Light yet comforting, this Chinese tofu vegetable soup features juicy tofu and colorful vegetables cooked in an umami-packed broth. A nourishing one-pot recipe that comes together in 30 minutes, making it an easy weeknight dinner.
Pair this soup with steamed rice or fried rice, like my frozen vegetables fried rice, to make it a meal. For a scrumptious Chinese-inspired dinner, serve with sides like my rice paper egg rolls and vegan scallion pancakes!
Growing up in a Chinese household means soup is a staple at every meal, whether it is a light napa cabbage soup, Chinese spinach soup, or something heartier like vegan miso ramen.
This tofu vegetable soup was one of the first dishes I learned to cook, and it's still a favorite today! It is especially great served with rice or stir-fried noodles like my fried rice vermicelli or bami goreng.
💚Why you will love Chinese tofu soup
- An easy and low-effort recipe that is filling, nourishing, and packed with flavors
- Ready in 30 minutes and only calls for simple ingredients
- Highly forgiving - add any veggies or seasonings you love
- Healthy, packed with vegetables, and low in calories
🧅What you will need
- Mushrooms - I am using enoki here, but feel free to use other mushrooms like shiitake, button, or shimeji mushrooms.
- Vegetable broth - Can be substituted with 2-3 stock cubes or 1 tablespoon of Bouillon paste (like this Better than Bouillon No Chicken) mixed with 5 cups of water.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use a certified gluten-free brand if needed.
- Shaoxing wine - A Chinese cooking wine. Just a splash enhances the overall flavor of the soup. You can substitute it with dry sherry, mirin, or cooking sake.
- Tofu - Use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand, either using a tofu press or stacking something heavy on top.
- Cornstarch - The key ingredient to make crispy tofu. Can be substituted with potato starch or arrowroot starch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔪How to make tofu vegetable soup
Step 1: Add tofu cubes, cornstarch, and salt in a container. Place the lid on and toss until tofu cubes are well coated.
Step 2: Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick pan. Add tofu cubes in 1 layer and pan-fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until most sides are nicely browned. Set aside for later use.
Step 3: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven, then add garlic and ginger. Saute until fragrant.
Step 4: Add broth, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, and baby corn. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
Step 5: Stir in enoki, pan-fried tofu, and seasonings. Cook until everything is hot.
Step 6: Give the soup a taste, adding more soy sauce if needed. Top with garnish of choice and serve tofu vegetable soup while warm.
✔Helpful tips
- Cook vegetables to your liking - Adjust cooking time accordingly depending on how soft or crisp you prefer your vegetables to be!
- Skip pan-frying tofu - For an even quicker version, you can skip the step of pan-frying tofu, adding them directly to the soup.
❄️Storing suggestion
Fridge - Refrigerate soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer - I recommend portioning Chinese tofu soup using souper cubes or small containers before freezing for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Note that tofu will turn chewier upon thawing.
Reheating - Reheat soup in the microwave at 30-second bursts, or on the stove in a pot until hot.
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❔Commonly asked questions
This will depend on the kind of soup you are making. For Sundubu Jjigae and miso soup, silken tofu, with a custard-like texture, is often added. If using silken or soft tofu, add it towards the end to prevent it from breaking apart excessively.
When making vegetable soup, firm or extra-firm tofu is often added. This is because they are sturdier and withstand better the frequent stirring and boiling.
Whether to fry tofu before adding it to soups depends on the type of tofu you are using. Silken and soft tofu are fragile and do not hold up well enough for frying.
On the other hand, frying firm and extra-firm tofu cubes before adding them to soups gives them a nice crispy edge and helps them better hold their shape.
🍽️More vegan soups
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📖 Recipe
Chinese Tofu Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
For tofu
- 1 block extra firm tofu drained and pressed (14oz/400g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 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 or other mushrooms (around 4oz)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or dry sherry/mirin/cooking sake
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Add tofu cubes, cornstarch, and salt in a container. Place the lid on and toss until tofu cubes are well coated.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.5 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups broccoli floret, 2 cups cauliflower floret, 3.5 oz baby corn, 1 medium carrot
- Let it cook covered for 8-10 minutes, or until veggies are tender to your liking.
- Stir in enoki mushrooms, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and cooked tofu. Simmer until everything is warm.1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, 1 bunch enoki mushrooms
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with desired toppings. Serve while warm.
Notes
- Cook vegetables to your liking - Adjust cooking time accordingly depending on how soft or crisp you prefer your vegetables to be!
- Skip pan-frying tofu - For an even quicker version, you can skip the step of pan-frying tofu, adding them directly to the soup.
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
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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