This restaurant-style Hot and Sour Soup recipe is the best!! It’s quick and simple to make, easy to adapt to your personal taste preferences, and so delicious.
Can’t stop, won’t stop with the soup recipes this winter. ♡
And today’s recipe is one that I’ve been meaning to share with you on the blog for years, after literally dozens and dozens of you have requested it. (This usually comes up when I’m chatting about my favorite egg drop soup recipe — apparently many of you usually opt for the hot and sour soup at your favorite Chinese restaurants and have wanted to learn how to make it!)
Well, good news, friends! Traditional hot and sour soup is actually incredibly easy to make as well. And the bonus of making it at home is that it’s also incredibly easy to customize to your taste. Like it extra hot? Add in more chili garlic sauce. Like it extra sour? Add in more rice wine vinegar. Like it vegetarian? Make it with tofu. Like the meat version? Just add in some pork.
Trust me, this is one of those restaurant recipes that will taste just as good at home. And on chilly winter weeks like this one that we’re having here in Kansas City, it’s guaranteed to warm you up in the most delicious of ways.
Hot And Sour Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients:
To make this hot and sour soup recipe, you will need:
- Broth: Either chicken or veggie stock (or broth) will do.
- Mushrooms: I highly recommend using shiitake mushrooms, but baby bella or even button mushrooms would also do.
- Rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ground ginger: To flavor the broth.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the broth.
- Eggs: Which we will whisk, and the drizzle into the soup to make those lovely egg ribbons.
- Firm tofu: Which we will cube and add to the soup.
- Green onions: To stir into the soup and also sprinkle on top as a garnish.
- Toasted sesame oil: An essential flavor in the soup, which we will drizzle at the very end.
- Salt and pepper: Hot and sour soup is traditionally made with white pepper, which (heads up) has a different and much stronger flavor than black pepper. I recommend adding in a pinch, and then you can always add in more later. Or if you don’t have white pepper, black pepper will also do.
- Optional: Many restaurant versions of hot and sour soup are also made with bamboo shoots. I’m personally not a fan of them, but you are welcome to add some in if you would like.
How To Make Hot and Sour Soup:
To make this hot and sour soup recipe, simply…
- Make your cornstarch slurry. Whisk together 1/4 cup of the stock and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
- Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the remaining stock, mushrooms, bamboo shoots (if using), rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chili garlic sauce to a large stock pot, and cook until the soup reaches a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking for a minute or so, until the soup has thickened.
- Drizzle in those beautiful egg ribbons! While stirring the soup in a circular motion with one hand, use your other hand to slowly drizzle the whisked eggs into the soup.
- Season the soup. Stir in the tofu, half of the green onions, and sesame oil. Then season the soup with salt and black pepper (or white pepper) to taste.
- Serve. Ladle up your servings while the soup is nice and hot, garnished with extra green onions.
What To Serve With Hot & Sour Soup:
Here are a few of my favorite dishes that pair well with hot and sour soup:
- The BEST Fried Rice
- 12-Minute Chicken & Broccoli
- 20-Minute Moo Shu Pork (or Chicken)
- Beef & Broccoli
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Sesame Noodles with Broccoli and Almonds
- Black Pepper Chicken
More Favorite Soup Recipes:
If you love egg drop soup, feel free to check out these other favorite soup recipes:
Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (or baby bella mushrooms), thinly-sliced with stems discarded
- 1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained (optional)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 8 ounces firm tofu*, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Kosher salt and white pepper (or black pepper)
Instructions
- Set aside ¼ cup of the chicken or vegetable broth for later use.
- Add the remaining 7 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots (if using), rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chili garlic sauce to a large stock pot, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until the soup reaches a simmer.
- While the soup is heating, whisk together the ¼ cup of broth (that you had set aside) and cornstarch in a small bowl until completely smooth. Once the soup has reached a simmer, stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir for 1 minute or so until the soup has thickened.
- Continue stirring the soup in a circular motion, then drizzle in the eggs in a thin stream (while still stirring the soup) to create egg ribbons. Stir in the tofu, half of the green onions, and sesame oil. Then season the soup with salt and a pinch* of white pepper (or black pepper) to taste. If you’d like a more “sour” soup, feel free to add in another tablespoon or two of rice wine vinegar as well. Or if you’d like a spicier soup, add in more chili garlic sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the extra green onions.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!This post contains affiliate links.
I can’t believe how good this was and how simple to make. Tastes just like the biggest restaurant hot and sour soup I’ve ever had! Definitely a weekly recipe I’m adding to the permanent mix! Thank you!
A warning, for all who come after me:
I’m sure this soup is a lovely recipe for those who bought the right ingredients and followed the instructions. For those like me, be warned.
I’m no sure where it went wrong. Maybe it was when I decided to use chicken stock instead of broth. Maybe it was when I halved the recipe. Perhaps it was when I, vain and filled with hubris, decided that toasted sesame rice vinegar would be the same and that I wouldn’t need the oil.
What happened next is still a blur. A stench so vile and repulsive that not even starving orphans would dare come near it rose from the pot. I would liken it to concentrated cat piss , that has been sitting in a hot car for at least 2 weeks , then pureed with rotten flesh and chemical . I imagine trying the soup was a lot like what drinking bleach would feel like. I convinced myself to try a sip, just a spoonful. I may have blacked out from the time the soup hit my lips to the time it made it to my stomach, but my throat is still burning from whatever rancid wretched concoction I had created. Whatever I made was an affront, not only to the Christian god, but any other deities who dared to witness it. The devil himself shall spit in my face for what I have made today. If there is a hell I have nary a doubt that I will be barred from its gates simply for the fear of what I may create.
For the love of God, whatever you do, follow this recipe down to the last tablespoon, to the last sprinkle of salt. May this be a warning to you and may you not repeat the mistakes that have led to my creation that is an affront to man, gods, and the devil alike. May God have mercy on my soul.
This soup was absolutely amazing! I could not find chili garlic sauce so I used Sambal Oelek. I also added a little bit more soy sauce and tofu. It was heavenly!!
Very easy to follow and create! I used some dried shitake mushrooms, but didn’t like the texture. Fresh works better for me. Tastes great & now I will be making this again & again!
I’ve made this recipe many times. It is fantastic. I keep it vegetarian with vegetable broth. I sometimes add other veggies or omit the bamboo shoots depending on what I have lying around. I highly recommend trying this recipe!
Second time using this recipe. I tripled the chili garlic sauce and tripled the vinegar. I love spicy and tangy/sour. I put bamboo shoots this time, yum! Used beef broth. Just a pinch of salt. You really don’t need it with the broth and vinegar. This is the only way I will eat tofu. So much flavor, so easy to make. I taste tested a lot just to get the spice right, but used everything else as directed.
I cannot believe how delicious this came out!! omg!! This is my favorite Asian soup and this recipe nailed it!!
My family absolutely loved it! i took some to work and one of my coworkers is obsessed and is begging for me to bring her some more. lol!
THE BEST recipe by far- I am throwing my others away! Perfectly balanced
First timer here. Very easy to make and delicious.
I love this soup. Made it for the first time tonight and this will definitely be a recipe I make over and over. So simple and easy. This has always been one of my favorite soups and now I don’t need to go out to have it. Love it!!!!