Seaweed and Tofu Meatball Soup

Seaweed and tofu meatball soup is a simple and nourishing Chinese homestyle dish that comes together in just 30 minutes. It’s warm, comforting and full of flavour without feeling heavy. It features tender pork meatballs, soft tofu and dried seaweed all simmered in a light savoury broth. It’s an easy weeknight soup you can throw together with minimal effort and still end up with something super satisfying!

Table of Contents

• Watch How to Make It
• What is Seaweed and Tofu Meatball Soup?
• Ingredients List
• How to Make Seaweed and Tofu Meatball Soup
• Top Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions

Watch How To Make It

What is Seaweed and Tofu Meatball Soup?

Seaweed and tofu meatball soup (紫菜豆腐肉丸湯) is a light and comforting dish that’s high in protein and full of flavour. The base starts with a simple chicken broth with soft tofu cubes, dried seaweed and juicy pork meatballs.

The meatballs are the star of this soup dish. They are seasoned with simple everyday Chinese pantry ingredients such as light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil.

I like to add a little dried shrimp and ginger for extra umami and depth. I also love adding a splash of fish sauce to add a bit of savouriness and seafood flavour without overpowering the soup.

It’s the kind of easy homestyle recipe you can lean on when you want something nourishing and soothing, plus it only takes about 30 minutes to make.

Perfect for a busy weeknight or for warming up on a cold winter day!

Ingredients List

Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient list.

Chinese Dried Seaweed

Chinese dried seaweed (紫菜) is something you’ll often see in soups like egg drop soup or wonton soup. It adds a nice subtle savoury and umami flavour. You can usually find it at Asian supermarkets, and it comes in big round sheets that puff up when soaked.

To use it, just soak the seaweed in warm water for a few minutes until it softens, then drain it. You can also cut them in half before tossing it into the soup, which makes it easier to eat and mix in nicely.

They’re also available to buy on Amazon.

Pork Meatballs

The pork meatballs are what makes this soup so comforting. The seasoning really simple, basically using sauces you already have in your pantry such as light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine and sesame oil.

A bit of cornstarch keeps the meatball tender and hold together, and giving the mixture a few firm throws against the bowl helps it turn sticky and elastic, which creates that bouncy texture.

When you’re ready to cook, just squeeze small balls of the mixture between your thumb and index finger and drop them straight into the simmering broth. They firm up quickly and stay juicy, and you end up with meatballs that are soft and full of flavour.

If you don’t want to use pork, you can easily swap it for other proteins such as ground chicken or turkey.

If you’re feeling suuuuper lazy, you can even use frozen hotpot meatballs or fishballs.

Dried Shrimp

Dried shrimp is one of those tiny ingredients that makes a big difference in this soup. It adds a deep savoury and umami flavour that gives the broth more character without making it taste overly seafood-y.

I bought mine when I was visiting Hong Kong in September. But you can usually find dried shrimp in Asian supermarkets. They’re sold in small bags and usually kept in the frozen section. You can also find them on Amazon.

For this recipe, you only need a small handful. A quick soak in hot water softens them, and you can even keep the soaking liquid to add into the soup for extra umami. The shrimp sauté with the ginger at the start, which helps release their aroma and builds a richer base for the broth.

If you don’t have dried shrimp, you can skip them and the soup will still taste great, but you’ll notice the extra depth when they’re included.

Chicken Broth

The chicken broth gives the soup a light, savoury base that complements the tofu, meatballs and seaweed without overpowering anything.

You can use a good store bought chicken broth for convenience, but homemade chicken bone broth will always give you a richer flavour if you have some on hand.

I’ve tried the Freja Chicken Bone Broth and it tastes pretty good with soups! You can find it on Amazon if you want an easy option.

If you don’t have broth ready, water mixed with a bit of chicken bouillon powder works perfectly too. My family and I always use Knorr Chicken Bouillon Powder (I think most Cantonese households use this one too). It’s a quick shortcut and still gives the soup enough depth.

Since the dried shrimp and fish sauce add plenty of flavour on their own, the broth doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to be tasty enough to let the other ingredients shine.

How to Make Seaweed and Tofu Meatball Soup

Marinate the minced pork with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, salt, white pepper and sesame oil. Mix until everything comes together, then slap the mixture against the bowl for about a minute to help it firm up and create a bouncier texture. Let it marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

Soak the dried shrimp in a small amount of hot water for 5 minutes. Keep the soaking liquid to add into the soup if you want extra umami.

Soak the dried seaweed in warm water for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the ginger slices and dried shrimp and sauté for about a minute until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken broth (or use water mixed with 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder), then add the tofu cubes. Using your thumb and index finger, squeeze the pork mixture into small meatballs and drop them directly into the broth.

Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to medium high and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the softened seaweed, season with fish sauce and white pepper and give everything a gentle stir. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Top Tips

1) Throw the meat mixture for bouncy meatballs

They step might look kind of funny, but it makes a big difference. When you mix and firmly slap the pork mixture against the bowl, you help the proteins bind together.

This creates a sticky, elastic texture that gives the meatballs that signature bouncy bite you find in many Chinese soups. If you skip this step, the meatballs can turn out a little loose or crumbly, so it’s worth the extra minute.

2) Don’t soak too much seaweed

The mistake I made when I first started making soups with Chinese dried seaweed was oversoaking them! They expand and puff up so much once they hit water, so you really don’t need as much as you think.

If you’re using Chinese dried seaweed (which usually comes in discs), half a disc is usually enough, which is roughly 15g. Soak it with warm water for about 5 minutes until softened, then give it a quick rinse and drain well.

If you soak too much, you’ll end up with a giant bowl of seaweed taking over your soup. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake.

3) No chicken broth? Use bouillon powder

If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, water mixed with a little chicken bouillon powder works perfectly.

It gives the soup enough savoury depth and keeps everything balanced. Since the dried shrimp and fish sauce add extra umami anyway, this shortcut is totally fine for busy weeknights.

Want More Soup Recipes?

• Instant Pot Pork Rib and Daikon Soup
• Pumpkin Pork Rib Soup

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click and buy something, I may earn a small commission from Amazon or other retailers — always at no extra cost to you. It’s just one of the ways you can support me (Karen, aka daigasikfaan) and help keep the kitchen running with new recipes. Thank you so much for your love and support!