Tofu and Vegetable Soup (Printable Version)

Light Asian-style soup with silken tofu and crisp vegetables in savory broth

# What You Need:

→ 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 - 10.6 ounces silken tofu, cubed

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

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 red bell pepper strips. Simmer for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
04 - Stir in chopped bok choy and sliced spring onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender-crisp.
05 - Gently add cubed silken tofu to the simmering broth. Maintain low heat and simmer for 2 minutes, handling carefully to preserve tofu integrity.
06 - Taste the broth and season with additional soy sauce if needed to achieve desired salinity.
07 - Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top with fresh cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes flat, which means weeknight dinner without the guilt of takeout boxes piling up.
  • The broth tastes like it's been simmering for hours, but the ginger and garlic do most of the heavy lifting for you.
  • Naturally vegetarian and vegan, plus gluten-free with one tiny swap—no need to cook separate meals for different people.
02 -
  • Silken tofu will fall apart if you stir aggressively or if your broth is at a rolling boil—treat it with the gentleness you'd use for an egg white.
  • The flavor of this soup builds from the first 2 minutes when you toast the ginger and garlic, so don't skip that step even though it feels small.
03 -
  • If your tofu is falling apart despite your gentleness, it was likely packed in water for too long—buying it fresh from the refrigerated section and using it that day makes a real difference.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before garnishing; they wake up completely and taste like a different ingredient than the ones straight from the jar.
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