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This restaurant style Hot and Sour Soup recipe is quick and easy to make. You won't believe the rich flavorful broth you'll develop in under 20 minutes!
It's the perfect recipe for a quick, weeknight dinner and it's so much better than take-out!
Hot and Sour Soup is a favorite menu item for many people. Eaten as an appetizer before a meal or as the main dish, it's a rich and flavorful soup that's hard to beat.
Luckily, you don't have to go to the restaurant to enjoy a hearty bowl of hot and sour soup. You'll be surprised at just how easy it is to make!
If you like quick and easy soup recipes make sure to check out our chicken noodle soup, broccoli cheese soup and homemade tomato soup too.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Broth - Beef broth adds a rich flavor to this soup but chicken broth can be used as well.
- Mushrooms - White mushrooms are easy to find and work great in this recipe. Shiitake mushrooms will give the soup a more authentic flavor if you can get your hands on some.
- Soy Sauce - Reduced sodium or regular soy sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar - White vinegar can be substituted for rice wine vinegar.
- Hot Sauce - Using a hot sauce such as sriracha sauce or chili garlic paste will give you the best flavor for this Asian style recipe.
- White Pepper - This ingredient really makes a difference in the flavor of the soup. I don't recommend substituting with black pepper.
- Eggs/Tofu - Eggs make up the bulk of protein in this soup along with slices of tofu. If you don't like tofu, just omit it, no big deal. You can leave out the tofu all together or substitute it with cooked chicken, pork or beef.
- Corn Starch - Used to thicken the soup, it can be substituted with arrow root powder or tapioca starch.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Simmer the broth, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha sauce and white pepper over medium heat for 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together to make a slurry. Stir it into the soup and simmer for 5 minutes or until the soup starts to thicken.
Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Pour them into the soup while gently stirring to create the egg "ribbons".
Add the tofu and green onions, stir and remove from heat.
Storage
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. After that you can freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More easy soup recipes
Hot and Sour Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 6 cups beef broth
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms
- ¼ cup soy sauce (regular or reduced sodium)
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (arrowroot or tapioca starch)
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 large eggs (well beaten)
- 6 oz. firm tofu (sliced into thin strips)
- 2 green onions (sliced)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Simmer: Bring the broth to a simmer over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha sauce and white pepper. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Thicken: In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and cold water to make the slurry. Add it to the soup and stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the soup starts to thicken.
- Swirl in the eggs: Pour the beaten eggs into the soup while gently stirring the soup in a circular motion.
- Add tofu: Add the sliced tofu and green onions, stir and remove the saucepan from the heat. Serve immediately.
NOTES
- To Store: Keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: It can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- To Reheat: Thaw completely and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
PREVIOUS
Bonnie says
This is far and away the best hot and sour soup I’ve made. I tweak it with slivered bamboo shoots and pork strips sautéed in sesame oil. It has the perfect amount of subtle hear with the siracha and white pepper !
Suzy Myers says
OK! This is the best hot and sour soup we have EVER had. We always stick to the base but have added chicken, beef. . . shrimp, rice noodles and my oh my!!! I do saute the tofu in spicy chili crisp but, I don't think its the secret to perfection.
Amy says
I definitely need to try it with the chili crisp. That sounds delicious!
Norma says
We enjoyed the soup, but I think it was too heavy on the pepper.
Willena Isbell says
This soup is delicious. I increased the rice vinegar just a bit for my taste. But other than that I’m hooked on it. No more having to go to a restaurant for my hot and sour soup.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
mary says
this recipe is great and easy to make.
Trixie N says
so good! my family absolutely raves about this soup!
Dan says
Absolutely delicious! Tastes even better than what you get at restaurants. I added bamboo shoots, a few julienned carrots, and a little splash of Chinese cooking wine. Will definitely make this again and again! Might even try it with some shredded chicken or shrimp next time. Great recipe!
Amy says
Thank you Dan! 🙂