Velvety Vegan Borscht

Preheat the skillet over medium heat and pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into it. Introduce the garlic and onion to the skillet, stirring constantly until the onion becomes tender and loses its opacity, approximately 5 minutes. Set it aside momentarily.

Next, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a larger cooking vessel over medium-high heat. Combine the celery, carrots, bell pepper, beets including their leaves, whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, potatoes, Swiss chard, and the onion mixture in the pot. Cook and stir until the chard begins to lose its firmness, 4 to 8 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, water, dill weed, and salt and pepper to the pot, stirring well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to low. Allow it to simmer for 1 hour.

Now, strain half of the beets from the broth and place them in a blender, leaving about halfway full. Securely hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel and carefully initiate the blending process, using a few rapid pulses to get the beets moving before leaving it on to puree. Add the tofu and continue blending until smooth. Stir the tofu mixture back into the pot. Continue to simmer until the mixture has reduced by a third, approximately another hour. Serve chilled or warm.