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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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 394 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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!
This post was originally published on November 5, 2025
Made this tonight with some modifications! I added about a 1/3 c. More flour, extra sage, thyme, salt & pepper. I also threw in a cube of chicken bouillon.
I think it turned out pretty good! I might add potatoes next time, but overall a solid and easy recipe.
Thanks so much, Brooke! I am so glad you enjoyed this soup, I appreciate you making it and your feedback!
I loved this! I added a little white wine and fresh green beans but it would’ve been fantastic as is. Thank you!!
Hey Hope,
Happy Tuesday! Thanks a bunch for trying this soup and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well!
This was really good! I would suggest cooking down the carrots and mushrooms a little more before putting the broth in (I did not, but it was still great)
Hey Rebecca,
Thanks so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate the feedback! Happy Tuesday!
This is DELICIOUS! My mom used to have chicken’n’dumplings in a crockpot when I’d come home from school and, as a vegetarian now, this is the most perfect recipe for a bit of homey nostalgia in the colder weather. I gasped and immediately ordered the ingredients when I saw it in your IG stories lol. So flavorful, even without the brown butter I didn’t add, and also easy enough for a lazy cook like myself. I will be making this a lot from now on. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Grace! I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing your story:)
This was unfortunately not a good recipe in my opinion. Do you have any suggestions on how to make the broth creamier? It was very thin for me.
Hi Carol,
Sorry to hear you did not think this was a good recipe. Are you looking to make the broth creamier or thicker, because I think there’s a big difference in that.
To me, this broth is already pretty creamy with the 2 cups of milk. If you wanted to add more you could certainly do that, or use heavy cream in place of the milk.
If you want the soup to be thicker, I would reduce the broth and add more flour in step 1. This is a soup though, so it is meant to have a nice broth consistency, not thick like chili.
I hope this helps! Please let me know if I can answer any other questions!
Excellent and so tasty! I used French butter, leeks instead of yellow onion, and added yellow squash. Having never made dumplings, I was unsure, but the soup and dumplings were delicious!! This recipe is a keeper and quite flavorful despite some other reviews.
Hey there,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I’m so glad it was a hit. Have the best week!
So savory and comforting for a vegetarian dish! I left out the browned butter and it was still absolutely delicious—rich, flavorful, and so cozy.
Hey Allison,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I’m so glad it was a hit. Have the best week!
I didn’t care for the dumplings much, the soup was very thin not creamy, and it wasn’t very flavorful.
Hi Barbara,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe. Thanks for giving it a try and your feedback. Have a great week!
Hello Barbara, I wish you the best in your cooking. Recipes are a framework for cooking, and one needs to adjust as the dish unfolds. As you gain more skill, you will be able to achieve better and better dishes. Keep experimenting and learning!
Ok I did this but with chicken and different vegetables – carrots, fennel, leeks, zucchini, spinach. The cayenne is an excellent touch, it adds some wonderful depth. Keeping this in my rotation
Hey Laura,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you!
Tieghan dear I really didn’t care for this one. 🙁
Hi Rhonda,
Very sorry to hear this! If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know!
This was pretty bland & not creamy. Any suggestions to liven it up a bit?
Hi Brenda,
Very sorry to hear this! You could add some more seasonings to your liking. I hope this helps!
Perfect soup for a cold fall’s evening! Added rotisserie chicken, it was the perfect touch! Everyone needs to make A$AP
Thanks so much, Jessica:) Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
So good! I added rotisserie chicken and a cup of dry white wine, divine! And I pulled the skin from the rotisserie chicken and toasted it up as a garnish. Just make it! Super good!
Hi Amy,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you!
Hey!
Could you freeze this?
Thanks!
Hey Kara,
Sure! I would just store the dumplings separately. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
The broth was very thin for me, I wouldn’t describe it as creamy at all. The taste was ok but a little bland for me.
Sorry to hear this, Karen. Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your comment. Have a great weekend!