Tofu and Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Light Asian-style soup with silken tofu, carrots, mushrooms, and bok choy in a savory ginger-infused broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ Broth

01 - 6.3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
03 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
07 - 3.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
08 - 3.5 ounces baby bok choy, chopped
09 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
10 - 2 spring onions, sliced

→ Tofu

11 - 10.5 ounces silken tofu, cubed

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh cilantro leaves, optional
13 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
14 - Lime wedges, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat sesame oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sliced ginger, sautéing for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Pour vegetable broth and soy sauce into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
03 - Add julienned carrot, sliced shiitake mushrooms, and bell pepper strips. Simmer for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in chopped bok choy and sliced spring onions. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until vegetables reach tender-crisp texture.
05 - Gently add cubed silken tofu to the simmering broth. Simmer for 2 minutes, handling carefully to preserve tofu integrity.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce as needed.
07 - Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top with fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of lime juice if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, yet tastes like you've been tending a pot all afternoon.
  • The tofu is so gentle and forgiving that even if you've never cooked with it before, you'll feel like a pro.
  • Every vegetable stays distinct and colorful instead of turning into mush, which honestly surprised me the first time.
02 -
  • Silken tofu is fragile and will crumble if you stir it aggressively, so use a gentle touch and let it warm quietly in the broth—this is not the time to be an aggressive stirrer.
  • Don't skip the step of slicing your ginger and letting it infuse the hot sesame oil before adding broth, because that's where most of the flavor magic happens and rushing it wastes the effort.
03 -
  • Don't let the broth come to a rolling boil once you've added vegetables and tofu, because aggression only leads to broken tofu and mushy vegetables when gentleness is what wins.
  • Slice your ginger with the skin still on—it looks prettier and those thin pieces infuse the broth with more flavor than if you peeled it first.
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