Vegan Welsh Cawl Soup

A close up bowl of Welsh Cawl soup in white bowl with second bowl to background, brown and cream mug to side.

Vegan Welsh Cawl Soup is adapted from the traditional welsh lamb soup or Cawl Cymreig and it is a nice thick and chunky soup or stew that is ideal for wholesome, hearty, tasty, budget-friendly family meals. Ladle up this easy meal-in-a-bowl and garnish with pieces of cooked smoky vegan bacon and fresh parsley. Enjoy with chunks of crusty bread and a wedge of vegan cheese for a traditional Welsh experience, albeit a meat-free one!

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Welsh

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings or 5-6 smaller portions

Calories 295

Author Jacq

Equipment

Heat-proof large mixing bowl
Large soup pan, Dutch oven, or similar with a lid

Ingredients

Pre-soak:

60 grams textured protein chunks [TVP] [dried soya chunks, or similar such as soya curls or dried pea protein/fava protein chunks, or use about 150-200 grams fresh or frozen meat-free pieces [about 2 cups]
1.5 litres vegetable stock [boiling hot, choose a vegan 'chicken' flavour or 'beef' stock if available, such as OXO meat free beef or chicken flavour cubes]

Soup:

1 tablespoon vegan margarine [or vegan butter or oil, or for oil-free diets replace with ½ cup of veggie stock, adding more as required]
1 large onion [170 grams, sliced]
4 cloves garlic [fine chopped]
2 large carrots [thick sliced at an angle]
2 large leeks [thick sliced, about 360 grams, weight is after trimming]
½ medium swede [sliced into thick chunks, about 270 grams, known as turnip in Scotland and rutabaga in the US]
3 medium potatoes [about 450 grams, sliced into thick chunks]
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme [or 2 teaspoons of dried thyme or dried mixed herbs]
2 tablespoon soy sauce [use Tamari soy sauce if gluten-free required]
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar [or apple cider vinegar]

Add at end of cooking:

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar [or apple cider vinegar]

Garnish, optional:

4 slices vegan bacon [cooked according to package, sliced]
3 tablespoons parsley [chopped]

To serve, optional:

chunks of crusty bread, wedges of vegan cheese

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Pre-soak the textured vegetable protein [TVP]:

Add the hot vegetable stock to a heatproof large bowl and add the dried TVP chunks, stir the chunks through the stock and leave to soak while the vegetables are prepped.
60 grams textured protein chunks [TVP], 1.5 litres vegetable stock

Prepare the soup:

Melt a heaped tablespoon of vegan margarine or butter in a soup pan.
1 tablespoon vegan margarine
Add the onion, carrot, swede, and potato, to the pan and place a lid over the pot but don't completely cover the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
1 large onion, 2 large carrots, ½ medium swede, 3 medium potatoes
Next, add the leeks and garlic, stir well and cook for a further 5 minutes.
2 large leeks
Pop in the bay leaf and sprig of thyme or mixed dried herbs.
Pour in the soy sauce, white wine vinegar and the vegetable stock that has the TVP chunks soaking, also adding in the TVP chunks.
Season with a few pinches of salt and black pepper.
1 bay leaf, 1 sprig fresh thyme, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Bring the soup to the boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 35-45 minutes.

Prepare the vegan bacon and any optional sides:

While the soup is cooking, cook the vegan bacon according to the package instructions and once cooked slice it up and set aside until required. If having bread and vegan cheese also prepare this now, as well as the fresh parsley if using.

Season the soup:

Once the soup is ready season with one tablespoon of white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Serve:

Serve the soup ladled into bowls and topped with fresh parsley and chopped vegan bacon.
A few bits of vegan cheese crumbled over the soup is tasty, or go with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast flakes.
A few chunks of crusty bread to dunk in and soak up the veggie soup juices is always aa tasty addition.
4 slices vegan bacon, 3 tablespoons parsley

Notes

Nutritional information is for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Nutritional information does not include the 4 slices of frozen vegan bacon as this ingredient is optional and will vary.
As this is a low calorie meal serving with chunks of crusty bread and vegan cheese helps bulk out the meal and calories.
Store leftover Cawl soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Or freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheat by gently bringing to the boil within a pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes until piping hot.
Replace the TVP chunks with soya curls, sliced thick mushrooms or small whole mushrooms, tempeh, seitan, can of drained beans [400g/14oz], or any dried, fresh or frozen meat-free alternative.
For gluten-free Cawl use a gluten-free stock as well as a gluten-free soy sauce such as Tamari soy sauce, and a gluten-free vegan bacon.
For more useful substitution ideas do check out our recipe notes and FAQ section above the recipe.

Nutrition