 200 grams cremini mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 2 bell peppers chopped, any colour (I used 1 red and 1 yellow)
• ▢ 2 lbs yellow potatoes peeled and diced (approx 4-5 cups of diced potatoes)
• ▢ 20 oz can young green jackfruit in brine or water, NOT in syrup
• ▢ 1 cup brown rice
• ▢ 10 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• ▢ 3 bay leaves
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ¼ dried sage
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ salt + pepper to taste
• ▢ 454 grams package medium firm tofu always use GMO free when possible

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• To a large pot, add your chopped onion, carrots and celery with a tablespoon or two of water and sauté over medium heat until softened, approx 5 minutes. Then add the peppers and mushrooms and sauté another 2-3 minutes, until reduced.
• Add all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the tofu to your pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer until rice is cooked, approx 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves once cooked.
• Meanwhile, puree your tofu using your blender, and add a drop or two of water if needed to get it moving. Once the soup is cooked, turn off the heat, and pour the tofu into the pot and mix well.
• Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes

You may sub the potatoes for sweet potatoes, if preferred. Note that this will make the soup sweeter in flavour.

I like medium firm tofu, as it thickens the soup nicely. But use what you have on hand. Soft or silken tofu works too.

For soy free, sub the tofu for a can of blended white kidney or canellini beans. Or, use a cup or so of your favourite plant based milk. Note that the milk option won’t thicken your broth, but it will add extra creaminess. If you want to amp up the protein content, the tofu or beans are recommended.

Use a food processor for finely chopped veggies if you’re feeding picky eaters. If you prefer a stew-like texture, hand chop the veggies a little larger.

If you’re not a tofu fan, DON’T WORRY! I promise, you won’t taste it in the soup. The tofu adds lovely creaminess and silkiness without altering the flavour. (But if you can’t have soy for health reasons, see above for substitution suggestions.)

You may prep ahead of time by chopping all your veggies a day in advance. Just keep your potatoes in water once peeled and chopped to prevent them from turning brown.

Leftovers keep refrigerated for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months in an air tight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 207mg | Potassium: 870mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3524IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 10mg

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*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.