When my grandmother - who I called Gra Gra - passed away in October 2022, I found her recipes in a notebook and a small box hidden away in the kitchen cabinets. As the self-proclaimed family genealogist and foodie, I was not only surprised, but also quite sad. I had talked to Gra Gra about food in the past - it was how I had perfected my vegan matzah ball soup recipe, after all - but I never knew how many of her old recipes she had and how much I could have learned from her about our family and food.
Not only did she have her own recipes, but she had recipes from ancestors even farther back. This recipe comes from my great-great grandmother, Rose. While she might not have imagined I would have remade her soup without the chicken, I like to think she’d be glad her great-great granddaughter is using her recipes today.
One note for this recipe: There’s no need for precise measurements or to stress about having the right amount of a certain vegetable. Down to the last three carrots in your fridge but still want to give this recipe a go? No stress! This recipe is very forgiving and can be modified very easily. Feel free to add more carrots if you love them, nix the celery and swap it for another veggie if you hate it, and approximate the vegan chick’n if you don’t have quite enough. The two ingredients I would stick closely to are the olive oil and tomato paste, since they impact the flavor and help the veggies cook properly.
Ingredients
- 4 carrots
- 5 stalks celery
- 1 yellow onion
- 2.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 43.5 oz vegan chik’n*
- 6 cups water
- 1 bunch parsley
- 6 cups water
Nutritional Facts
Instructions
- Finely chop the carrots, celery, and onion.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook until they are slightly translucent and fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and mix evenly with the onions. Cook for an additional two minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the celery and carrots and cook for an additional four minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the vegan chik’n and cook for four minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the chik’n to defrost.
- Add the water to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Then, simmer for 35 minutes, covered.
- While the soup is simmering, pull the leaves off the stems of the parsley. Either leave the leaves whole or chop the leaves, depending on your preference.
- After 35 minutes, remove the soup from heat and add the parsley. Add salt to taste.
- Enjoy!
Your great great grandmother did not have chicken strips when she cooked this, correct? So she must have used real chicken. How much chicken?
HOW MUCH CHICKEN? 43.5?
Just what I'm looking for- chicken soup for the vegan soul. Thank you.