Tofu Mushroom Soup Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Tofu Mushroom Soup Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Rating
4(519)
Notes
Read community notes

For a full meal in a bowl, serve this deeply flavorful soup with warm brown rice or noodles.

Featured in: Tofu and Mushroom Broth: Happy Together

Learn: How to Make Soup

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1ounce dried mushrooms (about 1 cup), preferably porcinis
  • ½pound fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • ½pound fresh button or cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 1head of garlic, cut in half crosswise
  • 2teaspoons salt, or to taste
  • 6slices fresh ginger, from the widest part of the root
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • 14 to 16ounces tofu (1 box), either firm or soft, cut in 1-inch dice
  • ½cup chopped cilantro
  • 2tablespoons chopped chives

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

143 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 591 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Tofu Mushroom Soup Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Place dried mushrooms in a bowl or large heatproof measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. If mushrooms are sandy, agitate from time to time. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a 1-quart measuring cup. Drain through the strainer, then twist mushrooms in the cheesecloth, holding them over the strainer, to squeeze out the last of the flavorful liquid. Discard reconstituted mushrooms or set aside for another use.

  2. Step

    2

    While porcinis are soaking, pull tough stems away from shiitake mushroom caps. Slice caps thin and set aside.

  3. Step

    3

    Combine the mushroom broth with enough water to make 9 cups liquid and place in a saucepan or soup pot. Add shiitake stems, quartered button or cremini mushrooms, halved head of garlic, salt and ginger slices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

  4. Step

    4

    Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove mushrooms, stems, garlic and ginger from broth. Add soy sauce to broth. Taste and adjust salt.

  5. Step

    5

    Bring broth back to a boil and add tofu. Reduce heat to a simmer or a gentle boil, cover partly and simmer for 30 minutes. Tofu will puff a little, and texture will become more porous and spongy.

  6. Step

    6

    Add thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and chives. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.

Tip

  • Broth can be prepared in advance through Step 4 and refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 2 months. Soup can be prepared through Step 5 a day ahead of time.

Ratings

4

out of 5

519

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Rob

"Discard reconstituted mushrooms or set aside ...."! Not only because of the deliciousness of porcini, but the incredible $$$$$ expense of these gems, they must be chopped and added to this soup, if only to further enhance the already rich mushroom flavor.

Ellen

I made the broth with dried shiitakes and fresh mushroom stems because it's what I had. Also threw in a stalk of lemon grass I had hanging around. Ditto for fresh galangal root instead of ginger plus some kaffir lime leaves. Broth was still a bit wan so I added a generous tablespoon of white miso paste which helped up the umami factor. Made the rest as directed except I added some kale with the mushrooms at the end. Used udon noodles and drizzled with sesame oil and green chilies. yum!

Heidi

The sodium level on this dish is excessive. Wonder if you can eliminate the salt and just go with soy sauce?

Susie

Tofu doesn't disintegrate when frozen. It has more texture - sort of tougher and chewier.

Maryka

Seems rather wasteful to discard both the porcini and cremini/button mushrooms. Why?

Hillary

I loved this recipe. I have to say, I don't see the reason for taking out the crimini mushrooms. I left them in for more mushroom content.

Ari

I skimmed all of the solids out of the broth. Then I pulled out the fiber-y bits, like the ginger, and pureed the rest with milk to make _another_ soup, which was equally delicious.

Gary Hayman

Too bland [or wan] for me too. I had to doctor it with chicken bouillon, dribble sesame oil, dribble fish sauce, sea weed shreds, corn starch and more soy. Onions would be a good addition. I'm going to have to try adding miso and noodles too.

Tom

I did this and added some cilantro sprigs to the broth at step 3. Also thought is was a bit wane (wan?) so I added a bit more soy (Low sodium so might be why it was a bit bland). Very good basic mushroom broth I think. Finished it with some noodle (ramen from a package but not the spice packet). Very good. Would do more ginger next time though. And perhaps reduce the broth a bit.

Jess

Comfort food on a cold day. Brightened by a squeeze of lemon juice.

tundra

I completely left out the salt, the soy sauce was enough. I added some kale at the end also. This was a delicate soup, with a subtle flavor.

Pat

The soaked porcinis could also be used in a recipe such as the pasta with slow cooked portabellos.

Margery Rosem

I think scallops would be delicious in this, as would shrimp.

ScottW

Great recipe. Benefits from the addition of a little acid.

Bob

Extracted the mushroom broth as directed. Added a dark homemade vegetable broth rather than water. Simmered with slightly smashed garlic cloves from 1 head with all paper removed and slices of ginger and long stems from cilantro. Skimmed those out after 30 min. Added cremini’s and simmered then immersion blended smooth. Added 1tsp ground coriander & 1Tbs red miso. Added cooked broken rice stick. Cut 1/2” cubes tofu to fit spoon. Substituted scallion for chives. All else as per recipe. DELIGHTFUL

A Phillips

Added all mushrooms once reconstituted and added 2 cups sliced sautéed creminiExtra tbsp soy

JessicaC

This really wasn’t worth the effort. It was fine with some doctoring, and used up the tofu and mushrooms in the fridge. We likely won’t make it again.

Pam

I added some of the mushrooms back; made omelettes with the rest.Baby bok Choi added in that last 5 minutes was a nice addition!

ben!

Couldn't you just do the 3 30 minute waiting/simmering steps simultaneously and make this in way less than 1:45?Just made this and was just standing around the whole time.

ben

why is this recipe so needlessly complicated :O so many extra steps

Great Start, Just Needs Umami

This is an excellent mushroom broth, but like others, I found it too blabd. Adding some white miso and lemon juice quickly solved that though. Delicious!

Discard Nothing!

I left all the mushroom goodness in. Then ate the soup. Then used the remaining mushrooms in a dang fine pasta with goat cheese. This is a multi meal. Tofu is amazing.

AJ

Added more ginger and mushroom than what was in the recipe, also added soy, hoisin, and shaoxing wine. The soup wasn’t super flavorful so I turned into a pasta sauce by adding some heavy whipping cream

Zoukabella

Following other reviews about a bland(ish) stock, I also added a tablespoon of Miso and two cups of vegetable stock (I had some on hand and other comments mentioned that the broth was a bit bland)Only had shiitake dried mushrooms so that's what I used for the broth...I kept the crimini mushrooms and garlic in the broth as wellAdded browned beef chunks Brown rice It was so good and a rich and comforting soup for a snowy snow storm day.I'd like to make this soup again!!!

lisa

Added ramen noodles and toasted sesame oil. Delicious

Gavin Cassidy

Super good soup, I should have made a full batch! I added one small onion to it and it was great. I did saute it. I also skipped steps 1-2 since I bought a mushroom broth and went from there. Super super good. I would add some carrots and celery next time to give it more depth. Lastly I added like 1/4 tsp of pepper. It is needed. 10/10

Laurie

Great. Used 2 cups mushroom broth as part of the water. Smashed in some of the simmered garlic. Added rice vinegar, black pepper and pepper flakes to make hot and sour soup! Also added dandelion greens blanched fir 10 minutes to remove bitterness. Left all mushrooms in broth. Offered sesame oil at table. Yum

joetta

I just made this with some shiitake and yellow oyster mushrooms from the farmers market and it is tasty! Heeding other reviews I boosted the flavor with extra soy and ginger and some umami mushroom seasoning from Trader Joe’s. I also added sautéed yellow oyster mushrooms and scallions at the end. It’s really tasty!

Kristine

I left everything in the soup, including ginger slices and shiitake stems. Delicious!

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Tofu Mushroom Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should tofu be cooked before adding to soup? ›

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.

Will firm tofu fall apart in soup? ›

Firm or extra firm tofu works best as it holds its shape well and does not break apart easily when cooked in soup.

Is soft or firm tofu better for soup? ›

Firm and extra-firm tofu are dense and solid and hold up well in stir-frys, soups or on the grill. Soft tofu is good for soups and making dips or spreads, where a smoother texture is desirable and the recipe calls for blending, mashing or puréeing.

How do you thicken tofu soup? ›

Transfer 1 cup soup and remaining tofu slab to blender and process until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir pureed soup and reserved browned tofu into remaining soup in saucepan and adjust consistency with extra hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What happens if you don't press tofu before cooking? ›

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

Do I need to press tofu for soup? ›

Does all tofu need pressing? Some brands of firm tofu, particularly smoked or flavoured ones that are vacuum packed, may not need pressing. If you're not sure, dab the surface with a clean tea towel and see if it picks up moisture. If it's dry then it's fine to use without pressing.

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Do I need to rinse tofu? ›

She encourages people to treat tofu in a similar manner to canned beans, which we are taught to drain and rinse before using. She finds that doing so can help eliminate any off-flavors from preservatives in the water for liquid-packed tofu.

Which type of tofu is often used in soups? ›

Regular tofu easily soaks up the flavours of sauces and broths and so is often used in noodle soups and stews. You can also make delicious spreads using regular tofu, or 'scrambled' tofu, a vegetarian take on scrambled eggs.

How long does tofu last in the fridge? ›

If it darkens in color, begins to smell, or feels slimy, it should be thrown away. Bottom line: Open packages of tofu are good in the fridge for up to five days, provided you change the water daily.

Can I use normal tofu instead of silken? ›

Both silken and regular tofu can be found in soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm consistencies. They are made with the same ingredients, but they are processed slightly differently and are not interchangeable in a recipe.

Can you overcook tofu in soup? ›

Tofu doesn't take long to cook in soup. Typically, it only needs to be heated through, which usually takes about 5-10 minutes. Overcooking tofu can make it mushy, so it's best to keep an eye on it and remove it from the soup once it is heated.

What does adding cornstarch to tofu do? ›

A light coating of cornstarch will absorb even more moisture from the tofu's surface and contribute to a distinct coating. Sprinkle over the starch (potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work too) a little bit at a time and toss the tofu, pressing gently so the starch adheres.

How do you keep tofu from falling apart in soup? ›

To Keep It Together, Think Dry and Firm

For pan-frying, draining it and then drying and pressing the exterior with paper towels works well. To use soft tofu successfully in a braised dish, simmering or steeping it in hot salt water or other salted liquid like broth first is essential.

Does tofu have to be cooked first? ›

Tofu can be eaten raw, and so cooking it is completely optional and is mostly done for texture or to bind the sauce to the tofu. You can pan-sear the sides and add it to a colorful stir-fry or deep-fry it and coat it in a savory and sweet sauce.

Does packaged tofu need to be cooked? ›

You can eat raw tofu without cooking directly from the pack, but make sure that you drain off the excess water first because it does not add anything to the experience. Tofu is also called bean curd. It is a white, creamy, soft, relatively flavorless food product made from soybeans.

Do you have to cook tofu before putting it in ramen? ›

Yes, you can add tofu directly to the ramen broth. However, keep in mind that tofu can be delicate, and if you cook it in the broth for an extended period, it may break apart or become too soft.

Why boil tofu before cooking? ›

“Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

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