The soup I make when I want comfort in fifteen minutes is this one – greens and tofu meatball soup, and this home cook’s version needs only a few ingredients and one pot. A home cook wrote it in nine steps with the timing in the title: simmer the tofu ten minutes, drop the meatballs in, done. I made it as written, and it is the simple, warming bowl that is as easy as it is good.

Qing cai dou fu rou wan tang (青菜豆腐肉丸汤) is greens and tofu meatball soup – soft pork meatballs and tofu simmered in a clear ginger broth with leafy greens.

What Is Greens and Tofu Meatball Soup?

This is the one-pot comfort bowl: ground pork is seasoned and shaped into soft meatballs, tofu simmers in a clear ginger broth for ten minutes to build its gentle flavor, then the meatballs and greens go in for the last minutes. It is the soup that needs no stock – the pork seasons the water as it cooks, and the tofu drinks the clear broth.

For the mushroom-soup sibling of the same gentle pot, my tofu mushroom soup with egg is the vegetarian version.

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Tofu Mushroom Soup with Egg (Doufu Mogu Tang)

A comforting, 20-minute Chinese soup featuring silky tofu, savory mushrooms, and golden egg strips. This Doufu Mogu Tang is a healthy, protein-packed vegetarian-friendly meal perfect for weeknights.

Check out this recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• The ginger broth. Clear and warming – no stock needed.
• The ten-minute tofu simmer. The tofu takes the broth’s flavor.
• Soft, hand-rolled meatballs. Gentle in the clear soup.
• The greens last. They stay bright and tender.
• Fifteen minutes. Comfort on a weeknight.

Equipment Needed

• A pot
• A spoon for shaping

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz) lean pork, minced
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 300 g (10.5 oz) tofu, cut into cubes
• A handful of leafy greens (bok choy or spinach)
• A few slices of ginger
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, as needed

Ingredient Notes

Lean pork: Minced and lightly seasoned – the meatballs season the clear broth. My pan-fried tofu with minced pork uses the same pork. Tofu: Cubed and simmered first. Greens: Added last to stay bright. My tofu mushroom soup with egg is the vegetarian alternative.

Prep & Mise en Place

Mince the pork with the seasonings; cube the tofu; slice the ginger; wash the greens.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Mince the pork, add a spoon of light soy, and mix

Mince the pork, add a spoon of light soy, and mix.

Step 2 – Add a spoon of oyster sauce

Add a spoon of oyster sauce.

Step 3 – Mix well until the pork holds

Mix well until the pork holds.

Step 4 – Heat oil in the pot and bloom the ginger slices

Heat oil in the pot and bloom the ginger slices.

Step 5 – Add water and the tofu; simmer 10 minutes

Add water and the tofu; simmer 10 minutes.

Step 6 – Drop in the pork meatballs

Drop in the pork meatballs.

Step 7 – Add the leafy greens

Add the leafy greens.

Step 8 – Simple and good – ladle it up

Simple and good – ladle it up.

Step 9 – Ready in about 15 minutes

Ready in about 15 minutes.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. Hard, dense meatballs. Cause: over-mixing. Fix: a light hand. 2. A cloudy soup. Cause: boiling hard. Fix: a gentle simmer. 3. Limp, yellow greens. Cause: cooking them too long. Fix: last-minute addition. 4. A bland broth. Cause: timid seasoning. Fix: the soy-oyster pork seasons it. 5. Raw meatballs. Cause: too small a pot or too short. Fix: simmer until they float and cook through.

Variations

Vegetarian: Skip the pork and add mushroom. My tofu mushroom soup with egg is that bowl. More greens: Spinach or choy sum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why simmer the tofu first? Ten minutes lets it take the ginger broth. Can I use chicken? Yes – ground chicken works, and my sweet and sour tofu is the saucy contrast to this clear soup. What greens? Bok choy, spinach, or choy sum. How long does it take? About 15 minutes. Is it spicy? Not at all – my braised tofu with bok choy is the green side for it, and silky shrimp and tofu another light plate.

How to Serve

Serve hot – with tofu mushroom soup with egg, silken tofu potage, and home-style tofu for a soup table, or with pan-fried tofu with minced pork and braised tofu with bok choy for variety.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat gently. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For another gentle tofu soup, try my tofu mushroom soup with egg or the home-style tofu for the pan side.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains soy (soy sauce, tofu), shellfish (oyster sauce), and pork. It is free of gluten (verify the sauces), dairy, egg, nuts, and fish.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

About the Author & Recipe Development

I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s greens and tofu meatball soup is the 15-minute bowl I make for a quiet night, and the recipe’s tofu-first simmer is exactly why the soup tastes gentle. I tested it as written. I have not tested the chicken version, so that is your experiment, not my claim.

Authoritative References

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.