This easy tomato mushroom tofu soup is rich, full of umami and surprisingly filling. It’s ready in just 30 minutes and it’s basically a warm hug in a bowl.
Table of Contents
- Watch How to Make It
- What is Tomato Mushroom Tofu Soup?
- Ingredients List
- How to Make Easy Tomato Mushroom Tofu Soup
- Frequently Asked Questions
Watch How to Make It
What is Tomato Mushroom Tofu Soup?
Tomato mushroom tofu soup is a light and comforting Chinese-style soup with tomatoes cooked down until rich and jammy, soft tofu, and mushrooms for extra umami, finished with a silky egg drop for extra comfort and protein.
I’ve been making this soup on repeat lately because I can feel myself starting to catch a cold from being packed into the tube with everyone coughing around me. This has basically become my go-to “please don’t get sick” soup.
It’s warm and nourishing, cozy without being heavy, but somehow still super filling.
I love this soup because it’s so easy and flexible. You can add whatever veggies or protein you like. I went with tofu for softness and protein, plus two types of mushrooms, shimeji and shiitake, simply because I love the texture and the umami flavour.
Ingredients List
Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Tomatoes and tomato paste
Tomatoes are obviously the star of this soup, so I like to use both diced and wedged tomatoes because they do different things.
The diced tomatoes cook down and almost melt into the broth, creating a rich, jammy, tomato-ey base. Whereas the wedges hold their shape a bit more, so you still get bursts of fresh tomato as you eat.
I also peel the tomato skins first. I don’t do this all the time and it might feel like an extra step, but it really does make a difference. Without the skin, the tomatoes break down more easily and the soup tastes richer and more smooth. You can still keep the skins and add them back in later if you want to avoid waste.
I also add a bit of tomato paste. It deepens the colour, makes the soup even more rich, and basically just makes everything more tomato-ey.
Mushrooms
I used two types of mushrooms in this soup, shiitake and shimeji, purely out of personal preference.
I really love the texture they give, and both add a lot of umami without making the soup feel heavy. Shiitake mushrooms brings a deep savoury flavour, while shimeji mushrooms have a light and bouncy texture.
You don’t have to use these mushrooms because this soup is really flexible, so feel free to swap in whatever mushrooms or veggies you like or have in hand.
Egg drop
Adding egg drop is a classic way to make Chinese-style soup! I also love adding it for extra protein and that cozy silky texture.
To get those soft ribbons, a little cornstarch slurry goes a long way. Mixing cornstarch with water and adding it to the soup before the egg slightly thickens the broth, which helps the egg hold its shape instead of dissolving into a watery mess.
When you’re ready to add the eggs, turn the heat to low and pour them in slowly in a circular motion. Don’t just dump the whole thing in, if you do, you’ll end up with chunky egg instead of smooth, ribbon-like strands. As the egg starts to set, gently stir the soup to distribute the ribbons evenly.
A few extra tips:
- Make sure the soup isn’t boiling when you add the eggs, or they’ll cook too fast and get rubbery.
- Use only one or two beaten eggs
- For extra visual appeal, try swirling the egg in one direction to get longer, more elegant ribbons.
Chicken bouillon powder
If I had fresh chicken broth at home, I would definitely use that. But let’s be real, sometimes I’m lazy! A quick hack is just using water and adding a bit of chicken bouillon powder.
I always have Knorr Chicken Powder Bouillon in my pantry because it’s what we’ve always used at home and even back in Hong Kong.
It adds a bit of flavour, umami and depth to the soup. So even with just water, the broth doesn’t taste flat. It’s an easy way to make the soup taste nicer without any extra effort!
How to Make Easy Tomato Mushroom Tofu Soup
To peel the tomatoes easily, score a small cross at the bottom of each tomato. Submerge all the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, then peel off the skins. Removing the skin helps the tomatoes break down and melt more easily, giving the soup a richer, more tomato-ey flavour.
Heat a pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the julienned ginger and tomato paste, then sauté for about 1 minute to bring out the flavour.
Add the diced tomatoes and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until softened. Use a spatula to gently crush the tomatoes to release more juices. Add the tomato wedges and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Stir in the sugar and oyster sauce until well combined. Add the water, chicken bouillon powder, salt, tofu, shiitake mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water to make a slurry. Pour it into the soup and stir for about 30 seconds until the soup thickens slightly. This helps the egg form soft and silky ribbons later.
Turn the heat to low. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a circular motion. Once the egg ribbons begin to set, gently stir.
Finish with sesame oil and white pepper powder. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot. Enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
No, but peeling them helps the soup become richer and smoother. If you don’t want to waste the skins, you can add them back in after peeling.
Yes! Shimeji and shiitake are just my preference for texture and umami. You can swap in whatever mushrooms you like or have on hand.
Of course! Skip the oyster sauce or swap it for a vegan alternative, and use vegetable or mushroom bouillon instead of chicken bouillon.
Yes! Fresh or store-bought chicken broth works perfectly. The bouillon hack is just for when you’re lazy or don’t have broth on hand.
Use the cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup slightly, lower the heat, and pour the beaten eggs slowly in a circular motion. Gentle stirring as it sets helps create silky ribbons instead of clumps.
Easy Tomato Mushroom Tofu Soup
2
servings10
minutes20
minutesThis easy tomato mushroom tofu soup is rich, full of umami and surprisingly filling. It’s ready in just 30 minutes and it’s basically a warm hug in a bowl.
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Ingredients
1 slice ginger, julienned
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped into wedges
2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
500 ml water
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1/2 tsp salt
200 g soft tofu, chopped into cubes
95 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
75 g shimeiji mushrooms
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp sesame oil
White pepper powder (to taste)
Chopped coriander (garnish)
Directions
- To peel the tomatoes easily, score a small cross at the bottom of each tomato. Submerge all the tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute, then peel off the skins. Removing the skin helps the tomatoes break down and melt more easily, giving the soup a richer, more tomato-ey flavour.
- Heat a pot over medium-high heat and add oil. Add the julienned ginger and tomato paste, then sauté for about 1 minute to bring out the flavour.
- Add the diced tomatoes and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until softened. Use a spatula to gently crush the tomatoes to release more juices. Add the tomato wedges and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the sugar and oyster sauce until well combined. Add the water, chicken bouillon powder, salt, tofu, shiitake mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water to make a slurry. Pour it into the soup and stir for about 30 seconds until the soup thickens slightly. This helps the egg form soft and silky ribbons later.
- Turn the heat to low. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a circular motion. Once the egg ribbons begin to set, gently stir.
- Finish with sesame oil and white pepper powder. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot. Enjoy!
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