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 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.
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.
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
Zupę przechowuj w lodówce do 2 dni. Przy podgrzewaniu rób to na małym ogniu, nie doprowadzając do mocnego wrzenia, żeby tofu i jajko się nie rozpadły.
