Cheap Chickpea Noodle Soup — Comfort in a Bowl for Under $10
All the cozy comfort of chicken noodle soup — no chicken, no big spend.
It's one of those nights where you want something warm, filling, and completely low-effort. This chickpea noodle soup is built on the bones of classic chicken noodle — same golden broth, same slurpy noodles, same satisfying bowl — but swaps in canned chickpeas so the whole pot costs well under $10. It comes together in about 35 minutes with pantry staples you probably already have. The broth is simple but deeply savory, and the leftovers reheat beautifully. Make a big pot and coast through tomorrow's lunch too.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 3 unit medium carrots — peeled and sliced into coins
- 3 unit celery stalks — sliced
- 1 unit medium yellow onion — diced
- 4 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 6 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 unit cans chickpeas (15 oz each) — drained and rinsed
- 2 cup wide egg noodles — uncooked; use plain pasta if needed
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt — plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce — adds depth; low-sodium works fine
Method
- 1 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- 2 Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, dried parsley, and garlic powder. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 3 Pour in the vegetable broth and water. Add the soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- 4 Once boiling, add the drained chickpeas and egg noodles. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender and the carrots are cooked through.
- 5 Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
- 6 Note: If you expect leftovers, see the notes below about noodles absorbing broth overnight.
Variations
- Vegan swap — This soup is already vegetarian. To make it fully vegan, confirm your egg noodles are egg-free, or swap in any plain pasta like rotini or fusilli.
- Faster version (20 minutes) — Skip sautéing the vegetables — just add everything to the pot with the broth at once and simmer until the noodles are done. Flavor will be slightly lighter but still solid.
- Add greens — Stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach or chopped kale in the last 2 minutes of cooking. It wilts fast and adds nutrition without changing the flavor much.
- No egg noodles — Any small pasta works — ditalini, rotini, or broken spaghetti. Adjust cook time based on the pasta's package directions.
Notes
Egg noodles will continue absorbing broth as the soup sits. If you plan to store leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them per bowl, or add an extra cup of broth when reheating. Soup keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Equipment that helps
- Large pot (4–6 qt) — You need enough volume to hold the broth, vegetables, and noodles without overflow when boiling.
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