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    Home » Mains & Entrees

    Hearty Chinese Tofu Vegetable Soup

    Published: Oct 25, 2021 · Modified: Oct 25, 2021 by Meesha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A pot of Chinese vegetable soup with chili flakes and chopped green onion in the background with text on the lower half.
    Vegetable soup in a white Dutch oven with chili flakes, green onion and teacloth beside with text overlay.

    Soul-soothing and warm, this Chinese tofu vegetable soup is hearty, chunky and incredibly flavorsome. Easy to make, it is ready in 30 minutes. This heartwarming soup is great as a side dish or light lunch!

    2 bowls of vegetables soup with dish of chopped green onion, chili flakes and teacloth beside.

    This healthy Chinese inspired tofu vegetable soup is perfect for the cold weather! It is flavorful and filling without being overly heavy. Although it is great on its own, you can definitely bulk it up by adding in some cooked noodles or serve it with a bowl of freshly steamed rice.

    Jump to:
    • 💚Why you will love this recipe
    • 🧅What you will need
    • 📃Notes/substitutions
    • 🔪How to make
    • ✔Helpful tips
    • ✨Variations/add-ins
    • 🍚How to serve
    • ❄Storage suggestions
    • Commonly asked questions
    • 🍲More cozy vegan soups
    • 📖 Recipe

    💚Why you will love this recipe

    • Cozy, filling and satisfying - This Chinese tofu soup is bold and rich in flavor, and is like a hug in a bowl! Making it especially great after a long day at school or work.
    • Easy and quick to make - This soup is ready in 30 minutes, and only calls for simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
    • Versatile and customizable - You can serve this tofu vegetable soup as a starter, side dish, or even as a light meal. It is also easily customizable and you can swap veggies used in this recipe with whatever you have on hand instead.
    • Nourishing and wholesome - It is packed full of colorful, nutrient-rich veggies and high protein tofu cubes to keep you satisfied for longer.

    🧅What you will need

    Ingredients needed like carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and garlic on a grey background.
    Ingredients needed like tofu, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil and wine on a grey background.

    📃Notes/substitutions

    • Enoki mushrooms - You can substitute with some sliced button mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms instead.
    • Soy sauce - Tamari or shoyu can be used in place. Use low sodium ones, if needed.
    • Vegetable broth - You can use vegetable stock powder or bouillon cubes. Make sure to give it a good stir after adding it into the pot to make sure that it fully dissolves.
    • Oil-free - Use ¼ cup water or broth to saute your aromatics, and omit sesame oil. For tofu, you pan-fry them without oil in a good non-stick pan.

    🔪How to make

    Place tofu cubes into a zip top bag along with cornstarch and salt. Toss to mix.

    Heat up a tablespoon or so of olive oil (or other neutral oil) in a non-stick pan on medium high heat. Place tofu in a layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each sides, until most sides are nicely browned. Set aside.

    Collage showing tofu cubes in a zip top bag and pan-fried tofu in a pan.

    Now, heat up a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Once pan is heated, place in ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute.

    Next, add in broth, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and baby corn. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Let it cook, covered for 8-10 minutes, or until veggies are fork-tender.

    Collage showing sauteing ginger and garlic then adding in veggies and broth in a Dutch oven.

    Stir in enoki mushrooms, soy sauce, shaoxing wine and sesame oil. Remove from heat and serve.

    Collage showing stirring in mushrooms into the soup in a white Dutch oven on a teacloth.

    ✔Helpful tips

    • Cut veggies into fairly equal bite sized pieces. This helps ensure that they cook at the same rate.
    • Remember to use a large enough pot to prevent soup from boiling over. I am using a 5.5 quart Dutch oven.
    • To make this Chinese tofu soup lower in sodium, use low sodium stock and soy sauce. You can also replace half the stock with water.
    • If you prefer veggies to be on the crunchier side, slightly reduce cooking time by 3-5 minutes.
    • You can also bake or air-fry your tofu.
      • To bake, preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place tofu on a lined baking tray. Optionally, spray on some cooking oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
      • To make them in the air fryer, set it to 200C/400F. Cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing them halfway through.

    ✨Variations/add-ins

    Veggies - You can use any veggies in place of what this recipe calls for. Some great choices include cabbage, napa cabbage, choy sum, bok choy and mushroom of any kinds. You will need in total about 6 cups of vegetables.

    Tofu - If you are not a fan, replace tofu with beans like chickpeas and white beans, or meat substitute like this seitan chicken. You can also stir in some silken tofu during the last minute of cooking.

    Dumplings - Toss in some frozen dumplings to make this Chinese tofu soup more hearty and filling.

    Cooked noodles - To give this soup more substance, add in some freshly boiled noodles. Soba, ramen and udon are some great choices. You can double the soup, if needed.

    Flavorings - As mentioned above, this tofu vegetable soup is highly customizable, so feel free to add in whatever seasonings that sounds good! You can add celery salt, vegan oyster sauce or even red chili flakes.

    Chinese vegetable soup in a white Dutch oven with green onions and chili flakes in the background.

    🍚How to serve

    • Rice - White or brown rice, your choice! You can even use cauliflower or broccoli rice for a lower carb version.
    • Noodle dishes - It is pretty common to pair soups along with noodle dishes like this chow mei fun or vegan pad see ew here in Malaysia!
    • Chinese main dishes - Or, you could go all out and whip up some Chinese dishes to go with your Chinese tofu vegetable soup. My personal favorite include vegan orange chicken, Chinese tofu fried rice or some tofu chop suey.
    • Salads - Especially this Asian brown rice salad, or this Indian quinoa salad if you love spices!

    ❄Storage suggestions

    Refrigerating - Let soup cool down completely and transfer it to a sealed container before storing. It should last 3-4 days in the fridge.

    Freezing - This Chinese tofu soup is freezable, too! Just make sure to pre-portion soup up into containers before freezing. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 1 month.

    Reheating - For frozen soup, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or on countertop for a few hours. You can proceed on heating soup on stove by boiling it for a few minutes.

    For a quicker version, you can thaw soup using your microwave's "defrost" function, before proceeding on microwaving it at 30 seconds burst on a medium-low setting. Keep a close eye and use a big enough bowl to prevent soup from boiling over!

    Commonly asked questions

    Can I freeze this soup?

    Yes, this Chinese tofu soup is freezable, and can be frozen for up to a month. Portion it out into individual servings using containers so you will only be taking out what you need. The texture of tofu will alter slightly after freezing and turns chewier, but will still be delicious regardless!

    What kinds of tofu are best for soups?

    Tofu of any kind will work in soups, but it all comes down to personal preference.

    In this tofu vegetable soup, we will be lightly pan-frying tofu first to give extra texture and flavor, hence extra firm tofu is used as it holds its shape well and do not break apart when frying.

    On the other hand, silken tofu can also be used in soups, but is usually added near the end point of cooking as it is delicate and have to be handled gently.

    Should I cover my soup while simmering?

    In this Chinese tofu soup, it is recommended to cover your soup with a lid while cooking. This helps keep the heat in to help veggies cook faster, therefore saving time and energy.

    Plus, placing the lid on also helps prevent your soup from splattering everywhere while simmering!

    2 bowls of Chinese tofu soup with a ceramic spoon, teacloth and dish of chopped green onion beside.

    🍲More cozy vegan soups

    • Chinese Napa Cabbage Soup
    • Flavorful Korean Gochujang Soup (Gochujang Stew)
    • Creamy Pumpkin Potato Soup
    • Clear Chinese Spinach Soup

    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    Holding a bowl of tofu vegetable soup with teacloth and chopped green onion beside.

    Chinese Tofu Vegetable Soup

    Meesha
    Soul-soothing and warm, this Chinese tofu vegetable soup is hearty, chunky and incredibly flavorsome. Easy to make, it is ready in 30 minutes. This heartwarming soup is great as a side dish or light lunch!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 157 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For tofu

    • 1 block extra firm tofu drained and pressed (14oz/400g)
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca/arrowroot starch
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Other ingredients

    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
    • 5 cups vegetable broth *
    • 2 cups broccoli floret (about 1 medium head)
    • 2 cups cauliflower floret (about ½ medium head)
    • 3.5 oz baby corn roughly chopped
    • 1 medium carrot sliced
    • 1 bunch enoki mushrooms (about 4oz)
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (use gluten-free if needed)
    • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
    • ½ tablespoon sesame oil
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Place tofu cubes into a zip top bag along with cornstarch and salt. Toss to mix.
      1 block extra firm tofu, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Heat up a tablespoon or so of olive oil (or other neutral oil) in a non-stick pan on medium high heat. Place tofu in a layer and cook for 2-3 minutes on each sides, until most sides are nicely browned. Set aside.
    • Now, heat up a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Once pan is heated, place in garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute.
      4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced ginger
    • Next, add in broth, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and baby corn. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Let it cook covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until veggies are fork-tender.
      5 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups broccoli floret, 2 cups cauliflower floret, 3.5 oz baby corn, 1 medium carrot
    • Stir in enoki mushrooms, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil and cooked tofu. Remove from heat and serve.
      1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, 1 bunch enoki mushrooms

    Notes

    *Vegetable broth - You can use vegetable stock powder or bouillon cubes. Make sure to give it a good stir after adding it into the pot to make sure that it fully dissolves.
    Oil-free - Use ¼ cup water or broth to saute your aromatics, and omit sesame oil. For tofu, you pan-fry them without oil in a good non-stick pan.
     
    Helpful tips 
    • Cut veggies into fairly equal bite sized pieces. This helps ensure that they cook at the same rate.
    • To make this soup lower in sodium, use low sodium stock and soy sauce. You can also replace half the stock with water.
    • If you prefer veggies to be on the crunchier side, slightly reduce cooking time by 3-5 minutes.
    • You can also bake or air-fry your tofu.
      • To bake, preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place tofu on a lined baking tray. Optionally, spray on some cooking oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.
      • To make them in the air fryer, set it to 200C/400F. Cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing them halfway through.
     
    Storing -Let soup cool down completely and transfer it to a sealed container before storing. It should last 3-4 days in the fridge. To freeze, pre-portion soup up into containers before freezing. It will stay good in the for up to 1 month.
    Reheating - For frozen soup, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, or on countertop for a few hours. You can proceed on heating soup on stove by boiling it for a few minutes. For a quicker version, you can thaw soup using your microwave's "defrost" function, before proceeding on microwaving it at 30 seconds burst on a medium-low setting.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 11gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1811mgPotassium: 528mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 975IUVitamin C: 67mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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    Hi, I am Meesha, the human behind My Plantiful Cooking! Expect to find plant-powered recipes that are easy to make and wholesome without compromising on taste.

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