You Asked for It – Hot and Sour Soup!
Many readers have emailed me and requested for Chinese hot and sour soup for the longest time, so I am really excited to be sharing this super easy hot and sour soup recipe that anyone can make at home.
This recipe takes only 15 minutes from prep to finish and you’ll have a pot of warm, hearty and utterly delicious soup that tastes like it’s straight from your favorite Chinese restaurants.
For those wondering, “What is hot and sour soup?” You might be wondering what is it made of and what ingredients are in hot and sour soup that actually makes it hot and sour.
Is hot and sour soup health? Yes, absolutely. Try my recipe, it’s only 99 calories!
Main Ingredients
My recipe is very easy and quick. It calls for a few simple ingredients:
- Chicken or vegetable stock.
- Tofu.
- Eggs.
- mushrooms.
- There are two seasonings to bring out the iconic flavors of hot and sour soup: soy sauce and vinegar.
- If you like it spicy, you can add some dried chili flakes or chili oil into the soup.
Tips on How to Cook Hot and Sour Soup?
I like Panda Express Hot and Sour Soup so here are the secrets techniques and tips that yield Chinese restaurant’s results:
- DO NOT USE WHISK. This is the biggest mistake when it comes to making Chinese soups. We do not whisk beaten eggs in the soup. The eggs should form into nice, beautiful and silky pieces. The key is to cook the eggs after the heat is turned off.
- Gently swirl the beaten eggs into the soup, stir a few times with a pair of chopsticks.
- Corn starch thickens the soup but do not use too much of it. You want a soup that has a slightly sticky consistency but still runny.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
For a wholesome Chinese dinner, make the following dishes.
This Recipe Goes Well with:
Other Recipes You Might Like
Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
Hot and Sour Soup - BEST and EASIEST Chinese hot and sour soup recipe ever! Simple ingredients, takes 15 mins and a zillion times better than takeout!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons corn starch + 3 tablespoons water
- 1 can 14.5 oz/411 g chicken broth (preferred) or vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 8 oz soft tofu, cut into strips
- 6 oz white button mushroom, stems trimmed and caps quartered
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Chinese vinegar, apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce for coloring purpose
- 3 dashes ground white pepper or black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon chili oil, (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped scallion, (optional)
Instructions
-
Add the corn starch and water together, stir to combine well. Set aside.
-
Add the chicken or vegetable broth and water to a medium-sized soup pot on medium heat. Bring it to boil. Add the tofu and white button mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir to combine well. Add in the cornstarch mixture, stir continuously to thicken the soup. Turn off the heat.
-
Swirl the beaten eggs into the soup, count to 10, and then use a pair of chopsticks to stir in a clockwise direction, for 3 times. This will form the silken egg threads in the soup that look very pretty. Add the chili oil and chopped scallions, if using.
-
Dish out and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
If you want to add some heat to the soup, you may add some chili oil or a few pinches of dried red chili flakes.
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Angie
This soup is delicious and I will make it time and again I have no doubt. Though for hot and sour soup it isn’t really “sour” enough for me. Still delicious butnext time I know if I want that tangy flavor I’ll up the vinegar just a bit.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Angie, sure you can add more vinegar to the hot and sour soup if you like!
Neli Howard | Delicious Meets Healthy
This soup is delicious. First time making Hot and Sour Soup. My husband and I loved it. I think it’s better than soups we’ve had in restaurants!
Paula
This was really good, I made it exactly to the recipe, and am making it again today for the third time. So quick and easy and so flavourful! Thanks for the recipe :)
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Paula, please try other recipes on my site, they are all very good: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Darlene M.Yurochko
This soup was the best! I added asparagus cut in pieces. Thought I added too much hot sauce but the more I ate the better it got.Bonus was, my neighbor gave me the first of the green onions from her garden.Does it get any better? Will be making this alot. Thank you
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Darlene, thanks so much for trying this hot and sour soup. :)
Jim Mitchell
Looks to be a good basic recipe that will make a quick and yummy version of Hot & Sour Soup. The Dark Soy and White Pepper add color and flavor but folks should not let those ingredients stop them from making this.
I happen to have the wide variety of Chinese ingredients such as dried mushroom, Wood Ear, etc. available to me in the Atlanta Area but those are not required for a heart warming bowl of my favorite soup.
We often make a quick and light meal of frozen dumplings and basic Hot & Sour Soup. You would be surprised how many non-Asian stores now have Chinese Dumplings on their freezer section (Kroger, Sam’s Club. Costco, Trader Joe’s, etc)!
I would recommend that anyone who likes this type of soup give it a try!
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Jim for loving this hot and sour soup!
Rajee Pandi
1 can 14.5 oz/411 g chicken broth (preferred) or vegetable broth have high sodium Any alternative for this broth
Rasa Malaysia
You can get low sodium broth. You can’t make this soup with plain water.
Christina
Hi! How much water am I supposed to use for the starch mixture? 1/2 cup or less? Thank you.
Rasa Malaysia
It’s in the recipe card: 2 tablespoons corn starch + 3 tablespoons water
Lynn Clark
I try to always respect the recipe and make it as written the first time. My brother loves hot and sour soup, but I’m allergic to soy. Is there a good
way to make this for us without the tofu?
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Lynn, sure you can skip tofu and add something else?
Penny Brown
how would dry scrambled eggs, cut into cubes work as a substitute for tofu?
Rasa Malaysia
You don’t have to as hot and sour soup already have eggs.
Sherry
I like the idea of the cubed eggs. I’ve had chicken or pork in the soup as well jicama does well. And a little bit a bean sprouts for me. I guess whatever we can come up with and be creative about.
kevin raymond
Saw this recipe and tried it last night. It is fantastic!! As advertised, better than take-out. Absolutely recommend adding a teaspoon of chile oil. Suggest adding thinly sliced scallion and lemon juice of one half of a lemon. Serving it over a small ball of white rice makes it a main course. This will be a permanent part of our home routine . . .
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks Kevin for trying this Hot and Sour Soup recipe. :)
thurnelle
Is there anything I can substitute for the tofu without changing the nature of the soup? other veggies perhaps? Really not a tofu fan… a texture thing.
Rasa Malaysia
You can skip tofu to another ingredient you like…
Jean B.
This is suitable if you want something that’s quick and easy, but I like having wood ears and golden needles in my hot and sour soup and tend to judge this soup based on their inclusion. Therefore, I would not call this the “best” recipe for this soup.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Jean – wood ears and golden needles are very foreign to many of my readers here and they can’t even find them in their supermarkets. I always try to make my recipes accessible so more people are open to trying it. Have you tried my hot and sour soup recipe? If you haven’t, you should then you can tell me whether or not it’s the best.
Karen @ The Food Charlatan
Okay now this soup looks amazing!! I love spicy soup like this!
Rose Mary George
Very comforting. Love it!!