• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Bun Bo Bae

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Life
    • Travel
    • Reviews
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Life
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Easy Weeknight Recipes » Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)

    Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)

    Published: Apr 25, 2023 Modified: Apr 25, 2023 by Suzanne Nuyen This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Tweet
    Share
    Pin4
    Share
    4 Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Vietnamese soups are usually light and refreshing, and this tofu soup with tomato and chives, or canh hẹ đậu hũ cà chua is no different. All of these ingredients cook quickly and make for a clean, clear-tasting broth.

    Pin Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh Dẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua) to try later!

    Vegetable soups are essential to Vietnamese home cooking. You'll rarely see a dinner spread without soup included. Many of them use pork spare ribs to flavor the broth, like in my recipes for kabocha squash soup or carrot and potato soup. This soup uses ground pork, which cooks much faster.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Serving suggestions
    • How to store or make in advance
    • Top tip
    • Serving size
    • 📋 Recipe
    • Food safety
    • 🔗 Related

    Ingredients

    This recipe uses Chinese chives, also called garlic chives. They're larger, flatter and wider than regular chives, which are usually chopped up very small and sprinkled on top of food as a garnish. Unlike the chives you'd find in a western grocery store, Chinese chives aren't usually eaten raw.

    You will need

    • ground pork
    • minced shallot
    • minced garlic
    • salt
    • black pepper
    • fish sauce
    • soft tofu
    • garlic chives
    • tomatoes
    • water

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    A hand spoons fish sauce into a bowl of ground pork with minced shallots and garlic

    Season the ground pork with salt, pepper, fish sauce, minced shallot and minced garlic. Mix to combine and set aside.

    two hands chop chinese chives into slices on a wooden cutting board

    Wash the chives and then chop the hard, bottom ends of the chives off and discard them. Chop the rest of the chives up into 1-2 inch pieces.

    A hand chops soft tofu into slices on a wooden cutting board

    Drain the soft tofu and slice it into strips, about ½ inch wide and 2 inches long.

    A hand chopping tomatoes into wedges on a wooden cutting board

    Wash the tomatoes and chop them into 4-8 wedges each, depending on how large the tomatoes are.

    A wooden spoon stirs pork meatballs in broth

    Heat water up in a medium pot until it comes to a boil. Then, add spoonfuls of the ground pork mixture into the hot water. Simmer the pork meatballs until they are floating.

    a wooden spoon stirs tofu and tomato in broth

    Once the meatballs are floating (which means they're cooked), add the tomato wedges and the soft tofu slices. Stir carefully to evenly mix everything up, but be careful not to crush the tofu.

    a spoon mixes a pot of chopped chives, tomato and tofu

    Once the today has softened slightly, but is not mushy, add the chopped chives. Stir carefully again to distribute the chives. The soup is ready once the chives have softened slightly.

    Hint: Be very careful when stirring this soup! The soft tofu is quite fragile.

    Substitutions

    • Tofu: You can use medium to firm tofu if you're worried about crushing the tofu with your ladle. I find the silky soft tofu texture to be more pleasing in this dish though.
    • Ground pork: Ground beef or turkey could also be used, but a fattier blend of ground meat would work better here. It helps flavor the broth and prevents the meatballs from drying out. You could also use a plant-based ground meat alternative like Beyond or Impossible.

    Serving suggestions

    A close up of a wooden spoon with a piece of tofu and a pork meatball over a bowl of Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)

    This dish is a great vegetable soup course in a typical Vietnamese family meal. A family meal usually consists of rice (cơm), a vegetable dish (rau), a main protein, (món mặn), and a soup (canh).

    For example, a Vietnamese family meal using recipes from this blog might include:

    • Rice
    • Rau: Vietnamese Chayote Squash and Egg Stir Fry (Su Su Xào Trứng)
    • Món Mặn: Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly and Eggs (Thịt Kho Trứng)
    • Canh: Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomatoes and Chives (Canh Hẹ Đậu Dủ Cà Chua)

    How to store or make in advance

    The raw pork can be stored in the fridge overnight after it is seasoned. Once the soup is cooked, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat single servings of the soup at a time to avoid overcooking the chives and tomatoes.

    This dish doesn't freeze well. The texture of the tofu won't be the same after you defrost it.

    Top tip

    For an extra flavorful broth, use chicken broth instead of water!

    A close up of a bowl of Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)

    Serving size

    This soup comfortably serves 6-8 people if served as a side dish and 4 people if served on its own.

    📋 Recipe

    A square crop of a bowl of Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)
    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)

    This classic Vietnamese soup is super simple to make and results in a refreshing clean soup, perfect for the spring.
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings 5
    Calories 187kcal

    Ingredients

    • ½ lb ground pork
    • ½ shallot minced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 16 oz soft tofu
    • 3 tomatoes
    • 1 bunch garlic chives
    • 5 cups water or chicken broth

    Instructions

    • Season the ground pork with salt, pepper, fish sauce, minced shallot and minced garlic. Mix to combine and set aside.
    • Wash the chives and then chop the hard, bottom ends of the chives off and discard them. Chop the rest of the chives up into 1-2 inch pieces.
    • Drain the soft tofu and slice it into strips, about ½ inch wide and 2 inches long.
    • Wash the tomatoes and chop them into 4-8 wedges each, depending on how large the tomatoes are.
    • Heat water up in a medium pot until it comes to a boil. Then, add spoonfuls of the ground pork mixture into the hot water. Simmer the pork meatballs until they are floating, about 5 minutes.
    • Once the meatballs are floating (which means they're cooked), add the tomato wedges and the soft tofu slices. Stir carefully to evenly mix everything up, but be careful not to crush the tofu.
    • Once the today has softened slightly, but is not mushy (it should take 5-7 minutes), add the chopped chives. Stir carefully again to distribute the chives. The soup is ready once the chives have softened slightly (about 30 seconds to a minute).

    Notes

    Nutrition facts are an estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 485mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 654IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Vietnamese Tofu Soup with Tomato and Chives (Canh hẹ Đậu Hũ Cà Chua)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 187 Calories from Fat 108
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 12g18%
    Saturated Fat 4g25%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 33mg11%
    Sodium 162mg7%
    Potassium 485mg14%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 13g26%
    Vitamin A 654IU13%
    Vitamin C 11mg13%
    Calcium 53mg5%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Note: Nutrition facts are an estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Food safety

    • Cook pork to a minimum temperature of 145 °F (63 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    🔗 Related

    Loved this recipe? You might also like:

    • Braised tofu and pork belly in tomato sauce (đậu hũ sốt cà chua)
    • Vietnamese Ground Pork in Tomato Sauce (Thịt Băm Sốt Cà Chua) with rice, lettuce and noodles
      Vietnamese Ground Pork in Tomato Sauce (Thịt Băm Sốt Cà Chua)
    • White bowl with tri-color quinoa, tofu cubes coated in peanut sauce, roasted broccoli and oyster mushrooms
      Crispy Tofu Bowls with Peanut Sauce
    • gà nấu đậu Vietnamese Chicken and Bean Stew
      Vietnamese Chicken and Bean Stew (Gà Nấu Đậu)

    Did you make this recipe? Please tag @BunBoBaeBlog on Instagram or leave a rating or comment on the blog!

    Tweet
    Share
    Pin4
    Share
    4 Shares

    More Easy Weeknight Recipes

    • A square crop of A white plate filled with Chayote Squash and Egg Stir Fry (Su Su Xào Trứng) on a black background.
      Chayote Squash and Egg Stir Fry (Su Su Xào Trứng)
    • Vietnamese braised shrimp, or Tôm Kho Tàu, on a blue plate on top of a black slate background
      Vietnamese Braised Shrimp In Roe (Tôm Kho Tàu)
    • Vietnamese Red Rice (Cơm Đỏ)
    • Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I'm Suzanne, your Bun Bo Bae. I'm a journalist, professional amateur baker, noodle enthusiast and food photographer living in Washington, DC. My immigrant parents taught me everything I know about Vietnamese home cooking, and now I want to share it with you!

    More about me →

    Newest Recipes

    • A teal plate filled with Vietnamese sweet potato and shrimp firtters (Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) and herbs, with a bowl of fish sauce on the side.
      Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang)
    • A square crop of a blue plate with a poached chicken breast, rice, scallion ginger oil, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and rice
      Hainanese Chicken Rice (Cơm Gà Hải Nam)
    • A square crop of a photo of three frog shaped coconut pandan waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa) on a wire rack.
      Vietnamese Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa)
    • a birdseye view of a blue plate filled with taiwanese popcorn chicken and fried basil leaves
      Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (Gà Chiên Lá Quế Đài Loan)

    Sign up for my newsletter here!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Media Kit

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    As Seen On

    Copyright © 2019 - 2020 Bun Bo Bae

    Copyright © 2023 Bun Bo Bae on the Foodie Pro Theme