This simple vegan chicken bouillon powder recipe is made without any animal products, plus it’s salt-free and gluten-free too!
It’s an easy way to infuse some rich umami flavor into your favorite recipes – even beyond soup and stews. It’s also budget-friendly and uses common ingredients.
What is bouillon powder?
This vegan broth powder recipe is a vegetarian and vegan substitute for traditional chicken broth, stock, or bouillon. It’s made from nutritional yeast, herbs, and spices.
It can be used in place of veggie broth or even my homemade bouillon cubes.
In addition to being vegan, it’s gluten-free, salt-free, and easy to make it adds a chicken bouillon flavor and upgrades the flavor of any dish you use it in.
Don’t forget that you can travel with this too and even add it to hot water as a snack.
Why make your own chicken broth substitute?
Being in control of the ingredients in your food and being able to pronounce all the things in your bouillon or broth is one of the main reasons to make your own vegan staples.
You can vary the seasonings, add in salt if prefer, or leave it salt-free like I do.
One thing I love about this mix is that it’s shelf-stable and can be stored in your pantry.
I love my homemade frozen bouillon cubes, but when I open the freezer and see I’m out the first thing I do is reach for my vegetable bouillon powder.
Can vegans eat chicken bouillon?
I saw this question on Google so many times that I wanted to address it here. Neither vegan nor vegetarians eat any chicken product – including broth, bouillon, stock, or fat.
If you’ve been meatless for a while it’s not a surprise to you. But maybe a friend or relative just changed their diet and you are looking to cook for them.
Even chicken powder is made from meat, so that’s why chicken bouillon powder is NOT vegan-friendly. But this awesome recipe is completely vegan!
But I commend you on doing research to help your friends eat tasty food at your house. Feel free to us the contact form if you need some recipe recommendations!
Can vegetarians eat bouillon?
There are so many bouillons that are meatless, but many do have meat products in them.
Be sure to carefully read the ingredients as well as the label.
How to use vegan chicken broth powder
You can use it anywhere that chicken broth was traditionally used. In fact, use it in place of vegetable broth, stock, or bouillon too.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the broth powder to water, to taste. I prefer mine a little stronger, but if you make yours too strong, just add more water.
Another way to use it is to just add the powder straight in soups, like vegetarian chicken noodle soup, stews, seitan and tofu marinades to add flavor.
Try cooking rice with it to add extra flavor, or use it in homemade vegan chicken soup with soy curls or tofu.
Use in veggies dishes as a spice mix to add incredible flavor to most everything.
It can also be used a as vegan chicken seasoning blend. I add it to flour to coat soy curls, cauliflower, tofu, and more. Then I air-fry it for a great crispy chicken substitute.
Vegan bouillon powder ingredients
This is the easiest recipe to make. You just need some nutritional yeast, dried parsley, dried thyme, dried marjoram, onion powder, garlic powder, ground celery seed, and ground paprika.
You can vary the herbs to suit your taste or for a specific dish you make all the time.
How to make vegan chicken broth mix
Just add all the ingredients to your blender or food processor, even a spice grinder if you have one. It’s just that simple to make a vegetable bouillon powder!
Use a small food processor if you have it.
I like to bring it up as fine as possible so that it incorporates better in the final dish. But you can just mix the ingredients up in a jar in a pinch.
Variations
Try adding or swapping out some of the following to your version of the bouillon recipe.
You can start with a tiny pinch and add more as you go, tasting along the way.
- mushrooms powder
- tomato powder
- poultry seasoning
- dried oregano
- dried basil
- dried coriander
- dried sage
- dried rosemary
- ground turmeric
- dried ginger
- garam masala
- Italian seasoning blend
- chile powder
- vegetable powders like carrot, celery, etc.
How do I store Vegan chicken bouillon powder?
Use an air-tight container to store the bouillon powder. I usually just use a mason jar.
If you live in a humid environment, add a desiccant pack from your vitamins to keep it extra dry.
Soup and Stew Recipes to Use Dry Bouillon In:
- Soy Curl Recipes and FAQs
- Easy Potato Soup
- Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup
- Get Well Chickpea Soup
- Slow Cooker Yellow-Eyed Bean Soup For 2
- Chickpea Noodle Soup with Spiralized Celeriac
- Slow Cooker Cranberry Bean Soup with Greens
- Instant Pot Teff Vegetable Soup
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is used for flavoring food. It has a nutty, cheesy, savory flavor and can be sprinkled directly on foods like potatoes, pizza, vegetables, and more.
The addition of herbs and spices transforms plain nutritional yeast into a perfect substitute for store-bought cubed and powdered broth in this recipe.
Why use nutritional yeast in this?
We usually hear about using nooch to give food a cheese-like flavor. And it is amazing at doing that.
Nutritional yeast gives an umami punch, and though it seems counter-intuitive it can add a chicken flavor to your vegan recipes.
I love this magical ingredient and buy it by the pound!
Is this powdered chicken bouillon gluten-free?
The vegan chicken bouillon powder is gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, salt-free, and fat-free. That makes it a fit into most eating plans.
It’s better for you because there are no additives or preservatives in my recipe.
Why make broth mix salt-free?
The number one reason most people make this bouillon powder salt-free is that you or someone in your family can’t have salt or is on a low sodium diet.
My main reason is that I would like to use as much bouillon as I want to add the perfect flavor without having to worry about over-salting my dish.
Have strong feelings about adding salt to yours? Go for it!
Easy Vegan Chicken Bouillon Powder Recipe: Gluten-Free Vegetarian Broth Mix
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 `teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a small food processor, spice grinder, or small blender container. Blend well. Store in a sealed airtight container for up to 6 months.
- Use in soups, stews, or even stir frys – anywhere that could use a little umami boost.
Kim says
Such a great idea! It tastes great and so easy to make! I have a big batch ready to use in my pantry now!
Sherry says
Thank you for this recipe! I was looking for a homemade gift that I could give to a foody vegan friend and your homemade Vegan Chicken Bouillon Powder recipe was perfect! They loved the gift!
Donna says
This is so handy! I haven’t been able to find my favorite bouillon in Australia, and this fits the bill perfectly!
Jennifer says
This simple boullion adds so much incredible flavor! I will be using it often!
Susannah says
I can’t wait to make this for my vegan family member next time she visits!
Carol says
Thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it. Would you suggest 1tsp to 1 cup water?
Kathy Hester says
That’s probably about right. I add it to taste depending on what I’m using it in. I recommend to start with a little less and then add more as needed.
Elaine says
I see a lot of nutritional yeast in these recipes. I have a sensitivity to it, so cannot use. Same for Bragg’s liquid aminos and soy. Any viable alternatives?
Kathy Hester says
In this recipe, you can leave it out, but in the powder bouillon recipe, you’d need to make something different. In one of my classes, I dehydrate cherry tomatoes, celery, onion, garlic, and mushrooms, then once bone dry, I blend them in a spice grinder.