Vegan Chicken And Dumplings

This vegan chicken and dumplings recipe pairs a creamy plant-based chicken stew with tender homemade biscuits for a cozy, satisfying dinner!

Chicken and dumplings is the kind of classic comfort food recipe that seems to have been around for ages. You may have grown up eating it, and probably your parents did too, and your grandparents, and so on. It usually consists of a savoury chicken soup or stew, topped with fluffy dumplings. Well, good news, friends: this vegan chicken and dumplings recipe has all the flavour of the original, without the meat!

The key is to use a plant-based protein to stand in for the chicken—and my vegan chicken recipe is perfect for that. It has the chewy texture and savoury flavour of chicken, but it’s made with a combination of seitan and tofu.

In terms of overall flavour, the vegan chicken offers just the right contrast to celery and slightly-sweet carrots, and the creamy broth brings everything together. The biscuits that float on top are just as fluffy and delicious as you remember, and you don’t need milk or butter to make them.

Vegan chicken and dumplings is the perfect dish for anyone looking to enjoy a plant-based version of a comfort food favourite!

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Soup:

• Olive oil
• Onion – White or yellow onions work best for this recipe.
• Celery ribs
• Carrots – If you’re short on time, you can save yourself some prep by buying pre-sliced carrots.
• Garlic
• Flour – Use all-purpose flour, or a gluten-free all-purpose flour substitute to make this a gluten-free vegan chicken and dumplings recipe.
• Vegetable broth – I used my homemade vegetable broth . For more chicken-y flavour, you can substitute a no-chicken broth.
• Plain unsweetened plant milk
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Bay leaf
• Nutritional yeast – This amps up the savoury flavour.
• Italian seasoning
• Dried rosemary
• Vegan sour cream – I love the vegan sour cream by Forager Project or Kite Hill Foods, but if you can’t find these, it’s okay—the sour cream is optional.
• Vegan chicken – I used my vegan chicken recipe.

For the Dumplings:

• Flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Black pepper – I love adding freshly cracked black pepper to the biscuits, which gives them a punchy, peppery flavour.
• Plain unsweetened plant milk

Optional Topping:

• Fresh parsley

What Is Vegan Chicken Made Of?

Vegan chicken is typically made from plant-based proteins like seitan, tofu, mycoprotein, or jackfruit. It is processed and flavored to mimic the texture and flavor of traditional chicken. Some brands also use soy and wheat protein isolates for their vegan chicken products.

Note that some varieties of vegan chicken will soften and get mushy when cooked in a broth, as in this vegan chicken dumplings recipe. If you don’t use my homemade vegan chicken, I recommend using one made with seitan or tofu, as these are most likely to retain their texture.

How to Make Vegan Chicken and Dumplings

Although this might seem like it would be a recipe that requires a lot of steps, you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to make vegan chicken and dumplings. It comes together with minimal effort!

Cook the vegetables. Warm the oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery; cook until the onions are softened and translucent.

Add the seasonings. Stir the garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and dried rosemary into the vegetables and cook for 1 minute.

Make the broth. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly. Add the broth, nutritional yeast , bay leaf, vegan sour cream (if using), and vegan chicken and bring the mixture to a boil.

Prepare the dumpling dough. Add all of the dry dumpling ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in the milk until a sticky dough forms.

Add the dumplings. Reduce the heat to low and use a small ice cream scoop or cookie dough scoop to add balls of dumpling dough onto the surface of the soup, being careful to distribute them evenly. Spoon a little bit of broth onto the top of each dumpling, then simmer for 20 minutes.

Finish. Sprinkle the tops of the cooked dumplings with fresh parsley and serve.

Tips for Success

Here are my best tips for the most amazing vegan chicken and dumplings:

• Cook the flour a bit. After you add the flour to the veggies, stir it and cook it until it’s golden. This takes away the raw flavour of the flour.
• Don’t crowd the dumplings. Each dumpling should have space to expand; you’ll want to use a pot that’s nice and wide so they have plenty of room.
• Make sure the dumplings are done. The tops should feel firm; if they’re still doughy, they’ll dissolve into the stew.

Variations

Want to make this recipe your own? Here are some ideas:

• If you’re not a fan of vegan chicken, you can use chickpeas, torn pieces of seitan, or cubed extra-firm tofu instead.
• Stir frozen peas into the stew before adding the dumplings to up the veggie factor.
• Sprinkle your favorite meltable vegan cheddar over the tops of the dumplings for cheesy vegan chicken and dumplings.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on the stovetop over medium heat and cook until warmed through, or pop your vegan chicken and dumplings in the microwave and warm it up that way.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, this vegan chicken and dumplings can be frozen. Let it cool enough to safely transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.

Ingredients

Soup:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil , 43g
• 1 small onion , diced
• 4 celery ribs , diced
• 2 medium carrots , peeled and diced
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 3 tablespoons flour , 45g
• 6 cups vegetable broth , 1,440g or 1,419ml
• ¼ cup unsweetened plant milk , 85g or 60ml
• 1 teaspoon black pepper , 3g
• 1 teaspoon salt , 4.5g
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast , 20g
• 1 ¼ teaspoons Italian seasoning , 4g
• 1 ¼ teaspoons dried rosemary , 4g
• 1 cup vegan sour cream , optional, I love the vegan sour cream by Forager Project or Kite Hill Foods 240g
• 2 cups vegan chicken , shredded or small cut (300g)

Dumplings:

• 2 cups flour , 135g
• 2 teaspoons baking powder , 8g
• ½ teaspoon salt , 2g
• ½ teaspoon black pepper , optional 2g
• ¾ cup plain unsweetened plant milk , 255g or 180ml

Optional Topping:

• fresh parsley , torn or chopped

Instructions

• Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add oil.
• Add onions, carrots, celery and cook until onions are translucent.
• Add garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried rosemary and cook for 1 minute.
• Add flour and mix to combine. Slowly add in milk while whisking.
• Add broth, nutritional yeast, bay leaf, vegan sour cream if using, and vegan chicken.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add all dry dumpling ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add milk and mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Switch the heat under the pot to low and use a small ice cream scoop to place each dumpling dough ball evenly onto the surface of the soup.
• Spoon a little bit of broth onto the top of each dumpling to help cook the top then let simmer for 20 minutes to fully cook the dumplings.
• Sprinkle the top of the cooked dumplings with fresh chopped or torn parsley (optional) and serve.

Notes

Vegan Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

Soup:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 43g
• 1 small onion diced
• 4 celery ribs diced
• 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tablespoons flour 45g
• 6 cups vegetable broth 1,440g or 1,419ml
• ¼ cup unsweetened plant milk 85g or 60ml
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 3g
• 1 teaspoon salt 4.5g
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast 20g
• 1 ¼ teaspoons Italian seasoning 4g
• 1 ¼ teaspoons dried rosemary 4g
• 1 cup vegan sour cream optional, I love the vegan sour cream by Forager Project or Kite Hill Foods 240g
• 2 cups vegan chicken shredded or small cut (300g)

Dumplings:

• 2 cups flour 135g
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 8g
• ½ teaspoon salt 2g
• ½ teaspoon black pepper optional 2g
• ¾ cup plain unsweetened plant milk 255g or 180ml

Optional Topping:

• fresh parsley torn or chopped

Instructions

• Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add oil.
• Add onions, carrots, celery and cook until onions are translucent.
• Add garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried rosemary and cook for 1 minute.
• Add flour and mix to combine. Slowly add in milk while whisking.
• Add broth, nutritional yeast, bay leaf, vegan sour cream if using, and vegan chicken.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add all dry dumpling ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add milk and mix until a sticky dough forms.
• Switch the heat under the pot to low and use a small ice cream scoop to place each dumpling dough ball evenly onto the surface of the soup.
• Spoon a little bit of broth onto the top of each dumpling to help cook the top then let simmer for 20 minutes to fully cook the dumplings.
• Sprinkle the top of the cooked dumplings with fresh chopped or torn parsley (optional) and serve.

Notes

Nutrition

Vegan Chicken and Dumplings https://jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-chicken-and-dumplings/ February 17, 2023

This mulligatawny soup is full of fragrant Indian spices, rich with creamy coconut milk, and loaded with vegetables. It’s the perfect plant-based soup!

Whether it’s Roasted Cauliflower Soup , Slow Cooker Mushroom Wild Rice Soup , or Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons , soup is one of my favourite vegan meals. But some soups leave you hungry for more—you know the feeling? This vegan mulligatawny is not one of those lightweight soups!

Nope, mulligatawny is a soup with staying power. It’s supremely satisfying and amazingly flavourful. This is a soup that has it all, and then some!

What Is Mulligatawny?

Mulligatawny is a spiced curry soup that comes to us from the Tamilnadu region of South India. In Tamil, the name literally means “pepper water,” but don’t worry—you can make it as spicy or as mild as you like!

While mulligatawny is traditionally made with chicken or lamb, it’s very easy to give it a vegan makeover by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth. There’s so much going on in this recipe, you won’t even miss them.

This vegan mulligatawny soup has a complex flavour, with loads of aromatic spices, earthy lentils, and a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tart notes. It’s hearty and filling, but a big bowl will make you feel satisfied, not uncomfortably full.

Best of all, vegan mulligatawny freezes beautifully, so you can keep a batch on hand for whenever you’re in the mood for a cozy comfort food meal!

Notes on Ingredients

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Veggies:

• Vegetable oil – Corn, canola, or olive oil can be used instead.
• Yellow onion – White onion is fine too, but don’t use red.
• Carrot
• Potato – Peel the potato, but save the skins. You’ll use them to make a crispy topping for the vegan mulligatawny.
• Red jalapeño – Can’t find a red jalapeño? Any fresh red chili will do.
• Garlic cloves – Or substitute 3 teaspoons of garlic powder.
• Fresh ginger – Swap this for 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground ginger, if needed.
• Granny Smith or Royal Gala apple – You want an apple variety that leans a little tart, not something like Red Delicious.
• Roma tomatoes
• Tomato purée

Spice mix:

• Indian curry powder
• Ground coriander
• Ground paprika – Use sweet paprika, not hot—unless you want an extra spicy mulligatawny recipe!
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground turmeric
• Dried thyme
• Ground cardamom
• Ground black pepper – Freshly cracked is best.

Soup:

• Dried red lentils – Don’t substitute brown or green lentils; red lentils break down when cooked, giving the soup a thick, creamy texture.
• Low-sodium veggie broth – Or use my homemade vegetable broth .
• Unsweetened full-fat coconut milk – Although you can substitute lite coconut milk, it will result in a much thinner soup.
• Salt
• Unsweetened vegan yogurt – This is optional, for garnish.
• Chopped cilantro

What Is Indian Curry Powder Made Of?

Indian curry powder contains a blend of many spices, including cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, and chili. The specific ingredients vary from one brand to the next, as do the spice levels. If you want your vegan mulligatawny to be mild, avoid Madras curry powder, which is quite spicy!

How to Make Mulligatawny Soup

Ready to get started? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make restaurant-quality vegan mulligatawny at home.

Make the spice mix. Whisk all of the spices in a small bowl.

Cook the vegetables. Heat the vegetable oil in large pot set over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the onion, carrots, potatoes, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and apple, then increase the heat to medium. Continue to stir occasionally, letting the veggies cook for 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes. Stir the tomatoes into the pot. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the veggies are slightly browned.

Season. Stir the spices into the vegetables, followed by the tomato puree. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Blend the vegetables. Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the vegetables to the blender and add 1 cup of broth. Puree until smooth.

Add the lentils. Transfer the blended mixture back into the pot. Stir in the red lentils and the remaining broth, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

Let it simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. Season with salt to taste.

Make the crispy skin. Pat the potato skins dry. Add the vegetable oil to a small pot over medium heat, then carefully place the potato peels into the oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Remove them from the oil and set them on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper while they’re still hot.

Blend again. Transfer 1/2-3/4 of the soup into the blender and puree until smooth. Pour the pureed soup back into the pot; stir and let the soup cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk. Stir in the coconut milk and remove the pot from the heat.

Serve. Ladle the mulligatawny soup into serving bowls and add a swirl of vegan yogurt. Crumble the crispy potato skins on top and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Tips for Success

Here are some simple tips for making perfect vegan mulligatawny.

• Add more oil as needed. If all of the oil seems to have absorbed when the vegetables are cooking, you can add more oil to the pot to keep everything from sticking.
• Adjust the heat level. Madras curry powder will make a spicier mulligatawny, or you can add cayenne pepper for additional heat. Omitting the red chili pepper, or using a spicier variety, is another way to adjust the spiciness of your soup.
• Cook until the lentils fall apart. Unlike other types of lentils, you want red lentils to cook until they’re falling apart. Don’t think you’ve done something wrong!

Serving Suggestions

This vegan mulligatawny soup is perfect enjoyed on its own as a light meal, but it’s also delicious with a side of vegan naan (or garlic naan !), basmati rice, or even cauliflower rice . You can also customize your mulligatawny with a variety of toppings, like roasted cashews, pomegranate seeds, or chili crisp.

How to Store

Store leftover vegan mulligatawny soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply warm the soup over medium heat on the stove or pop it in the microwave.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, this vegan mulligatawny soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze the soup, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until it’s warmed through.

Ingredients

For the veggies:

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 small yellow onion , diced
• 1 medium carrot , diced
• 1 medium potato , peeled and diced; reserve the peels
• ¼–½ red jalapeño , seeded and diced
• 2 medium garlic cloves , roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger , finely chopped
• ½ large Granny Smith , or Royal Gala apple, peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced Roma tomatoes , seeded and diced
• ¼ cup tomato purée

For the spice mix:

• ½ tablespoon Indian curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground paprika
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the soup:

• ½ cup dried red lentils
• 3 ½ cups low-sodium veggie broth
• ½ cup full fat coconut milk , unsweetened
• Salt , to taste
• Plain vegan yogurt , unsweetened, for garnish
• Chopped cilantro , for garnish

Instructions

• Make the spice mix. Whisk the curry powder, ground coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, thyme, cardamom, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set it aside.
• Cook the veggies. Heat a large pot over low heat. Add the vegetable oil. Let it heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, potatoes, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, and apple. Raise the heat to medium. Mix well. Stir occasionally and let the veggies cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in the pot and stir well. Stir and cook everything for another 5-7 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Add more oil as needed. The veggies will be slightly browned.
• Season it. Throw the spice mix into the pot and stir to combine. Add the tomato purée and stir well. Let the mixture cook for another 5 minutes.
• Blend the veggies. Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the veggies to the blender and add 1 cup of veggie broth. Process until you get a smooth mixture.
• Add the lentils. Transfer the blended mixture back into the pot. Add the red lentils and the remaining veggie broth. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
• Let it simmer. Immediately reduce the heat to medium. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir occasionally so the lentils don’t stick to the pot. Season with salt to taste.
• Make the crispy skin. As the soup simmers, make the skin by patting the potato skins dry. Add vegetable oil to a small pot over medium heat. Gently lower the potato peels into the oil. Let them fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove them from the oil and set them on a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess oil. Set them aside. Season with salt to taste.
• Blend. Transfer 1/2-3/4 of the soup into the blender. Process it until you get a smooth mixture. Pour it back into the pot. Stir well and let the soup cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk. Pour in the coconut milk. Stir unti it’s completely combined. Remove from the heat.
• Serve. Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Swirl in unsweetened vegan yogurt to taste. Crumble crispy potato skins on top and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Notes