Seaweed Tofu Soup Recipe

Soak kombu

Rinse the kombu quickly under cold water to remove surface salt. Place kombu in a medium pot with the 6 cups of vegetable broth or water and let sit for 20–30 minutes if time allows (for extra umami). If short on time, proceed immediately to heating.

Bring to gentle simmer

Place the pot over medium heat and slowly bring to a gentle simmer. Just before it reaches a rolling boil, remove the kombu (boiling kombu can make the broth bitter).

Add wakame

Add the dried wakame to the hot broth. It will rehydrate and expand in about 2–4 minutes. Stir gently to separate any clumps.

Season the broth

Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and white or black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning: add up to an additional 1 tsp soy sauce or a pinch more salt if needed.

Sauté aromatics (optional)

In a small skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and the white part of the sliced scallions; sauté 30–60 seconds until fragrant but not browned. If using mushrooms and carrot, add the sliced mushrooms and carrot and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened. Transfer everything to the simmering broth.

Alternatively, for a lighter soup, add raw garlic and vegetables directly to the hot broth and cook for 1–2 minutes until just tender.

Add tofu

Gently add the cubed soft tofu to the simmering broth. Stir carefully to avoid breaking the cubes. Simmer on low for 3–4 minutes to warm the tofu through and let flavors meld.

Adjust seasoning and finish

Taste the soup and adjust soy sauce, salt, or vinegar as needed. If you want a touch of heat, stir in shichimi togarashi or a pinch of chili flakes. Remove from heat.

Garnish and serve

Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets a mix of wakame and tofu. Sprinkle with the green parts of the scallions, cilantro (if using), and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot.