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This Chinese-style hot and sour soup recipe has a thick, tangy, and spicy broth loaded with tofu, egg ribbons, and mushrooms. This is the BEST and EASIEST hot & sour soup that's a zillion times better than takeout!
You Asked for It – Hot And Sour Soup
Today, I’m sharing one of my most-requested Chinese recipes of all time—hot and sour soup! I’ll always have a soft spot for Panda Express hot and sour soup, but this homemade version blows Chinese takeout out of the water.
My easy hot and sour soup recipe has all the amazing flavors, but it’s fresher, healthier, and infinitely more satisfying. It’s ready in just 15 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to whip up Kung Pao Shrimp, Fried Rice, and Egg Rolls for a complete Chinese feast at home.
If you like fiery soups, you might enjoy my Spicy Coconut Chicken Stew and Jjamppong (Korean Seafood Noodle Soup)!
What Is Hot And Sour Soup
Hot and sour soup is a Chinese staple that people often say comes from the Sichuan province known for its spicy cuisine. Others say it actually started in Henan province as a tangy adaptation of “hu la tang,” a local dish that translates to pepper hot soup.
But no matter where it came from, hot and sour soup eventually became popular worldwide. There are so many variations! It’s extra spicy in India because they use both green and red chilies.
There’s a version in Cambodia that has catfish and tilapia added to the soup. It’s also a cousin of the famous Thai Tom Yum Soup.
The Chinese-American version keeps it simple with mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots, aka the hot and sour soup we know and love!
Hot Sour Soup Ingredients
- Vinegar – the “sour” part of the soup! An authentic hot and sour soup recipe uses Chinese vinegar, but you can also use rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Soy sauce – brings so much umami to the soup. Don’t skip this! I use both regular and dark soy sauce for a deeper brown color.
- White pepper – this is what gives some heat to hot sour soup. White pepper is traditionally used because of its unique earthy flavor. But black pepper works as well, and you can even mix the two.
- Broth – use either chicken or vegetable broth as a base. Chicken broth tastes richer, but vegetable broth makes the soup vegetarian-friendly.
- Mushrooms – another classic soup ingredient! I use sliced white button mushrooms because they are readily available. But for the most authentic flavor, use dried shiitake mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms.
- Soft tofu – I like using soft tofu for its silky smooth texture, but firm or medium tofu will also work. Just make sure to press the tofu to remove excess moisture for a cleaner flavor. It also prevents the tofu from crumbling too much in the soup.
- Egg – a beaten egg is swirled into the hot soup to create beautiful, silky threads. It makes the soup look amazing while adding texture. It’s similar to Egg Drop Soup.
- Cornstarch – thickens the soup for a nice, hearty consistency.
- Seasonings – if you like it spicy, you can add some dried chili flakes or chili oil to the soup. Feel free to garnish it with chopped scallions or green onions for a pop of color.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Recipe Variations
- Hot and sour chicken soup – Add cooked, shredded chicken to your soup for a heartier, protein-packed soup like Chicken Wonton Soup. You can also use thin strips of beef similar to this West Lake Beef Soup.
- Vegetables – Throw in other veggies like cabbage, carrots, and bamboo shoots. Honestly, most vegetables will work here!
- Sichuan-style – Use chili oil, Sichuan or szechuan, doubanjiang (spicy fermented bean paste), and glass noodles to make spicy mushroom noodle soup.
- Thai-inspired – Try a Thai twist by adding lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, and a touch of fish sauce for a fragrant flavor profile.
- Spicy seafood soup – Put in some mild-tasting seafood like shrimp, squid, clams, and chunks of whitefish.
How To Make Hot And Sour Soup
Like egg drop soup, this hot and sour soup recipe is so easy that you can make a pot in just 15 minutes. It’s an awesome “fridge clean-up” recipe too—throw in some veggies and meat you need to use up! Plus, it’s so much cheaper than ordering in.
Here’s how to make homemade hot and sour soup:
Step 1. Add the cornstarch and water together, and stir to combine well. Set aside.
Step 2. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and water to a medium-sized soup pot on medium heat. Bring it to a boil. Add the tofu and white button mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 3. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir to combine well. Add in the cornstarch mixture, and stir continuously to thicken the soup. Turn off the heat.
Step 4. Swirl the beaten eggs into the soup, count to 10, and then use a pair of chopsticks to stir in a clockwise direction, 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.
Step 5. Dish out and serve immediately.
Helpful Tips For Home Cooks
- DO NOT USE A WHISK to swirl in the beaten egg! This will break the egg into tiny pieces and create a cloudy broth. The key is to cook the eggs after the heat is turned off. Gently swirl the beaten eggs into the soup then stir in a circular motion a few times with a pair of chopsticks for nice, beautiful, and silky egg threads.
- Use freshly ground black or white pepper for the best flavor and aroma.
- Never add the cornstarch directly into the soup, or you’ll end up with gloopy clumps. Instead, slowly drizzle the slurry into the simmering broth while stirring constantly until the soup is thick enough for your liking.
- Cornstarch slurry thickens the soup, but be careful not to use too much of it. You want a soup with a slightly sticky consistency but still runny.
- If you like chunks of tofu, add it near the end so it doesn’t crumble.
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, hot and sour soup is super healthy. It’s low in calories and fat and it’s loaded with protein from the tofu and mushrooms. Great when you’re sick too. The light spicy/tangy soup can help clear congestion and keep you hydrated. Plus, it’s easy to digest!
You likely used too much cornstarch. Thin out your soup with more broth.
For less spicy hot and sour soup, reduce the amount of pepper.
Traditional hot and sour soup is not vegan because it includes eggs. You can easily make a vegan version by skipping the eggs and using vegetable broth.
This soup gets its name from its two main flavors: “hot” or spicy due to the white ground pepper and “sour” from the vinegar.
This simple hot and sour soup recipe has only 114 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Hot Sour Soup
Hot and sour soup pairs well with a lot of Chinese classics like Sweet and Sour Pork, Happy Family, Orange Chicken, and Steamed Fish. For a wholesome meal and an easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 can chicken broth (preferred) or vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 8 oz (230g) soft tofu, cut into strips
- 6 oz (230g) 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 cornstarch and water together, and 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 a boil. Add the tofu and white button mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir to combine well. Add in the cornstarch mixture, and 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, 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.
Video
Notes
- DO NOT USE A WHISK to swirl in the beaten egg! This will break the egg into tiny pieces and create a cloudy broth. The key is to cook the eggs after the heat is turned off. Gently swirl the beaten eggs into the soup then stir in a circular motion a few times with a pair of chopsticks for nice, beautiful, and silky egg threads.
- Use freshly ground black or white pepper for the best flavor and aroma.
- Never add the cornstarch directly into the soup, or you’ll end up with gloopy clumps. Instead, slowly drizzle the slurry into the simmering broth while stirring constantly until the soup is thick enough for your liking.
- Cornstarch slurry thickens the soup, but be careful not to use too much of it. You want a soup with a slightly sticky consistency but still runny.
- If you like chunks of tofu, add it near the end so it doesn’t crumble.
- 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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
Hi Darlene, thanks so much for trying this hot and sour soup. :)
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!
Thanks Jim for loving this hot and sour soup!
1 can 14.5 oz/411 g chicken broth (preferred) or vegetable broth have high sodium Any alternative for this broth
You can get low sodium broth. You can’t make this soup with plain water.
Hi! How much water am I supposed to use for the starch mixture? 1/2 cup or less? Thank you.
It’s in the recipe card: 2 tablespoons corn starch + 3 tablespoons water
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?
Hi Lynn, sure you can skip tofu and add something else?
how would dry scrambled eggs, cut into cubes work as a substitute for tofu?
You don’t have to as hot and sour soup already have eggs.
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.
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 . . .
Thanks Kevin for trying this Hot and Sour Soup recipe. :)
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.
You can skip tofu to another ingredient you like…
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.
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.
Okay now this soup looks amazing!! I love spicy soup like this!
Very comforting. Love it!!