Hot and Sour Soup
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 is much better than takeout!
Many people love hot and sour soup, which is rich and flavorful and can be eaten as an appetizer before a meal or as the main dish.
You don't have to go to a Chinese restaurant to enjoy a hearty hot and sour soup bowl. You'll be surprised at just how easy it is to make!
If you like quick and easy soup recipes, 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 stock or chicken broth can also be used.
- Mushrooms: White mushrooms are easy to find and work great in this recipe. If you can get your hands on some, fresh Shiitake mushrooms will give the soup a more authentic flavor. Dried mushrooms can also be used in place of fresh mushrooms.
- Soy Sauce: You can choose between low-sodium and regular soy sauce. When using soy sauce, you don't need to add extra salt.
- Rice 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 enhances the soup's flavor. I don't recommend substituting black pepper.
- Eggs/Tofu: Eggs and slices of tofu make up the bulk of the protein in this soup. If you don't like tofu, just omit it; it's no big deal. You can leave out the tofu altogether or substitute it with cooked chicken, pork, or beef.
- Corn Starch: A cornstarch slurry thickens the soup; it can be substituted with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
- Green onions: You can use green onions, scallions, or chives.
- Optional garnishes: Bamboo shoots, a drizzle of sesame oil
Instructions
Step 1: In a pot, bring the broth, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha sauce, and white pepper to a boil, then turn down to medium heat for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Stir it into the soup and simmer for 5 minutes or until it thickens.
Step 3: Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Then, pour them into the soup while gently stirring to create the silky egg ribbons.
Step 4: Add the tofu and green onions, stir, and remove from heat. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Garnish with extra green onions.
How to Store
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.
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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.
Can you cook this in a crockpot?
Hi Cecilia, I have never cooked this in a crockpot. If I had to guess, I don't think it would work very well.
So good! I made this tonight - so easy and fast! I didn’t have green onions on hand, so I sautéed a small yellow onion before adding the broth. I also was out of rice wine vinegar, so I subbed white wine vinegar. Really soothing and delicious!
This was great. I haven’t ordered it in years and thought I’d give this a try. It was excellent and easy to prepare. I made it per the recipe except for adding an extra tablespoon of Sriracha.
If you like hot and sour soup you’ll never have to order it again.
So good. I didn't change a thing. For those that like hot and sour soup, you won't be disappointed.
So glad to have come across this recipe. Tastes exactly like the ones I get from our neighborhood Chinese restaurant!
That's so nice to hear Kimberly, thank you for the 5 star review! 🙂
Great soup for a cold winter night. Great flavor. Will make it again!
This was a terrific recipe. Taste is soooo good! Just like from the restaurant and is easy to make.
Thank you Andrew 🙂
This is sooooooo delicious and easy!! Thank you so much for putting this out there! I put potstickers in instead of tofu and love it!
I love to add potstickers too!! So yummy 🙂
Taste just like a restaurant hot and sour soup!
Absolutely 10/10 have made this multiple times and it never disappoints. I do have a question though. If I wanted to freeze the soup, would I leave out the egg and add it when I reheat it?
Yes, that will give the best results! 🙂
I loved it. It was fast and easy to make.