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.
Super easy and tastes amazing! My family loved the soup. I added some chicken to it as well. Will stick to making this at home since the recipe is so easy
Incredible recipe!
Wonderful as is. I added extra mushrooms and tofu for a hearty soup plus bamboo shoots and shredded carrots for the same reason. The liquid base is better than I get at a local Chinese place. This will be a regular meal for me.
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 !
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.
I definitely need to try it with the chili crisp. That sounds delicious!
What did you think of the chili crisp? It's sooooo good as is but, it's fun to change it up when you have it for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week LOL but, I could!
What is chili crisp please?
We enjoyed the soup, but I think it was too heavy on the pepper.
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.
this recipe is great and easy to make.
so good! my family absolutely raves about this soup!
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!
Thank you Dan! 🙂