Here’s a soup for those times when you want something light in calories but filling and nutritious and quick. You wouldn’t think that such a simple soup could taste so delicious, but superfoods are “super” in more ways than one!
I’ve called this “Superfoods Soup” because it contains 4 of the 6 foods that Dr. Joel Fuhrman calls “the most nutrient-dense, health-promoting foods on the planet”: Greens, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, Beans, and Seeds–GBOMBS for short. I managed to pack in bok choy, mushrooms, tofu, onions, and garlic–all for under 100 calories. (If I could have figured out a tasty way to add berries I would have. You’ll just have to eat it with a dessert of berries topped with flax seeds!)
Check out Dr. Fuhrman’s article for all the reasons why you should be eating your GBOMBS and why women, especially, should eat at least one mushroom a day.
If you’re in the mood for more super-light dishes, check out my new list called Under 200–main dishes that are under 200 calories per serving. I’m slowly going back through all my recipes and adding the ones that fit to this list, but if you spot a super-light recipe that’s not on it, drop me a comment and I’ll add it.
Superfoods Soup
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups water
- 3 baby bok choy -about 9 ounces or 250g-trimmed and sliced
- 3 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 3-6 ounces organic silken tofu cubed (see substitutes below)
- 1 small onion halved and sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Korean powdered pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
- freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon mellow white miso add more to taste
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add all ingredients except miso, reduce heat, and cover. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove a few tablespoons of the broth and place it in a small bowl; add the miso and stir until well combined. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the miso. Serve.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
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P.S.: Those of you who use My Fitness Pal to keep track of your daily nutrition may be happy to hear that many recipes from Fatfree Vegan are already in the database. Just do a search for “Fatfree Vegan” and you’ll see a list of every recipe that’s been indexed. If the one you want isn’t there, it’s very easy to add it–go to “My Foods” and click “Create Food” and follow the prompts. To make it easy to find FFV recipes, please enter “Fatfree Vegan Kitchen” as the brand and the title of the recipe in the food description.
Enjoy!
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janet @ the taste space
April 24, 2013 at 1:01 pmNice! I like it when whole foods are highlighted as superfoods – not just the Amazonian berries. I have seen some soup recipes with goji berries which has me very curious, though. 🙂
jojo
April 24, 2013 at 1:31 pmI’m just starting to venture out and trying tofu. I’ve been a little hesitant to pick some up because there are so many different varieties; however, I don’t recall seeing one called silken tofu. Could it be shown differently on the packaging?
Cheryl
April 24, 2013 at 3:50 pm@Jojo I had that same problem when I first went vegan. Silken tofu isn’t in the refrigerated case with other tofu, it is in one of those shelf stable boxes on an aisle. Hope this helps!
Diane
April 24, 2013 at 7:23 pmActually, sometimes it IS in the refrigerated case. I didn’t realize Mori-Nu silken tofu was shelf stable for months after I went vegan because my grocery store keeps it in the refrigerator case with the rest of the tofu. They keep the shelf-stable plant milks in the refrigerator case with the Silk milks and the dairy milk, too.
Katie
April 25, 2013 at 11:40 amSometimes the shelf-stable tofu is in the Asian section of the grocery store.
orthohawk
April 28, 2015 at 3:24 pmThe best way to start out with tofu (IMNSHO) is with firm or extra firm and then freeze it. When you thaw it out and press all the water out, it’s got a texture that isn’t as “gooshy” as non-frozen tofu tends to have. I use it in stir fries.
Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry
April 24, 2013 at 1:31 pmThis soup looks so nourishing. I need to try that Korean powdered pepper-never even heard of it!
Helyn @ Helyn's Healthy Kitchen
April 24, 2013 at 1:34 pmGreat looking recipe, Susan! Hey, I’ve been to your site a few times but didn’t know you were a nutritarian! Cool! Dr. Fuhrman is my health hero. 🙂
patti
April 24, 2013 at 1:40 pmFYI- checked out your recipe for superfoods soup, then saw you had non-soy options, but your first option for substitution was edemame- I hope that you are aware that edemame is soy!
Susan Voisin
April 24, 2013 at 1:49 pmYes, of course I am aware. The non-soy options are the peas and other beans.
moonwatcher
April 24, 2013 at 1:44 pmHi Susan,
What a beautiful, simple, healthy soup! I will definitely make a version of this. I have long been singing the amazing benefits of mushrooms in my diet, so I was glad to see you give them a shout out. I look forward to checking out that link. And also to mushroom season, which is coming soon!
xo
moonwatcher
Susan Voisin
April 24, 2013 at 1:52 pmThanks, Moonwatcher! Wow, I never stopped to think that there must be a mushroom season! Mine seem to pop up at random, when they come at all. I’ve had the hardest time lately getting my mushroom logs to do anything at all. Do you just find them wild or do you cultivate them, too?
moonwatcher
April 24, 2013 at 9:37 pmHi Susan,
I’d like to learn to cultivate. That is on my list of “to do.” I find them “wild” all around the neighborhood, in particular walking along the creek trail. Most are versions of agaricus campestris, which is a meadow mushroom, and a few are under the pines and are “meadow’s edge.” A couple of times I’ve found shaggy manes and lepiodas. I have a neighbor who taught me the basics (you do have to know what you’re doing), and then I poured over guides. Once you get the hang of it it’s like going on an Easter egg hunt after every rain! I never know what I’m going to find, but all through late Spring and parts of Summer and even into Fall sometimes I am lucky. Last year I dried four gallon jars full. And they all gone but a handful! Pretty soon I hope to be taking my mushroom basket with me when Romeo and I go on our walk “just in case.”
xo
moonwatcher
stephanie
April 25, 2013 at 10:25 amSusan, you may need to buy more spores. Or, if you have the self control (I never do…) leave a few ‘shrooms on there til they get kinda slimy under the cap and drop their spores onto the log (you can also smear it on yourself) to make babies. : ) We only get mushrooms in the spring and fall in my climate and I usually have to buy spores in the fall because the summer heat often kills the dormant spores on the log. It’s so humid in Louisiana you wouldn’t have to buy them often.
Ikigaigirl
April 24, 2013 at 3:31 pmThis is almost the same as the soup I ‘invented’ in a rush to work one day. I grabbed a container and threw in some bok choy, a carrot, spring onion, slice of tofu and some dried shiitake, and put a teaspoon of barley miso in a tiny container. Then come lunch time first I soaked the mushrooms, thinly sliced everything and poured boiled water over all. Quick, crunchy soup! The envy of the lunchroom 🙂
Luvsclassics
April 28, 2021 at 9:41 amWow, cool idea for your “ in a rush” lunch soup!
Do you still write a blog and have vegan recipes? Thanks
Kathy
April 24, 2013 at 6:46 pmI want to thank you for all the lovely recipes and information you share on your Blog, I just found you very recently and I am so glad I did! Your site is fabulous, thank you for your generousity and wisdom that you so freely share. You are such a blessing. Thank you.
J T Rose
April 24, 2013 at 9:12 pmDo you have a cookbook?
Susan Voisin
April 24, 2013 at 9:55 pmNo, this blog is my only cookbook. 🙂
laloofah
April 25, 2013 at 8:09 amI love a soup like this, so into the recipe stash it goes.
Dr. Greger has some more detailed info about mushrooms vs. breast cancer, starting here. I love mushrooms, and any vegan recipe containing them gets my immediate attention! 🙂
I don’t suppose adding wheat berries would count as a berry addition? 😉
Susan Voisin
April 25, 2013 at 8:34 amProbably not, but it would be berry tasty! 😉
Tara
April 25, 2013 at 10:29 amSo you learn something new every day: I never knew that onions would be considered a “super food”. I love the clear onion broth they serve at my fave Japanese restaurant. This soup looks much heartier!
Nicole
April 25, 2013 at 7:32 pmThis looks awesome, except I do not like miso. What would you recommend as a substitute?
Susan Voisin
April 25, 2013 at 8:20 pmHow about soy sauce?
Nicole
April 25, 2013 at 9:15 pmThat could work. Or perhaps some Braggs? Thanks Susan!
Susan Voisin
April 25, 2013 at 9:28 pmIf you like Bragg’s, go for it. I never use it because its higher in sodium than my soy sauce and I dislike the flavor.
Michelle R
April 26, 2013 at 8:27 amSusan, I just found your site, the soup recipe looks excellent, I am a big fan of bok choy and mushrooms. I am getting ready to check out more of your recipe’s, but first, I am curious, which brand of soy sauce you use?
Susan Voisin
April 26, 2013 at 8:42 amMichelle, sometime I buy gluten-free soy sauce, but generally I use regular old Kikkoman and just try not to use too much of it.
Rachel Cotterill
April 26, 2013 at 8:37 amThis looks perfect, I love light asian-style soups 🙂
Louise
April 26, 2013 at 12:01 pmI have been preparing and eating a soup lately very similar to this and I love it! Very satisfying. I alternate the light miso with the dark when I make it to vary it a bit. I also periodically throw in a bit of cooked millet, rice, quinoa, or even cubed pre-cooked potatoes to make it a bit heartier.
Cadry
April 26, 2013 at 10:35 pmOoh, this sounds so light, delicious, and healthy! Nice!
Shani_Boc
April 29, 2013 at 12:08 pmThis was sooooooooo good! Eating it again for lunch today. I added more miso, some salt, and edamame (along with the bok choy and tofu). Perfect!
Lissa
May 1, 2013 at 5:15 pmYou can never go wrong with a miso-kissed soup. This sounds like a great one for winter – apt timing, it is starting to get colder in my neck of the woods!
Christine @ Gotta Eat Green
May 1, 2013 at 9:00 pmYumm! I have been looking for a good recipe to use bok choy.. I’ll have to try this!
Teresa
May 1, 2013 at 10:11 pmWhy do you wait to add the miso? I ordered some for this recipe but have never cooked with it before.
Susan Voisin
May 1, 2013 at 10:14 pmBoiling kills the enzymes in miso and some people think it kills the taste, too.
Teresa
May 10, 2013 at 10:14 amI made the recipe with the white miso as directed and it was great!
allie
May 2, 2013 at 2:26 pmWhy do you use silken tofu instead of firm?
I’m really not a fan of silken, so I’m probably going to try this one with firm instead. 🙂
Susan Voisin
May 2, 2013 at 2:33 pmI’m just accustomed to this type of miso soup using silken tofu, so that’s what I use. It’s also lower in calories, and that’s an issue for me. But of course, anyone who doesn’t like silken tofu should use regular instead. I hope you enjoy it!
Olivia
May 2, 2013 at 8:49 pmYum! A few days ago (or maybe it was last week…) I made your one pot miso soup. I enjoyed it but I found I didn’t like the silken tofu and there was a bit too much miso in it for me (I know, I should have taste tested first), But I just made the soup for lunch and wow ! I left out the Tofu and tweaked it a little, adding spring onions and bean sprouts, juice of half a lemon (that really set the dish), with 1 Tbsp of Miso and 1 Tbsp of soy sauce, then I served myself a bowl and dived in, I can’t even describe how much I needed it!
GOMBBS are basically my whole diet, but recently I’ve been indulging in sugar and grains and alcohol too much and this soup is just the healing I needed. I think I might incorporate this dish everyday with a few tweaks for a week or two to cleanse and heal for a while. THANKYOU for this recipe.
Krista
June 30, 2013 at 9:17 pmI loved this soup! I added a few sheets of seaweed/ sushi rolls instead of the miso because I didn’t have any but it was delicious!
Claire O Meara
July 23, 2013 at 4:28 amHi Susan, love your blog – just discovered it, and I will be sharing it with my friends. Super recipe I can’t wait to try it. More and more I am reading about the benefits of mushrooms, for years I was under the impression that they contained little or no nutritional value.
julibesser
November 30, 2013 at 6:25 pmDo you have any advice for families who eat vegan and need to feed 11 people breakfast, lunch and dinner and I always make enough for leftovers so that is I need to cook for 22 people for lunch and dinner. Any simple ideas? We always have a smoothie for breakfast. Thank you Susan….we love your recipes. Juli
Em
February 17, 2014 at 9:56 amWe like this for breakfast and then have a muffin with some berries in it and it is a great start to the day
Susan
February 23, 2014 at 2:04 pmI am a new comer to this site. I am looking into a plant base diet. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. And I believe that if I change my diet to vegan diet I will have less pain.
Kristin
April 28, 2014 at 3:27 pmYet another hit! I love your site and this soup delicious!!
Priscilla
April 30, 2014 at 12:20 pmHi Susan,
This is like sort of Korean traditional soup, we have- Bean paste soup (doenjang soup).
It IS superfood, it is!
Use with Korean bean paste next time. It will taste more Korean way of cook.
Sarah Greene
November 27, 2014 at 4:19 amSusan, this soup sounds like a great addition to my kind of boring diet, will try to follow your recipe this weekend. I just hope I can find all the ingredients you mentioned here. Thanks a lot for sharing this.
Jill
April 28, 2015 at 12:25 pmI love the GBOMBS! 🙂 I think this could be flavorful with the addition of white pepper and a touch of vinegar to make it a kind of hot and sour soup. Definitely making this soon!
Almiel
July 17, 2015 at 10:59 amHere’s an updated link for the GBOMBS article.
Looks like he’s dropped the other domain name.
http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/gbombs.
Almiel
August 21, 2015 at 8:16 amCorrection, it’s http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/gbombs.aspx
Frank Siloye
April 3, 2016 at 5:12 amHmmm..This looks so yummy! I wish i could try it out. I have to convince Mrs Siloye to help me. I hope i can!
shan
May 24, 2016 at 8:46 pmLike Janet said, Goji berries fit the bill. They are often used in Asian tonic soups.
Janelle
April 25, 2018 at 9:19 pmI made this, but cut the cooking time by 2/3rds and added brocolette. I used regular tofu because I like it., the soup was great, I will make it again!
BJ Swingle
April 28, 2020 at 5:55 pmYum! I just made this and I love it. Thank you
LJ Grant
October 2, 2023 at 6:11 pmWe made this recipe tonight — having received 3 bok choy in our CSA delivery this week, and finding a five pound fresh maitake on our hike this afternoon, then finding THIS recipe after lunch — a real winning combination!
Of course, we used much more mushroom than the recipe calls for, but overall, not too much modification from your original ingredients — avoiding soy resulted in some canned beans added toward the end, and we had some leftover buckwheat soba noodles that we put in our bowls (didn’t cook them in the soup) and oh! I used our mandolin to shave some very nice slices of farm carrot into the soup at the beginning of its cook time as well.
Who knew such a simple soup could be so darned flavorful?? Obviously, you did, Susan. Thanks so much for sharing this with us. It must feel good when you see a ten year old recipe still garnering useful iterations and even some praise! I know it would feel good to me!