Ultimate Veggie Tofu Delight Soup

Ingredients

• A couple of tablespoons of olive oil
• Three sliced carrots
• Three chopped celery stalks
• Half of a large diced onion
• A tablespoon of dried basil
• Three dashes of red pepper flakes
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper for seasoning
• Three chopped garlic cloves
• Three quarts of chicken broth
• A can of diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
• A can of crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
• A single bay leaf
• Two cups of frozen corn
• Two sliced zucchinis
• A package of firm tofu, crumbled (12 ounces)
• A handful of sliced fresh mushrooms
• Some chopped kale (around 1/4 cup)

Step 1

Begin by warming up a drizzle of olive oil in a generously sized stockpot placed over medium-high heat. Toss in the carrots and cook them until they are nicely coated with the oil, usually taking around 3 to 5 minutes. Introduce the celery, onion, a portion of the basil, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt, and a grind of black pepper. Cook until they begin to soften, which typically takes about 5 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook until its aroma fills the kitchen, taking approximately 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, a bay leaf, and the rest of the basil. Let the soup come to a bubbling boil.

Step 2

Mix in the corn, zucchini, tofu, and mushrooms into the pot with the soup. Season with some more salt and black pepper. Bring it back to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover it up and let it simmer until all the flavors meld together beautifully and the veggies are tender when pierced with a fork, which usually takes about an hour. Toss in the kale, cover it up again, and let it simmer until the kale wilts down, which should take around 15 minutes more.