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    Home » All Recipes » Soups

    Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

    Published: Jul 5, 2020 · Modified: Jul 5, 2020 by Jamie · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links · 9 Comments

    623 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    quick and easy hot and sour soup

    Chinese hot and sour soup is easy to make and ready in 15 minutes! Made with spicy chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and loaded with tofu and mushrooms! Vegetarian option included!

    a bowl of Chinese hot and sour soup with mushrooms and tofu next to dried spicy chili peppers

    This Chinese hot and sour soup is just like the restaurant version if not better! It's spicy from the chili pepper flakes and chili garlic sauce, sour from the vinegar, and savory from the soy sauce.

    Shiitake mushrooms and tofu give this soup a meaty texture and the bamboo shoots give it a bit of texture. Use vegetable stock to make this a filling vegetarian hot and sour soup!

    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe
    • Ingredients you’ll need
    • Step by step instructions
    • Ingredient substitutions & variations
    • Storing & reheating leftovers
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Recipe

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    bowls of Chinese hot and sour soup with mushrooms, tofu, and scallions next to dried hot chili peppers
    • It's the perfect balance of hot and sour!
    • Crushed Szechuan pepper flakes and chili garlic sauce give this soup a spicy kick.
    • For the sour element, I used a combination of rice wine vinegar and black vinegar which gives it just the right amount of tartness.
    • The tofu and mushrooms add protein and meaty texture to this vegetarian soup.

    Ingredients you’ll need

    ingredients for Chinese hot and sour soup
    • Stock - use vegetable stock for a vegetarian hot and sour soup, otherwise use chicken stock
    • Firm tofu - use firm or extra firm tofu in this recipe. Soft or silken tofu will fall apart too easily
    • Mushrooms - I prefer shiitake, wood ear mushrooms, or canned straw mushrooms. But any mushroom would be great.
    • Bamboo shoots - buy the julienned bamboo shoots
    • Eggs - these make thin, egg ribbons that are common in egg drop soup. Leave out the eggs for a vegan hot and sour soup.

    Hot and Sour Soup Seasoning:

    ingredients for Chinese hot and sour soup
    • Dark soy sauce - gives this soup a rich, dark color. Substitute with regular soy sauce if you don't have it.
    • Rice wine vinegar - adds a bright, sour flavor to this soup
    • Chili garlic sauce - made with hot chili peppers and vinegar. Adds heat and acid to this soup.
    • Cornstarch - used to thicken up the soup

    Step by step instructions

    Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add the stock. Once it simmers, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and all the seasonings, such as soy sauce, vinegar, and chili garlic sauce.

    hot and sour soup in a pot with shiitake mushrooms

    Once it simmers, add the cornstarch slurry. Make sure to stir the cornstarch and water mixture as the cornstarch will have settled.

    cornstarch being added to hot and sour soup

    Stir the soup continuously in a circular motion and slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs while stirring. This will create thin egg ribbons in the soup.

    beaten eggs being added to hot and sour soup

    Add the firm tofu into the soup and stir it gently.

    tofu being added to hot and sour soup

    Give it a taste and adjust for seasoning at this point. The mushrooms and tofu will release a bit of liquid, so you may need to add more vinegar or chili peppers.

    sesame oil being added to hot and sour soup

    Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

    Chinese hot and sour soup with mushrooms, tofu, scallions, and red pepper flakes
    a spoonful of easy hot and sour soup with tofu, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots

    Ingredient substitutions & variations

    a pot of Chinese hot and sour soup surrounded with spicy chili peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and soy sauce
    • Dark soy sauce - substitute with regular soy sauce. The soup won't be as dark in color but it will still taste delicious!
    • Black vinegar - substitute with black vinegar or any other vinegar. Black vinegar has a mild, sweeter taste so balsamic is the best substitute.
    • Vegetarian hot and sour soup - use vegetable stock and add additional vegetables to make this a filling meal. Carrots, broccoli, corn, and peas would be great additions.
    • Protein - traditionally, hot and sour soup is made with pork. Feel free to add in other protein sources such as chicken, shrimp, or beef.

    Storing & reheating leftovers

    a ladle of vegetarian hot and sour soup with mushrooms, tofu, and scallions

    Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating leftovers on the stove top until it starts to simmer.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is Chinese hot and sour soup made of?

    It's traditionally made with pork broth with mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots. Vinegar and crushed red pepper add the signature sour taste and spicy flavor.

    Is hot and sour soup healthy?

    It's relatively healthy as it's low in fat and calories and a good source of protein from the tofu and eggs. Adjust the amount of sodium to your taste.

    What makes hot and sour soup thick?

    It's thickened with a cornstarch and water mixture. The cornstarch is mixed with water and then added to the soup when it starts to simmer.

    More Chinese recipes:

    • Egg Drop Soup - Easy and Authentic
    • The Best Chicken Lo Mein
    • Healthy Chinese Chicken Salad
    • Chinese Style Fried Garlic Green Beans

    What to serve with hot and sour soup:

    • Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
    • Spicy Szechuan Noodles with Garlic Chili Oil
    • Stir Fried Shanghai Rice Cakes
    • PF Chang's Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

    Recipe

    close up of Chinese hot and sour soup with mushrooms and tofu, next to dried hot chili peppers

    Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

    Chinese hot and sour soup is easy to make and ready in 15 minutes! Made with spicy chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and loaded with tofu and mushrooms! Vegetarian option included.
    5 from 71 votes
    Pin Share Print
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Appetizer, Soups
    Cuisine Asian, Chinese
    Servings 4

    ☑ Ingredients
     

    • 4 cups stock - - use vegetable or chicken stock
    • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch - - mixed with 3 tablespoons of water; (see Note 1)
    • 2 cups shiitake mushrooms - - sliced ⅓ inch thick
    • 8 oz canned bamboo shoots - - drained
    • 4 oz extra firm tofu - - drained and cut into ½ inch thick cubes
    • 2 large eggs - - beaten
    • 2 stalks scallions - - chopped

    Hot and Sour Soup Seasoning:

    • 2 to 3 Tablespoons chili garlic sauce - - adjust to taste
    • 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
    • ½ to 1 Tablespoon black vinegar - - substitute with balsamic or rice wine vinegar (see Note 2)
    • 2 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
    • 1 clove garlic - - minced
    • ¾ teaspoon sugar
    • ½ teaspoon ginger - - grated
    • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper powder - - substitute with black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon crushed Szechuan chili peppers - - (optional)
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    Instructions
     

    • Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add the stock and bring it to a simmer. Once it simmers, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and all the ingredients for the hot and sour soup seasoning. Bring it back to a simmer.
      hot and sour soup in a pot with shiitake mushrooms
    • Once the soup simmers, add the cornstarch and water mixture to the pot. Be sure to give the mixture a stir before adding it as the cornstarch can settle. The soup will thicken up as it simmers.
      cornstarch being added to hot and sour soup
    • To add the beaten eggs, stir the soup in a circular motion and slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs. Stirring the soup will create thin egg ribbons that cook while being added.
      beaten eggs being added to hot and sour soup
    • Next, add the tofu and stir gently so you don't break up the tofu.
      tofu being added to hot and sour soup
    • Adjust for seasoning. Add more vinegar, chili garlic sauce, or salt to taste.
      sesame oil being added to hot and sour soup
    • Garnish with chopped scallions and serve immediately.
      Chinese hot and sour soup with mushrooms, tofu, scallions, and red pepper flakes

    ✎ Recipe Notes

    1. The cornstarch and water mixture is used thicken up the soup. You may need to add more if you find your mushrooms or tofu release a lot of liquid.
    2. Black vinegar is less tart than regular vinegars and has a sweet, smokey flavor. Its aged for complex flavors and has a deep, dark color. The best substitute is balsamic vinegar which has a similar taste, but you can use any vinegar as well.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 2399mg | Potassium: 436mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 636IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was and give it a 5 star rating! Tag @drivemehungry to show off your creations! I love seeing your photos!

    *Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.

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    623 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Keira

      November 04, 2020 at 8:54 pm

      5 stars
      I have been craving some delicious Chinese flavours lately, and this soup delivered on exactly what I had been looking for!
      The black vinegar - oh that makes such a huge difference! This dish is so comforting!

      Reply
    2. Chica

      August 08, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      5 stars
      The flavors were so good - the perfect balance of hot and sour, which is really important here. Thank you for all of the helpful step by step photos, too - this makes such a difference when it comes to preparing this soup, especially since I wasn't familiar with how to make this!

      Reply
      • Jamie

        November 20, 2020 at 1:12 am

        Thanks Chica! I agree, this is a perfectly balanced hot and sour soup. I'm so glad you found the instruction photos helpful! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Penelope

      July 18, 2020 at 2:02 pm

      5 stars
      WOW!! This tasted incredible, even better than the hot and sour soup we get at our restaurant! We added a bit more hot sauce since we like it spicy. The flavors were exactly what we were looking for!

      Reply
    4. Sheryl

      July 15, 2020 at 3:41 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious. I love the combination of spicy and sour and this soup! I used chicken broth and added some shredded chicken to it. I didn't have shiitake so used white button mushrooms instead and it was so good!

      Reply
    5. Rita

      July 09, 2020 at 1:56 am

      5 stars
      I was really happy with the hot and sour flavors in this soup. I found other recipes to be not spicy or sour enough but this recipe was just right.

      Reply
    6. Jennifer

      July 08, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      Hot and Sour Soup has been one of my favorite dishes for a long time. Your recipe was so good! And it was such a treat to make it at home instead of going out for take out.

      Reply
    7. Zainab

      July 07, 2020 at 2:01 pm

      5 stars
      This soup was amazing! I've never made hot and sour soup before, but you laid the directions out so perfectly, it came out delicious. I added a bit more spice and loved it!

      Reply
    8. Jessica

      July 07, 2020 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite thing to order when getting takeout! So happy to have found the perfect recipe to make at home that's even better than the restaurant! It's just the right amount of spicy and sour!

      Reply

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