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    Home » Recipes

    Hot and Sour Soup

    Published: Mar 5, 2022 by Jomelyn · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This easy, tasty, and, healthy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe is the best Chinese soup, ever! It is rich in delicious and savory flavors that everybody loves. It is perfect for a nice warm soup on cold and rainy days.

    A spoonful of hot and sour soup
    Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

    Hot and Sour Soup can be found in Chinese and some Asian Restaurant and Buffet in the United States. Our homemade hot and soup recipe is better than your take-out from your favorite Restaurants. You can control and pick your ingredients for your recipe. With the combinations of hot, sour and slightly sweet flavors, this soup yeilds the most delicious soup.

    It is warming, comforting and delicious. We can't stop eating just one bowl. It is good as it is or with rice on the side.

    Hot and Sour ingredients

    Combining these ingredients makes the best and most perfect Chinese sweet and sour soup recipe that you will enjoy. With different textures from crunchy carrots, silky and glossy from Tufo, and chewy mushrooms.

    • Mushrooms - It gives earthy and aroma flavors to the soup. I use baby bella and dried mushrooms. You can use any type of your favorite mushrooms.
    • Vegetable Broth - You can use chicken or beef broth if you have them as well. Or try my homemade beef broth recipe.
    • Rice Vinegar - It gives sour flavor.
    • Carrots - Adds crunch and vibrant color. Authentic hot and sour soup use bamboo shoots. Use what you have.
    • Ginger - Adds spicy flavor. Use ground ginger as it is accessible and it will last a long time when stored in the pantry as a substitute.
    • Sciracha - It gives hot and spicy flavor. You can use chili oil or red pepper flakes as well.
    • Sugar - To give slightly sweet flavor. Skip this if you don't want to use sugar. Add Honey for healthy alternative.
    • Tofu - Rich in protein. Use firm, soft, or silky tofu and gently slice into julienned or cube. Silky tofu can easily break apart when slicing, that is why I prefer to use extra-firm tofu.
    • Soy Sauce - For seasoning and color. You can skip it and just use additional ¼ teaspoon of salt if you don't have it on hand. If you are looking for gluten-free soy sauce, try this tamari soy sauce healthy substitute.
    • White pepper - For flavor. Authentic Hot and Sour Soup calls for white pepper but you can also use black pepper.
    • Tapioca powder - To thicken the sauce. It is healtheir and cheaper. Cornstarch is a popular and more accesible. Use whatever you have. We will make a slurry using tapioca powder and dissolve with ¼ cup of water.
    • Eggs - It gives silky ribbon thread and extra thickness.
    • Toasted Sesame oil - It gives nutty flavor. It is optional, but highly recommended.
    • Green onion - For garnish and extra flavor and color.
    Ingredients for Chinese hot and sour soup

    This recipe is meatless but you can add pork, chicken, or beef to your recipe. If you are vegan, skip the eggs!

    How to make Hot and sour soup

    This is a super easy, simple, and flavorful hot and sour soup recipe that anyone can make at home. It takes 15-20 minutes of cooking and 5 minutes to prepare.

    Soaking dried mushrooms.
    Dried and rehydrated mushrooms
    1. Prepare all the ingredients. Soak dried fungus or mushrooms in water for 1-2 hours or pour a warm water to cut down on time. Slice your mushrooms, ginger and carrots in a matchstick and chop green onions.
    2. Sauce - Combine tapioca or cornstarch with water, stir to dissolve. Add in sugar, salt, soy sauce, white pepper, and sciracha chili sauce. Mix well and set it aside. Beat the eggs and set it aside.
    3. In a large pot, toss carrots, ginger and mushrooms together. Pour vegetable broth and bring it to a boil on medium to high heat. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes. I use 4 cups of broth but you can add more if you want extra liquid in your soup. Just add 1 teaspoon of your thickiner as well.
    4. Add in your tofu and let it boil and you need to turn your heat to high. Carefully sliding the tofu to retain shape specially if you are using silky tofu.
    5. Pour the sauce into the pot and stir gently and consistently until it thickens the soup. Beat the eggs and pour it gently to the soup. Turn off the heat and add the rice vinegar, stir.
    6. Serve your hot and sour soup with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and green onions on top.
    Step by step photos on how to cook hot and sour soup recipe

    Frequently asked questions

    How many calories per serving?

    162 calories per servings only.

    Is Chinese hot and sour soup healthy?

    Absolutely yes! If you make it at home with all the ingredients I listed above, you will make the healthiest soup that is loaded with healthy ingredients such as fungus, vegetables, spices, and herbs.

    Is hot and sour soup authentic Chinese?

    Yes. It is a classic Chinese dish that can be made and enjoyed homemade. You can follow the traditional recipe or adopt your own variation.

    What is the difference between hot and sour soup and egg drop soup?

    The hot and sour soup uses the same ingredients as egg drop soup plus more ingredients such as carrots, sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar for flavorings.

    How do you fix bland hot and sour soup?

    Add more soy sauce or salt accordingly. If you like it hot, add more white pepper for extra heat. If you like it sourer like me, gradually add more vinegar.

    A large pot of hot and sour soup.

    Storage Tips

    Refrigerator - You can make large batches. If your have leftovers, let it cool down completely. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigirator for up to 5 days.

    Freezer - If you plan to freeze your hot and sour soup, don't cook the tofu yet. The tufo texture have a mushy texture when frozen. Let it cool down completely and transfer in an air-tight container or mason jar.

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    A spoonful of hot and sour soup

    Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

    Jomelyn Mauermann
    This easy, tasty, and, healthy Hot and Sour Soup is the best Chinese soup, ever! It is rich in delicious and savory flavors that everybody loves. It is perfect for a nice warm soup on cold and rainy days.
    5 from 13 votes
    Print Pin
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Asian, Chinese
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 97 kcal

    Equipment

    1 large pot

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 ounce baby bella mushrooms sliced thinly
    • 5 pieces dried black fungus (mushrooms)
    • 1 large carrot julienned
    • 1 block extra-firm tofu julienned
    • 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons tapioca powder or cornstarch
    • ¼ cup cold water
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
    • 1 teaspoon refined salt
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
    • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
    • 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • ½ cup green onions chopped, garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare the ingredients. Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Slice all the mushrooms, carrots, ginger, and tofu into matchstick.
    • Sauce. In a small bowl, pour ¼ cup of water and cornstarch, and stir well to dissolve the cornstarch. Add in the sugar, salt, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and white pepper mixing well to combine. Set it aside.
    • In a large pot over medium to high heat, toss mushrooms, ginger, and carrots in with the vegetable broth and bring it to a boil.
    • Gently add the tofu, stir and let it boil. Gradually pour the sauce mixture. Stirring constantly until the soup thickens slightly.
    • In a bowl, beat the eggs, then pour them slowly into the soup in a steady stream, constantly stirring until it forms threads. Turn off the heat and pour the rice vinegar, stirring until well blended.
    • Adjust the seasonings accordingly. Serve in a bowl and drizzle some toasted sesame oil and sprinkle some green onions on top.

    Notes

    Recipe Note:
    • Once the soup thickened, you can adjust your seasoning accordingly. You can reduce the spiciness of the soup to be more kid-friendly.
    • Keep the soup simmering (it should be bubbling before you add the beaten egg, or the soup will turn cloudy when it is added), and begin stirring in a circular motion with your ladle once again.
    Disclaimer: All nutritional information in this recipe is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content may vary with the cooking method, brands used, measurements, portion sizes, and more.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6servingsCalories: 97kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 9gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1154mgPotassium: 375mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2519IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Chinese hot and sour soup
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nora

      March 05, 2022 at 10:32 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy! I love a good soup recipe like this. Thank you!!!

      Reply
    2. Anonymous

      August 19, 2022 at 8:18 pm

      5 stars
      Comforting recipe, so tasty and satisfying.

      Reply
    3. Maya

      October 28, 2022 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      Its savory and has the perfect seasoning. I will make it again tomorrow.

      Reply
    4. Tom

      November 13, 2022 at 10:52 pm

      5 stars
      So savory and satisfying soup we made the other night.

      Reply
    5. Anonymous

      January 09, 2023 at 3:58 am

      5 stars
      Made this hot and sour soup today.Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    5 from 13 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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