Chinese Soup with Tofu and Napa Cabbage in Light Broth Recipe
A delicate soup with tofu and napa cabbage is a very homestyle, everyday dish from Chinese cuisine. It’s as light as a vegetable broth, but thanks to the tofu and egg it’s quite filling. Perfect for dinner when you want something warm but not too heavy.
This is one of those Chinese soups that often appear on the table at the end of a meal to “calm” the stomach. In many homes it’s made when there is a bit of cabbage and a block of tofu left in the fridge, because it requires a minimum of work.
This soup combines the lightness of a clear broth with the satisfying protein of tofu and egg. It’s quick to make, uses simple ingredients, and brings a comforting, homestyle Chinese flavor to your everyday menu.
Why this version works
- Adding the cabbage at the end keeps it slightly crunchy with a fresh flavor.
- Gently “simmering” the broth protects the tofu from breaking into tiny pieces.
- Pouring the egg in a thin stream into a gently boiling soup creates ribbons, not clumps.
- Briefly cooking the ginger gives a distinct aroma without overpowering the whole soup.
Chef's tips
Keep the heat low when cooking the tofu so it stays in neat cubes and doesn’t crumble. When adding the egg, make sure the soup is gently boiling and pour the egg in a very thin stream while stirring in one direction – this is the key to getting nice, delicate egg ribbons instead of clumps.
How to serve
Serve on its own as a light dinner, or pair with steamed rice or simple stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal. A side of kimchi or pickled vegetables also works well to add contrast and crunch.
Watch out for
- Do not boil the soup vigorously after adding the tofu, or the cubes will quickly crumble.
- Cooking the cabbage for too long will make it soft and shapeless.
- Pour the egg into clearly hot, lightly boiling broth; if it’s too cool, it will turn dense and heavy.
- Don’t add extra salt before tasting – soy sauce can be very salty.
Substitutions
- You can swap the vegetable broth for chicken stock if you want a fuller, more “chicken-soup-like” flavor.
- You can replace napa cabbage with young green cabbage or pak choi, shortening the cooking time.
- Instead of white pepper you can use black pepper, but add less, as its aroma is stronger.
- You can replace firm natural tofu with delicate silken tofu, adding it carefully at the end.
Ingredients
- natural tofu firm or medium-firm, cut into cubes - 200 g
- napa cabbage cut into strips - 200 g
- vegetable or chicken broth can be made with a stock cube - 900 ml
- egg lightly beaten in a small bowl - 1 piece
- white part of spring onion or small leek cut into thin slices - 30 g
- fresh ginger cut into thin slices - 1.5 cm
- soy sauce - 1.5 tablespoon
- sesame oil optional, for aroma - 0.5 teaspoon
- salt and white pepper to taste
- green part of spring onion for sprinkling - 2 tablespoon
Preparation
- Cut the napa cabbage into strips. Slice the white part of the spring onion or leek into thin rounds and set the green part aside for sprinkling.
- In a pot, heat the broth with the ginger slices and the white part of the spring onion. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes over low heat so the broth develops aroma.
- Add the cubed tofu and cook for 3–4 minutes over low heat – the soup should only gently “shimmer”, not boil vigorously, so the tofu doesn’t fall apart.
- Add the napa cabbage and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the leaves soften but are still slightly crisp.
- Pour in the soy sauce and taste the soup. Season with salt if needed and with white pepper.
- Increase the heat so the soup comes to a light boil. Pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while stirring the soup with a fork or chopsticks in one direction. Thin “ribbons” of egg will form.
- Remove the pot from the heat, drizzle the soup with sesame oil and gently stir.
- Serve the soup hot, sprinkled with the green part of the spring onion. You can add a bit of cooked rice to the bowl if you want a more filling dish.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This is one of those soups I make when I’m craving something warm, simple, and soothing. It’s very forgiving – you can adjust the amount of tofu, cabbage, or egg to your liking and still end up with a comforting bowl.
