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I took classic chicken and dumpling soup and gave it a cozy, veggie-forward twist. This version is packed with vegetables and simmered in a rich, creamy broth. Everything comes together in just one pot — the dumplings fluff up right in the soup, making every bite so soft, hearty, and delicious. It’s the kind of comforting recipe you’ll have on repeat all fall and winter long.
On Monday, I shared this year’s full Thanksgiving menu — my favorite one yet! It’s the make-ahead menu, and now it’s time to start sharing all of the new recipes that are part of it.
When I plan our Thanksgiving menu each year, it’s always important to me to include the classics — the turkey, of course — but I also love creating a vegetarian option that feels just as special. I never want anyone to feel left out of such a meaningful holiday meal.
In the past, I’ve shared a few vegetarian pastas (lots of lasagna!), but this year I wanted something a little different — a dish with the cozy, buttery, herby flavors of roasted turkey, just in a new form. That’s when I thought: dumplings! A creamy vegetable-filled dumpling soup that’s rich, satisfying, and so delicious.
It’s cozy, comforting, and perfect for anyone who doesn’t eat turkey — or anyone who just loves a warm, hearty bowl of soup.
These are the details
Ingredients
- salted butter
- onions
- garlic
- flour
- fresh thyme – dried works too
- fresh sage – again, dried works well too
- cayenne pepper
- carrots
- celery
- mushrooms
- broth
- salt and black pepper
- milk – use whole milk to ensure a creamy soup
For the Dumplings
- flour
- baking powder
- sage
- milk
- black pepper
Kitchen Tools Needed
To make this recipe, you need a large Dutch oven. A mixing bowl to make the dumplings, and if you want some brown butter on top, then a small skillet to brown a bit of butter. That’s pretty much it. Nothing fancy or complicated!
Steps
Step 1: Make the soup base
Melt the butter in a large pot, then add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant. Mix in the flour, sage, thyme, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. If you only have dried herbs, that’s totally fine too!
Add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and cook until they begin to soften. The flour will help thicken the soup and give it that creamy texture.
Step 2: Cover and simmer
Pour in the broth, then cover and let the soup simmer for a few minutes to allow the vegetables to become tender and the flavors to deepen.
Step 3: Make the dumplings
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, chopped fresh sage, and black pepper. Pour in the milk and gently mix until a soft dough forms.
Step 4: Cook the dumplings
Turn the heat up to bring the soup to a gentle boil. Stir in the milk, then drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough directly into the boiling soup — about 6 to 8 at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pot.
Partly cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through. Cooking them right in the soup keeps things simple — no extra pots, no fuss, just cozy comfort.
Step 5: Serving
If you’d like, brown a little extra butter just before serving and spoon it over each bowl — the nutty flavor is perfection. Top with fresh thyme, flaky sea salt, and black pepper. Add parsley for extra herbs, or finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
This soup is creamy, cozy, and so flavorful — perfect for Thanksgiving or any chilly night!
Making Ahead of Time
To make this ahead, follow the recipe as written. You can cook the dumplings and store them separately, then add them back in when reheating the soup.
Alternatively, make the dumplings just before serving. Either way works, but I prefer to make the full recipe ahead of time — that way, all you have to do is reheat and serve. Less to think about while hosting!
Looking for other soup recipes? Here are my favorites:
Creamy Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Brie and Cheddar Apple Beer Soup
Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup
Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup
Healthier Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup
Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Creamy Vegetable Dumpling Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Creamy Vegetable Dumpling Soup
Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter, sliced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- 4 cups broth
- salt and black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
The Dumplings
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 3/4 cup milk
- black pepper
Instructions
- 1. In a Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt the butter with the onions and garlic. Cook 2-3 minutes, add the flour. Mix in the thyme, sage, cayenne, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Toss to coat. Pour over the broth and season with salt and black pepper. 2. Cover and cook over medium heat, 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.3. To make the dumplings. Stir together the flour, baking powder, sage, and season with pepper. Add the milk. Mix until just combined.4. Mix in the milk. Bring the soup to a gentle boil. Drop a heaping tablespoon of the dough into the soup, adding about 6 dumplings at a time. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and puffy. 5. If desired, add 2 tablespoons salted butter to a small skillet set over medium-high heat and allow the butter to brown. Divide the soup and dumplings between bowls. Serve topped with brown butter, thyme, flaky salt, and pepper. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This looks delicious. I don’t like mushrooms and don’t care much for milk. I’d add some extra veggies in place of the mushrooms and use some of my home made .creamy nut milk in place of whole milk
Maybe stir in some shredded cheese like cheddar or Gruyère.
Thanks so much for sharing, Kathleen! I hope you love this recipe!
This soup was so amazing! I added Italian sausage and it was a huge hit in my house household of 6. I doubled the recipe and it was even better the next day.
Hi Chardea,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a bunch for choosing to make this recipe, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!
This is a great recipe. As a vegetarian and someone who loves simple recipes this is perfect!
Hey Kate,
Perfect! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!
This is one of my favorite soups. I made it as written, and it came out perfectly.
Thanks so much, Leah! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
Oh my goodness this is my new favourite soup of all time. I made it for dinner tonight and both my husband AND 5 year old daughter loved it!
100% will be making this over and over again.
Hey Sam,
Thanks so much! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it! Have a great day!
Could I substitute non-dairy milk for the whole milk? What would you suggest?
Hi Natalie,
Yes, I would use coconut milk or cream. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
Made this with gluten-free flour and it tasted great. Seasoning was so good (even though I didn’t have fresh sage or thyme)!
Hey there,
Happy Sunday! Big thanks for making this recipe and your comment, I love that it turned out well for you!
Loved this! Just made for the 2nd time. Made the dumplings a little smaller and prepped them on a cutting board which really seemed to help with them not sticking together. Would you not recommend freezing this due to the milk?
Hey Katie,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well for you!
You can freeze, I would just keep the dumplings on the side.
Have the best weekend!
I’d cook the vegetables separately first, do the rue then add the cooked vegetables. I like my veg super soft and I’m finding it’s taking a long time from rue to cooked vegetables and the flour keeps sticking to bottom of pan. I’d prefer to cook separately, then combine. I also added chicken to mine cooked separately then added in w vegetables.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Melissa!
Have a very Happy New Year!🥂🎆
I made this tonight and it was so delicious! Looking forward to my leftovers.
Hey Emily,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your notes, so glad it was a winner!
Unbelievably tasty soup. We’ve made it 5 times in about a month because we crave it. So so good! My 3 year old son now calls it Home Soup because we make it so much haha. Thanks for this one!
Hey Stephanie,
Big thanks for making this recipe and sharing back. So glad it hit the spot!
Happy Holidays!
If I don’t have a Dutch oven, would a stock pot with a tight lid work okay as a substitute?
Hey Kris,
Of course, that will work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
This soup was cozy, and a hug in my bowl. I cooked some chicken thighs to add to it…and it was so good!!! I made it a few weeks ago, and I’m still thinking about it. Making it again this weekend. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Hey Rebecca,
Happy Monday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
So yummy! My dumplings felt dense and raw and I even made them smaller than your suggested size. Any tips?
Hi Amy,
Thanks for trying this recipe!! For the dumplings, it’s important not to over-mix the dough. How long did you let them cook for? I would try 12 minutes next time. I hope this helps!
My favorite soup! My husband and I love this soup. It is hearty and flavorful without being too heavy. It’s perfect for a chilly evening as it warms the body and soul!
Hi there,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment!
Happy Sunday!