Spicy Tofu Soup with Kale

Name: Spicy Tofu Soup with Kale
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 large shallot (or onion, or scallions about 1/2 cup chopped); 3 large cloves garlic (chopped); 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated, about 1" piece of fresh ginger); 1/2 cup kimchi (chopped); 1/4 cup kimchi juice; 2 tsp Korean chili pepper flakes, Gochugaru; 4 cups vegetable stock; 1 tbsp soy sauce (tamari for gluten free); 1 12-14 ounce package soft tofu or firm tofu (drained and cut into bite size pieces); 3 cups kale (destemmed and chopped); 4 scallions (finely sliced for serving/ garnish)

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You are going to love this quick and easy healthy spicy tofu soup with kale! 20 minutes from start to finish and bursting with flavor from garlic, ginger, shallot, and kimchi.

bowl of tofu and kale soup on white background

Kimchi is one of my favorite flavor enhancers for recipes try this easy kimchi cauliflower fried rice and these meal prep kimchi and vegetable egg muffins!

This soup is inspired by the classic Korean dish, Sundubu Jjigae or Korean Tofu Soup. A vibrant spicy red soup bursting with flavor. Garlic, shallot, and ginger sauteed in sesame oil and then swirled with kimchi for a sour acidic hit and Korean red pepper flakes, gochugaru, for a smokey spice.

Traditional Korean Tofu Soup offers many varieties, including ground beef, seafood, pork, or vegetables, and is a go-to dish when dining at my favorite Korean restaurants.

In this version, which is “inspired by” and not at all the traditional Sundubu Jjigae (if you are looking for a traditional recipe may I recommend Korean Bapsangs' recipe) I added more veggies (I can't help myself!) and swapped out the traditional silken tofu for firm tofu because I prefer it.

This soup is ready in 20 minutes and will become your new favorite quick and healthy lunch.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe is the perfect 20-minute meal prep lunch that you can enjoy all week long (the flavor only gets better on days 2, 3, and 4!)
Plant-powered nutrition includes protein from the tofu and a host of vitamins and minerals from kale, onion, garlic, and kimchi!
Easily modifiable to add in any protein, noodle, rice, or veggie that you like!
Adjust the spice level, I love this soup spicy but you can easily adjust the seasoning to suit your preference.

Let's Get Cooking!

Ingredient and Substitution Highlights

Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.

Tofu – Traditionally this soup is made with silken tofu, but I have a love affair with firm tofu in soups. By all means use whatever tofu you prefer. If you want a creamier silky texture use silken, if you like tofu with a texture that you can bite into use firm. I do recommend purchasing organic tofu (see nutrition notes below). While you are in a tofu groove, grab an extra block at the market and make this Lemongrass Tofu Curry
Kimchi – If you want to keep this recipe vegan be sure to purchase vegan kimchi (made without oysters), kimchi is traditionally quite spicy so taste it before you add to the soup and adjust the quantity to suit your spice preference.
Kale – I used curly kale in this recipe but any kale or any dark leafy green would work, spinach, swiss chard, even collard greens!
Vegetable Broth – Either will work perfectly fine. I always keep a supply of chicken and vegetable stock in my pantry for quick soup recipes. This is my go-to easy to grab brand.
Shallot, Garlic, Ginger – These are your aromatic starters for this soup. You may use scallions, or onions rather than shallot.
Korean Red Pepper Powder – also called Korean Chili Flakes or Gochugaru flakes – Korean red chili peppers that are dried in the sun and chopped to a size between a flake and a powder. This spice is super fragrant with notes of citrus and is certainly spicy. If you can't find this ingredient you can use a pinch of crushed red pepper but it will not taste the same, I recommend buying Gochugaru, it is an essential spice in my kitchen!

Tools You Will Use

How to Make Spicy Tofu Soup with Kale

white pot with sauteed ginger, garlic, and onions

sauteed onion, garlic, ginger, and kimchi in a white pot

STEP ONE: Saute shallot, garlic, and ginger in sesame oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
STEP TWO: Add chopped kimchi and gochugaru and saute for an additional 4 minutes. Add kimchi juice, soy sauce, and vegetable broth and stir well to combine.

Spicy Tofu Soup with Kale in a white pot on a white background

STEP THREE: Add tofu + kale and cook for an additional 8 minutes stirring frequently. Top with an extra pinch of gochugaru and scallions, and serve piping hot.

Best Recipe Tips for Soup Perfection

Use kimchi! Seriously this is not an ingredient that you can remove it provides a huge element of flavor, spicy, sour, acidic, and also texture. You can adjust the amount depending on how spicy your kimchi is but you cannot eliminate it.
Take your time sauteing the aromatic spices – This is what develops a depth of flavor in a quick soup. If you just pour everything into the pot and let it boil in broth your soup will be bland. Saute first and slowly swirl in the red pepper flakes and kimchi to continue to develop flavor.
Use a vegetable or chicken broth that tastes good! – If you have homemade chicken or vegetable broth USE IT! If not Pacific Organic is one of my favorite shelf-stable brands. You want to make sure the broth or stock tastes good because this is a quick-cooking soup.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing Tips

Store – in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I love storing soup in mason jars or weck jars.
Reheat – in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freeze – I don't recommend freezing this soup.

FAQ

How long does tofu need to cook?

Tofu is perfectly fine to eat raw so you do not “have” to cook it for any amount of time. When cooking tofu in soup you are basically just heating it through. 3-5 minutes is ample time to do so.

What is the best tofu to use?

Traditionally silken tofu is used in this recipe which has a custard-like consistency. It is not my personal favorite. I prefer firmer tofu with a bite that I can sink my teeth into. Silken, firm, or extra firm will work in this recipe.

Can I use something other than tofu?

If you dislike tofu you could certainly eliminate it, there isn't an easy alternative but you can try this soup with cauliflower, chickpeas, or white beans.

Abra's Nutrition Corner 🤓 – Is Tofu Good For You?

Tofu, also called bean curd, is made by boiling down soy milk to separate the curds. The curds are then pressed into a block, voila, tofu!

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH SOY?

Soy gets a bad rap these days and I think it deserves a little more attention and consideration.

Soy protein and isoflavones (phytoestrogens) have been touted for their potential role in improving risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Soy is also an excellent vegetarian source of protein, but the benefits of soy do not come without criticism.

By 2012 over 94% of soy grown in the United States was Genetically Modified. This means that not all soy is created equal. First and foremost when you are buying soy products you must buy organic to ensure it is not Genetically Modified (source)
Over 2000 soy research papers are published each year, but there is a great divide between research done on isolated soy supplements (isoflavone research) and soy foods. You cannot assume that research on the effects of soy foods can be generalized to isoflavone supplements. In other words, when soy is studied as a traditional food (i.e. tempeh, miso, tofu) some beneficial/protective effects have been found, including reduced risk of breast cancer (study). However, there is very little data to support the use of isolated soy phytochemicals (study).
All of this to say that not all soy is created equal and soy is a highly debated topic. I am personally in favor of using some fermented soybean products (like tempeh) as fermented soy contains secondary metabolites that may have additional beneficial physiological effects beyond soy itself.
The dose matters! The serving size of tofu is 1/4 of a block, this is actually quite a bit. If you are regularly consuming soy meat-like products, drinking soy milk, and having tofu daily…well then yes, you are probably consuming too much soy and it may not be supportive. A little bit of soy, like organic tofu, is an excellent way to get in the benefits of a plant-based protein without overdoing it.
If you are sensitive to soy then don't eat it 🙂

Dietary Modifications

This recipe is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free. For a paleo/ keto/ Whole30 friendly version replace the tofu with ground beef.

close up of tofu soup with kale and scallions

I can’t wait for you to try this Spicy Tofu and Kale Soup! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!

If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!