Green Soup with Cilantro and Coconut

There is nothing I love more than a thick, creamy and vegetable-packed soup in the dead of winter. And this vibrant, green soup with cilantro and coconut is one of the best! It’s warm, comforting yet still light, and loaded with flavor.

And maybe my favorite part? It uses up all those winter vegetables that have been sitting in your fridge waiting for a purpose. This is that purpose.

This soup is loaded with cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, plant-based proteins such as crispy tofu and edamame, and micronutrients from spinach and cilantro, all made creamy with coconut milk. It’s the kind of feel good green soup that feels like a necessity.

Read on for the recipe, storage tips as well as any substitutions that may help!

Why should you make this winter green soup

• It’s a thick and creamy soup so it’s extra comforting in the colder months.
• It’s vegetable-packed. Apart from comforting, this soup is supremely good for you and uses up all your winter veggies before they go to waste.
• It’s ready in about an hour and is made using only one pot for easy clean up.
• It’s completely customizable. This recipe is really flexible if you need to swap any of the ingredients. I’ll have a few suggestions on substitutions below!

Ingredients you’ll need for this green soup

• 1 16 oz block extra-firm tofu
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large (16 oz) sweet white onion
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeds removed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 10 oz broccoli
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 6 cups broth, or 1 1/2 tablespoon Better than Bouillon in 6 cups water
• 2 cups (2 1/2 oz) cilantro
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 5 oz spinach
• 2 cups frozen edamame
• 1 lime, for juicing
• 1/4 cup peanuts, optional for topping
• 1 tablespoon chili oil, optional for topping

Ingredient substitutions

This recipe is really flexible, nearly every ingredient is adaptable. Here are some substitution suggestions:

• Extra-firm tofu: Seitan or tempeh, or super-firm tofu
• Extra-virgin olive oil: Swap for avocado oil, grapeseed oil, really any oil you like!
• Sweet white onion: Can be swapped for yellow onion, red onion, shallot, the white part of one large leek, or a fennel bulb (if you like fennel!)
• Jalapeño: Can be swapped for serrano peppers, Birdseye chiles, red pepper flakes, or you can omit
• Garlic cloves: Swap for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, or you can omit
• Broccoli: Can be swapped for cauliflower or romanesco
• Broth: Swap for any broth or stock you have on hand or dissolve Better Than Bouillon in 6 cups water, in a pinch this can also just be water – just make sure to use enough salt to make up for it!
• Cilantro: Can be swapped for dill, parsley, basil or any tender herbs you prefer
• Coconut milk: Swap with heavy cream or whole milk but remember, the recipe will no longer be dairy-free
• Spinach: Can be swapped with arugula, kale, collard greens or swiss chard
• Frozen edamame: Swap for green peas, white beans, chickpeas or really any bean you prefer!
• Lime: Swap for either lemon juice or white wine vinegar

The best way to make crispy tofu for soups (without using cornstarch)

When it comes to making crispy tofu, I’ve tried just about every method in the books. And for so long I swore by the cornstarch method. But sometimes I would be left with a thick, chalky exterior if I added too much cornstarch, and that was just not the move. So I wanted to find a way to make crispy tofu that needed nothing else added to it and that would hold up well in soups.

Here’s how to make crispy tofu using just a two step method:

1. Press extra firm tofu between two sets of paper towels. Make sure you are pressing it with a heavy weight on top. I like to place my tofu on paper towels on a baking sheet, then place more paper towels and another baking sheet on top, and weigh that down with books. Let the tofu sit for about 10-15 minutes.
2. Get a skillet on medium to medium-high heat and add an oil with a high smoke point. Then, sear the tofu for 3-4 minutes on each side or until it is a rich golden brown.

Storage tips

Here’s the best way to store it, based on each method:

Fridge: You can portion these into individual 16-ounce containers (perfect for one portion), and they will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Reheat either in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

Freezer: You can portion these into individual 16-ounce containers and freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, pop them out of their containers and gently heat them in a pot on the stovetop until the soup is at a simmer. Remove the heat and serve.

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And that’s everything for this green soup with cilantro and coconut!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Green Soup with Cilantro and Coconut

5 from 1 review

Creamy, cozy, and vibrantly green, this feel good Green Soup with Cilantro and Coconut turns your forgotten fall and winter vegetables into fridge heroes you didn't know you needed.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 7

Cook mode:Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  1 chef's knife
• ▢
  1 7-quart Dutch oven or large pot
• ▢
  1 pair of tongs or chef's tweezers
• ▢
  1 small blender or food processor
• ▢
  1 small sauté pan

Ingredients

For the soup:

• ▢ 1 16 oz block extra-firm tofu
• ▢ 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 (16 oz) large sweet white onion
• ▢ 1 medium jalapeño, seeds removed
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves
• ▢ 10 oz broccoli
• ▢ Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 6 cups broth, or 1 1/2 tablespoon Better than Bouillon in 6 cups water
• ▢ 2 cups (2 1/2 oz) cilantro
• ▢ 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
• ▢ 5 oz spinach
• ▢ 2 cups frozen edamame
• ▢ 1 lime, for juicing

Optional chili peanut topping:

• ▢ 1/4 cup peanuts
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chili oil

To serve:

• ▢ Steamed white rice

Instructions 

1. Drain the tofu and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Gently press out any excess moisture with paper towels.
2. Place a large pot over medium heat and add 1/4 cup olive oil. Then sear the tofu for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden.
3. While the tofu is searing, dice up 1 onion, thinly slice 1 jalapeño, grate the 3 garlic cloves and chop 10 ounces of broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
4. Remove the tofu from the pot, add the chopped onion, jalapeño and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon coriander and 1 teaspoon cumin and cook for 9-10 minutes or until the onion is softened.
5. Add the garlic cloves and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is no longer raw.
6. Add the 6 cups of broth and bring to a simmer. Using tongs, shock 2 cups cilantro in the broth, then run it under cold water in the sink. This helps maintain the color. Squeeze out any excess moisture and blend this with 1 can of coconut milk until smooth and light green.
7. Add the coconut milk blend, the chopped broccoli, spinach, edamame and tofu and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and finish with lime juice.
8. For the optional topping, toast 1/4 cup peanuts over medium heat until fragrant, then stir in 1 tablespoon chili oil. Drizzle on top of the soup.
9. Serve warm with white rice.

Serving: 13ozCalories: 330kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 13gFat: 22g

Old Version

Below is the original recipe that was first developed in 2024. For the updated recipe, please see the above.

Makes 4 servings

Total cook time: 1 hour and 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) pack of extra-firm tofu, drained

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 2 cups cilantro leaves
• 1 cup basil leaves
• 3 cups spinach leaves
• 1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk
• 1 medium white onion , diced
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 2 medium Birdseye chilies, sliced
• 2 lemongrass stalks, optional, but lovely
• 1 lime for peeling and juicing
• 1 large Japanese sweet potato , or any root vegetable or potato of choice
• 2 cups lacinato kale, or any leafy green of choice

Instructions

1. Use one paper towel to lightly press any moisture out of the tofu. Slice it into 1-inch thick pieces, any shape.
2. Set the large Dutch oven over medium heat and add enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the surface. Let the oil heat up for 1-2 minutes.
3. In batches, fry the tofu until golden brown. This takes about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the tofu from the pot and set aside.
4. Very carefully let the oil cool, then clean out the pot. Fill the pot with water and set it over high heat to bring it to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water to the side.
5. When the water is at a boil, season with a few large pinches of salt. Blanch the cilantro, basil and spinach by submerging them in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then transferring them immediately to the ice bath. Drain the Dutch oven.
6. Squeeze out any excess water from the cilantro, basil and spinach and transfer them to a blender. Add the coconut milk and one cup of water. Blend until smooth and set aside.
7. Place the Dutch oven back over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the surface. Let the oil heat up for 1-2 minutes, then add the diced onion. Season with a large pinch of salt and cook for 6-8 minutes or until the onion has softened.
8. Add the garam masala, garlic, ginger and chilies and stir until the garlic no longer smells raw, around 2-3 minutes.
9. Use the back of your knives to crack into the lemongrass skin. Cut off the bottom inch of the stalk to expose the tender center. Finely chop the tender center and add it to the pot.
10. Cut a sliver of the lime peel from the lime and add it to the pot as well.
11. Add the Japanese sweet potato and stir to coat in the aromatics. Season with another pinch of salt.
12. Pour in the coconut broth and two additional cups of water. Let this come to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Add the kale, stir and let the soup cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the greens have wilted in. Remove the lime peel from the soup and squeeze in the juice from the lime. Taste and season with salt as needed.
13. To serve, portion into bowls and top with the fried tofu. Enjoy warm!