Our tofu soup combines a tasty broth with crisp veggies and bite-size tofu pieces into a warm, delicious, cozy dish.

You’ll love this recipe because it’s simple, tasty, and healthy and because you can easily customize it to your taste by choosing your favorite veggies.

Tofu soup is light yet fulfilling; you can even add noodles to make it a satisfying meal.

tofu soup recipe with white spoon

Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.

There are many ways of making tofu soup, from Korean soondubu jjigae to Japanese Miso soup; tofu is an excellent ingredient because of its neutral flavor and high nutritional profile.

Our tofu soup is an Asian-inspired dish you can make with basic and simple ingredients as an everyday dinner in about 30 minutes.

The best part is that you can customize it with your favorite seasonal vegetables – we show you options for all seasons.

The recipe has a good balance of protein, vegetables, and fats. It’s also fast, easy, customizable, simple to make gluten-free if needed, and perfect as an everyday meal.

We keep this recipe vegan without pork, beef, chicken, egg, clams, chicken stock, anchovy stock, or shrimp and instead use tofu as our primary source of healthy fats and plant-based proteins.

Tofu soup with peas, broccoli and a white spoon

Tofu soup video

Ingredients and Substitutions

tofu soup ingredients

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Tofu

Depending on your taste, you can use most types of tofu for this soup.

We like to use firm tofu or extra-firm tofu. Soft tofu and silken tofu are also excellent in this recipe.

Mushrooms

We like to use a mix of mushrooms, generally what we find at our store.

You can use white mushrooms, brown mushrooms, cremini, portobello, oyster mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms.

Dried mushrooms

Dried mushrooms add a bold flavor and umami to the soup.

We recommend using dried shiitake mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms, or dried oyster mushrooms.

They must be soaked first in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Their soaking water should also be added to the soup, so do not discard it because it’s incredibly flavorful.

Substitute miso for dried mushrooms. You can use any miso, a couple of tablespoons, dissolved in water before adding it.

Ginger, garlic & chili

Ginger, garlic, and chili make up the flavor base for the soup. We gently fry them in olive oil so they release their flavor.

The ginger and garlic should be finely chopped. You can add more or less chili pepper based on your spice tolerance.

Substitute red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne pepper, or gochugaru for the red chili.

Substitute avocado oil or coconut oil for olive oil.

Soy sauce

Soy sauce adds sapidity, flavor, and umami.

You can replace it with tamari sauce or coconut aminos for a gluten-free alternative.

Vegetable broth

We generally use store-bought vegetable broth, especially if we want to make this tofu soup as an everyday dinner.

But of course, you can make your own vegetable stock from scratch.

Vegetables

Our go-to vegetables for tofu soup are broccoli and frozen peas. Other veggie combinations excellent in the soup are:

  • Snow peas and asparagus: perfect for a spring variation of this tofu soup.
  • Zucchini and bell pepper: ideal for the summer when these ingredients are in season.
  • Cauliflower, frozen edamame beans, and spinach are perfect for fall and winter.
  • Other veggies: these are just our suggestions; you can add other seasonal vegetables in your local grocery store. Try kale, napa cabbage, Chinese cabbage, chard, sweet potatoes, and even kimchi.

Salt & Pepper

Add sea salt and black pepper to taste, considering that the soy sauce and miso add a bold, savory flavor.

Miso (optional)

Miso paste is optional in this tofu soup recipe. We recommend it if you want to add even more flavor and umami; plus, miso is healthy for your gut.

You can use any type of miso paste.

Toppings

  • Scallion or cilantro: we love adding fresh cilantro or finely sliced scallion or spring onion on top of the soup. They both add freshness and garnish the tofu soup. You can replace them with parsley, lemongrass, green onions, and chives.
  • Sesame oil: this is optional, but if you have it handy, you can add a few drops on top of the soup just before serving it.

Noodles (optional)

We tested this soup with several noodles, and here’s what we learned.

We recommend using fresh or pre-cooked noodles that often come in vacuum packages like ramen and udon because you can add them directly into the soup, let them warm for a few minutes, and you are ready to serve them.

If you want dry noodles, we recommend cooking them separately first, then adding them to the soup. This is because they absorb much water, and the tofu soup would dry out.

Tofu soup recipe with hand and white spoon

How to make tofu soup

Prep the mushrooms

The first step to make this vegan tofu soup is to soak the dried mushrooms in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes.

Don’t discard the soaking water, as we’ll use it later. It’s packed with flavor.

In the meantime, chop the fresh mushrooms. I like chopping them quite chunkily as they’ll shrink slightly when cooked.

shiitake mushrooms soaking in a bowl

Make the flavor base

Finely chop the garlic, ginger, and red chili pepper.

Alternatively, you can grate the garlic and ginger if you prefer.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, then add the finely chopped garlic, ginger, and chili. Fry gently for about a minute without burning the garlic.

Tofu soup flavor base

Squeeze the dried mushrooms out of their soaking water (reserve the soaking water), cut them up with scissors if the pieces are too large, then add them to the pot.

Now add fresh chopped mushrooms, soy sauce, salt, and black pepper, and let cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring often.

The mushrooms should start releasing their water.

Sautéed mushrooms for tofu soup

Add the rest of the ingredients

Now add the soaking water from the dried mushrooms – pass it through a sift if you see that it is sandy, as dried mushrooms can contain some debris.

Add vegetable broth, cover the pot with a lid, set the stove to medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.

adding broth to tofu soup

Turn the heat down to medium-low so that the soup keeps simmering gently, then add tofu diced into bite-sized pieces, broccoli florets, and frozen peas (or the vegetables of your choice).

Tip: If you use soft or silken tofu, you might want to scoop it out from its box with a spoon instead of cutting it with a knife.

vegetables and tofu cubes in a Dutch oven

Let the soup simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until the veggies are cooked but not too soft.

Cooking time varies based on the vegetables that you use, but it’s generally around 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro. Optionally, you can drizzle with a few drops of sesame or chili oil.

Tip: add 1 to 2 tablespoons of miso paste to make the tofu soup more flavorful. Add miso towards the end. Dissolve it in a small bowl with some hot broth, then add it.

Tofu soup recipe in a blue bowl with garlic on the side

Variations

Tofu soup with noodles

vegan tofu soup with noodles

Noodles are a perfect addition to this soup. We recommend fresh ramen or udon noodles, but you can also add dry rice noodles or soy noodles.

If you use fresh noodles, add them right into the soup with an extra cup or two of vegetable broth, then let simmer for a few minutes as per package instructions.

If you use dry noodles, we recommend cooking them separately first, then adding them to the soup.

We recommend this because dry noodles soak up quite a bit of water, and they’ll dry your soup if you cook them in the same pot.

Spring tofu soup

vegan tofu soup with snow peas and asparagus in a bowl

You can add any of your favorite veggies to this tofu soup and make this any time of the year.

Keep the mushroom base the same and add chopped asparagus and snow peas instead of broccoli and frozen peas.

Summer tofu soup

spring tofu soup with zucchini and peas

Try adding chopped zucchini and frozen peas.

Fall and winter tofu soup

Tofu soup with frozen peas and mushrooms

Try using fall or winter vegetables. Depending on where you live, you can add cauliflower florets, spinach, napa cabbage, or kale.

Korean Tofu Soup with Kimchi

Soft tofu soup with kimchi is a Korean-inspired soup that is delicious but slightly more particular than our classic tofu soup.

This version is inspired by Korean soft-tofu stew (Sundubu Jjigae). We don’t claim this is the original version; it’s just our adaptation, but it’s delicious and easy to prepare.

To make it, you’ll need kimchi instead of mushrooms. Kimchi is a Korean dish generally made with fermented napa cabbage.

Fry the chopped chili (or Korean red pepper flakes or Gochujang), finely chopped garlic, and finely chopped ginger in oil for a minute.

Add kimchi and soy sauce and fry for another couple of minutes, stirring often. You’ll need about 1 cup of kimchi and its juice.

Now add the vegetable broth and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Generally, this soup is served with Korean soft tofu, but we often make ours with regular firm tofu (I know, not original, but still delicious).

We also like to add extra veggies to the soup, like broccoli or mushrooms (Enoki mushrooms are delicious in this recipe).

Tip

Miso adds a wonderful deep flavor with umami, and we recommend it in this soup.

If using miso paste, dissolve it first in a bowl with some hot broth. This prevents the miso from lumping up in the soup.

Also, add miso towards the end. Miso is a fermented food that contains alive gut-friendly bacteria, so you don’t want to boil it in the soup.

miso paste

Questions

Can tofu be used in soups?

Yes. Tofu can be used in soups. You can use soft tofu, silken tofu, firm tofu, and extra-firm tofu.

Can you put raw tofu in soup?

Yes. You can put raw tofu in the soup and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to warm and flavor it. Tofu can be eaten raw, so it’s no problem to add it raw to soups.

What kind of tofu is best for soup?

Any kind of tofu is good for soups. It depends on the dish you are trying to make and your taste. In Korean tofu soups, you can use soft tofu; in some Chinese soups, you can use silken tofu. In Westernized tofu soups, you can use firm or extra firm tofu.

Is tofu soup healthy?

Yes. Tofu soup is healthy as it contains many nutrients, vitamins, and vegetables.

How do you cut tofu for soups?

It depends on the type of tofu. You can dice firm and extra firm tofu. Soft and silken tofu can be spooned from their box and added to the soup instead of cutting them with a knife.

Storage

Make ahead: tofu soup is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it keeps well for days and tastes delicious the day after it’s made.

Refrigerator: keep this vegan tofu soup in the fridge, ideally in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

Freezer: Let the soup cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, leaving some space to allow the soup to expand. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thaw & Reheat: Thaw in the microwave or a pot on the stovetop. Warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave. Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro, scallions, and a drizzle of sesame oil.

Tofu soup recipe and how to store it

More tofu recipes

For more easy and delicious tofu inspiration, try these proteinrich recipes:

More soup recipes

Love wholesome and legume-based soups? Take a look at these onepot meals:

For more curries, stews, and soups, check out our soups category page.

tofu soup with mushrooms and a white spoon

Tofu Soup

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 41 votes
Out tofu soup combines a tasty broth with crisp veggies and bite-size tofu pieces into a warm, delicious, cozy dish.
You’ll love this recipe because it’s simple, tasty, and healthy and because you can easily customize it to your taste by choosing your favorite veggies.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main, Soup, Starter
Cuisine: Asian, International

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup dried mushrooms shiitake are best, or 1 tablespoon miso paste dissolved in a cup of hot broth
  • tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
  • inches ginger finely chopped or grated
  • ½ red hot chili or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 8 ounces mushrooms white, brown, portobello, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 twists black pepper
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 14 ounces tofu firm or extra firm, diced
  • 1 cup broccoli florets swap asparagus, cauliflower florets, diced bell pepper, sliced zucchini, etc.
  • ¾ cup frozen peas swap snow peas, edamame beans, spinach, kale, cabbage, etc.

TOPPING

  • 1 scallion finely sliced, swap fresh cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil or chili oil

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

  • 1 heaping tablespoon miso paste dissolved in hot broth and added towards the end
  • 4 servings noodles we recommend fresh noodles like udon or ramen. If you use dry noodles, like rice or soy vermicelli, cook them in a separate pot first, then add them to the soup.

Instructions 

  • Soak ¾ cup dried mushrooms in a bowl with hot water for 5 minutes, then squeeze them out of the water and cut them into chunks. Reserve the soaking water for later.
    shiitake mushrooms soaking in a bowl
  • Chop 8 ounces mushrooms into chunks. Don't cut them too thin.
    chopped white button mushrooms
  • In a large pot, heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 1½ inches ginger, ½ red hot chili (all finely chopped). Fry on low heat for one minute.
    Tofu soup flavor base
  • Add the dried and fresh mushrooms, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 twists black pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.
    Sautéed mushrooms for tofu soup
  • Add 6 cups vegetable broth, the reserved soaking water from dried mushrooms and bring to a boil.
    adding broth to tofu soup
  • Add 14 ounces tofu (diced), 1 cup broccoli florets, and ¾ cup frozen peas and simmer until the veggies are cooked – about 10 minutes.
    If you want to add miso paste, dissolve it first in hot broth, then add it when the soup is almost ready.
    vegetables and tofu cubes in a Dutch oven
  • Serve in a bowl and top with 1 scallion (finely chopped) and 2 teaspoons sesame oil
    Tofu soup recipe in a blue bowl with garlic on the side

VARIATION WITH NOODLES

  • If you use fresh noodles, add them right into the soup with an extra cup or two of vegetable broth, then let simmer for a few minutes as per package instructions.
    If you use dry noodles, we recommend cooking them separately first, then adding them to the soup.
    We recommend this because dry noodles soak up quite a bit of water, and they’ll dry your soup if you cook them in the same pot.
    Tofu soup with peas, broccoli and a white spoon

Video

Easy Tofu Soup ready in 20 minutes

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for one serving of tofu soup out of four servings without noodles.
STORAGE
Make ahead: tofu soup is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it keeps well for days and tastes delicious the day after it’s made.
Refrigerator: keep this vegan tofu soup in the fridge, ideally in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Let the soup cool down completely, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, leaving some space to allow the soup to expand. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw & Reheat: Thaw in the microwave or a pot on the stovetop. Warm it up on the stovetop or in the microwave. Before serving, garnish with fresh cilantro, scallions, and a drizzle of sesame oil.
ALSO ON THIS PAGE

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Potassium: 457mg, Dietary Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 669IU, Vitamin B6: 0.2mg, Vitamin C: 28mg, Vitamin E: 1mg, Vitamin K: 51µg, Calcium: 159mg, Folate: 50µg, Iron: 2mg, Manganese: 0.4mg, Magnesium: 34mg, Zinc: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or mention @nicoandlouise on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

If you liked this tofu soup, you might also enjoy:


Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

Easy right?

5 from 41 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




37 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Oh my gosh! Amazing. Iโ€™ve never had tofu in soup, and not the best at cooking it on my best day. I made this because I was feeling under the weather and wanted something easy and nourishing. It is so good. Super easy, the texture of the tofu is unbelievable. This is definitely my new go to soup.

    1. Hi Melanie,
      That’s fantastic to hear – I’m so happy you liked the soup and you found it easy and nourishing!
      Thanks so much for taking time to leave a message here.
      All the best,
      Louise

  2. This seems like more of a mushroom soup than a tofu soup. There are certainly more mushrooms than tofu. I hate mushrooms.

    1. So sorry for your loss, but thank you for sharing with all of us on the internet. Please try one of the other vegetable combinations the author has recommended for just this situation.

  3. Yes, it took over an hour and 1/2 to prep and cook…
    Sadly, it didn’t go over with my partner. I don’t think adding noodles would have helped. It is certainly healthy however,

  4. Ah it says drain the mushrooms. Then it says smreseve the mushroom water as if I just didn’t pour it down the drain.

    1. Hi Karen,
      Yes, you can. I’d recommend adding a little extra soy sauce to maintain the umami-flavor of the soup.
      Let me know how you like it. Have a great weekend, when you get there.
      Louise

  5. I tried this recipe again, and it was great. But even with fewer rice noodles than you recommend, the broth disappeared after a few minutes, and I was left with just noodles.

    What type of noodles do you use Nico?

    1. Hi Linda,

      You are right; I forgot to mention that if you add dry noodles (I usually use rice or soy vermicelli), you’ll need to increase the amount of vegetable broth.

      Start by adding one more cup of broth, then add more, if necessary, until you reach a consistency you are happy with.

      If you use pre-cooked noodles, like udon noodles, you won’t need as much extra broth.

      As you mentioned in your other comment, you can also boil the noodles separately and serve them on the side ๐Ÿ™‚ That’s a great idea!

      Regarding the soy, you are right here too. We tried to keep it on the low end for people concerned with sodium intake, but the soup definitely needs more soy for flavor ๐Ÿ˜Š

      I adjusted the blog post based on your feedback ๐Ÿ™‚

      I hope this helps, but let us know if you have any questions.
      Thank you ๐Ÿ™‚
      Nico

  6. 5 stars
    Thank you for this amazing recipe! My interpretation, replace parsley with dill and no scallions ( only boil onion with vegetable broth). Full of flavour and easy โค๏ธ

    1. Hi Polina,
      That’s fantastic! I’m so happy you liked the soup, and did your own interpretation, it sounds delicious ๐Ÿ™‚
      Thanks so much for your comment. Kindest,
      Louise

  7. Hi,
    I made this soup last night and it was tasty but the noodles soaked up all the broth before I had a chance to get to a second bowl. Maybe you should cook the noodles separately and add them to the bowl as you eat it??

    I used vermicelli rice noodles, angel hair. Did I use the wrong kind??

    Also, the amount of soy sauce you recommend is not enough. It really needs a couple of tablespoons to get a good flavor. But, I loved it and will try again, with noodles on the side. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Thanks,
    Linda
    P.S. I LOVE your site. I refer to it several times a week for ideas on how to get more veggies in my diet!!!

    1. Thanks so much for your comment, Linda ๐Ÿ™‚

      I replied to the other one for the noodles and soy adjustments ๐Ÿ“

      Thanks again! ๐Ÿ™
      Nico

  8. Could frozen vegetables, say frozen broccoli be used, instead of fresh? How would that affect the cook time/taste, if at all?

    1. Hi Nicole,

      Thanks for your question ๐Ÿ™‚

      Yes, definitely! You can use frozen veggies. We tried frozen peas and asparagus, which did not affect cook time.

      However, some frozen veggies might cook faster than fresh ones, so keep an eye on them. What you don’t want is overcooked veggies with a soggy texture. For example, this might happen with frozen broccoli if you overcook them.

      Regarding taste, we find that it depends on the brand/price. Some budget ones are bland and mushy. Others are as tasty and crunchy as fresh veggies.

      I hope this helps!
      Happy cooking ๐Ÿ™‚
      Nico

  9. Great recipe but in what universe does it take five minutes to prep?
    I see these low estimates of time to prep in many online sites. I would prefer something more realistic, presuming no prep assistant available. Yes, I am an experienced cook. Constructive feedback.

    1. Hi Kathleen,
      Constructive feedback is great, and you are right – we were optimistic about the prep time.
      It has now been changed, hopefully, it sets the expectation right for future readers.
      Thank you for taking the time to comment, and have a great rest of your week.
      Kindest,
      Louise

        1. Hi Annie,
          I’m super happy you liked the tofu soup – and found the instructions helpful, YAY!
          Have a wonderful rest of your weekend and thanks for taking the time to comment. Kindest,
          Louise