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This comforting garlic ginger soup with tofu & noodles is warming, nutritious, and perfect for boosting immunity and nourishing mind and body this cold/flu season!
![completed Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles] in a bowl](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-14.jpg)
Why You’ll Love This Tofu Noodle Soup
As the weather cools down and the sniffles creep in, it’s the perfect time for this cozy garlic ginger soup. Inspired by a classic, variations of this soup have been passed down for generations as a soothing cold-buster.
With a warm, aromatic, naturally vegan broth packed with the immune-boosting powers and bold flavors of garlic and ginger, this quick, light, low-calorie broth is made heartier with noodles and tofu – like a Pho noodle soup. It’s also super customizable and sure to become a comforting, healthy remedy during cold season.
Looking for more vegan noodle soup recipes? You might enjoy my 10-minute vegan ramen soup, curried carrot noodle soup, or vegan pho noodle soup!
What Are The Benefits of Garlic and Ginger?
While I can’t guarantee its healing properties, this vegan chicken ginger garlic soup has a reputation for fighting colds and supporting overall health, packed to the brim with immune-boosting properties.
Garlic: For centuries, garlic was used to prevent and cure various infections, blood disorders, and the common cold/flu. Garlic has a combination of anti-fungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-boosting properties. Plus, studies show it may help reduce and eliminate colds/flu.
Top Tip: Garlic contains an immune-boosting compound called allicin. The allicin content will increase by chopping the garlic at least 10 minutes before adding it to the pan.
Ginger: With immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, analgesic, and anti-oxidative properties, ginger is used to combat all sorts of ailments, including pain and inflammation, digestive issues, and nausea. Plus, it contains gingerol, a bioactive compound shown to improve the body’s ability to fight off colds and infections.
Combined with sriracha, this garlic ginger tofu noodle soup may help clear congestion, too!
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and substitutions.
![ingredients for Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles] measured out on a white surface](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-Ingredients.png)
Recipe Variations and Add-Ins
- Vegetables: Boost the flavor and nutrients of garlic ginger tofu noodle soup with onion, mushroom, bok choy, celery, spinach, kale, leek, broccoli, bean sprouts, shredded carrot, peas, sweet potato, zucchini, etc.
- Low carb: Sub noodles with zucchini, carrot, or squash noodles. Adjust cooking time.
- Other carbs: i.e., Quinoa, rice, or farro. Adjust the cooking time accordingly or stir pre-cooked grains into the soup in the last few minutes.
- Lemongrass: Just a little of this citrusy herb complements ginger well.
- Coconut milk: Make the soup creamy and richer with a splash at the end. Cashew cream would also work. Add to taste.
- More spice: With minced chili and/or cayenne pepper.
- Cumin: For a savory, earthy flavor.
- Cinnamon: 1-2 small sticks/a pinch of ground cinnamon – warm & aromatic.
- Whole spices: Boost aromatics with star anise (2-3), cloves (2-3), cardamom, and/or coriander seeds. For more flavor, toast them until fragrant first.
- Garnish: i.e., Sesame seeds (raw or toasted), drizzle of chili oil/garlic oil, etc.
How to Make Garlic Ginger Soup with Noodles
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and recipe instructions.
Step 1: Heat a swirl of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, ginger, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Add the water and bouillon cubes (or broth) lemon juice, tofu, and hot sauce.
Step 3: Add the noodles and cook for the amount of time suggested on the package. Taste and adjust any seasonings, then serve and enjoy!
FAQs
This is a naturally thin, brothy soup. If you’d prefer a thicker version, add a thickening ingredient to blend into the broth. I.e., potato, white beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.
Garlic and ginger are both known for their immune-boosting properties. Combining the antioxidants and infection-fighting benefits in garlic, the tummy-soothing and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger, and the vitamin C in lemon juice, this is a simple, soothing, healing soup – perfect for cold/flu season.
Of course! In fact, roasting garlic makes it sweeter and more mellow for a richer soup.
Pro Recipe Tips
- For an oil-free version: Use ¼ cup veg broth.
- For extra flavor: Lightly broil the ginger & garlic until lightly charred before adding them to the soup. This adds depth to the healing broth.
- The easiest way to peel ginger: Use a spoon to scrape the ginger skin away– it’s surprisingly quick and simple!
- Leave to rest: Ginger garlic noodle soup tastes even better on day two.
![completed Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles] in a pot](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-10.jpg)
Storage Instructions
Store: Leave the vegan chicken garlic ginger soup to cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Note that noodles will continue to soak up broth over time, so you may prefer to store the noodles separately.
Freeze: This soup freezes best without the noodles. Freeze it in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock/Stasher bag/s for up to 3 months. Then, thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Either on the stove over low or in 3-second increments in a microwave, stirring between.
![completed Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles] in a storage container](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-16.jpg)
Garlic Ginger Soup With Noodles
![completed Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles] in a bowl](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-15-300x300.jpg)
Video
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon canola or vegetable oil (or 3 tablespoons water)
- ½ cup diced red, white, or yellow onion (about ½ medium onion)
- 2 carrots thinly sliced
- 2 ribs celery thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup grated or finely chopped ginger
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and halved
- 5 cups water and 2 ½ vegetable bouillon cubes or 5 cups vegetable broth
- 4-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on your sourness preference)
- 1 (14-ounce) block extra-firm tofu pressed and cut into ½-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup hot sauce
- 1 (8-ounce) package rice noodles
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil (or water).
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, ginger, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent.
- Add the water and bouillon cubes (or broth), lemon juice, tofu, and hot sauce.
- Add the noodles and cook for the amount of time suggested on the package.
Notes
-
- For an oil-free version: Use ¼ cup veg broth.
-
- For extra flavor: Lightly broil the ginger & garlic until lightly charred before adding them to the soup. This adds depth to the healing broth.
-
- The easiest way to peel ginger: Use a spoon to scrape the ginger skin away– it’s surprisingly quick and simple!
-
- Leave to rest: Ginger garlic noodle soup tastes even better on day two.
![pin for Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles]](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-Pin-2-150x150.png)
![pin for Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles]](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-Pin-1-150x150.png)
![completed Garlic Ginger Soup [With Noodles] in a bowl](https://plantbasedonabudget.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Garlic-Ginger-Soup-14-150x150.jpg)
This was wonderful. We really enjoyed it. However, 1/3 cup og Sriracha was a lot. Next time I’ll use about three tablespoons.