Hot and Sour Soup (20 Minutes!) (VIDEO)

Hot and Sour Soup is a classic Chinese Takeout recipe that feels like comfort in a bowl (for an equally comforting soup – try my authentic Wonton Soup as well)! I love my recipe because it’s flavorful with a variety of mushrooms and tofu, seasoned perfectly with a little spice and tanginess, and has the layers of silky egg ribbons that everyone loves!

Ingredients for Hot and Sour Soup

Here is what you’ll need for the recipe. The list of ingredients may seem long but you’ll be happy to see that making it is actually very simple.

• chicken stock – You can use chicken stock or bone broth, depending on your preference. You can also substitute with vegetable stock or broth.
• distilled white vinegar – This is what adds the ‘sourness’ you expect from a good Hot and Sour Soup. You can substitute with rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar, but I prefer white vinegar.
• white pepper – This is a Chinese cooking pantry staple and one of my favorite ingredients! White pepper adds an earthiness and spiciness that sets apart Chinese restaurant dishes. If you don’t have this, you can substitute with black pepper.
• kosher salt (to taste)
• sugar – A little bit of sugar balances the soup’s savory flavors!
• light soy sauce – Use light soy sauce (not low sodium) or all purpose soy sauce.
• dark soy sauce – I like adding a little bit of dark soy sauce for the color and sweetness it brings.
• MSG – this is always optional!
• sesame oil – A little drizzle of sesame oil adds a nuttiness to the soup.

Vegetables

• assorted mushrooms – You can use any combination of mushrooms you prefer. I love using an assortment for the different flavors and textures – in the video and photos below, I used sliced wood ear, shiitake, and king oyster mushrooms. If you can’t find all of these mushroom types, I would say dried shiitake mushrooms will lend itself to making your Hot and Sour Soup taste the most authentic!
• green onions
• dried red chili peppers – This adds spice to the soup. You can also substitute with 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
• firm tofu cut into 1″ pieces – This must be firm or extra firm tofu; otherwise, the tofu will disintegrate into your Hot and Sour Soup!
• bamboo shoots sliced – These are sold in cans; I like to get mine from my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch). If you cannot find them, you can substitute with another vegetable that a similar texture and can be sliced into strips (such as the stalks of broccoli or cauliflower or even carrots.)
• neutral oil – my go-to neutral oil in recipes is avocado oil, but you can use canola or vegetable oil.
• eggs – Eggs make the beautiful silky egg ribbons that is a signature of Hot and Sour Soup!

Cornstarch Slurry

• cornstarch – This is the KEY ingredient to thickening the soup base. The cornstarch slurry will help thicken the stock to the consistency you like! If you like the soup thinner, add less, but if you like an extra thick soup add a little more! This is my ideal ratio based on an 8 cup batch of Hot and Sour Soup.
• water

Hot and Sour Soup: Recipe Instructions

1. Prep the Ingredients

This soup does not take long to make, and most of the work is prepping the ingredients. Slice the tofu, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots into strips; set aside. In a bowl, beat 3 eggs along with a tablespoon of water. In a second separate bowl, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing together 1/4 cup of cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water.

For spice, I’m using 3 dried red chilis – you can omit them or adjust the spice level to your preference.

2. Fry the Chilis

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat 1/2 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat and add the chilis. Infuse the chilis in the oil for about a minute until they release their flavor into the oil, then remove the chilis from the pot.

3. Add Broth and Season

Next, add 8 cups of a high quality chicken broth or stock. Turn the heat up to high and season with white pepper, salt to taste, sugar, msg, light & dark soy sauce, and sesame oil. The broth with turn a dark brown color like the photo below.

4. Add the Remaining Ingredients

To the chicken broth, add in your sliced mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots. Mix those in and cover to bring the soup to a boil.

5. Add the Cornstarch Slurry

Once the soup comes to a boil, give your cornstarch slurry a final mix to pick up any cornstarch that has sunk to the bottom of your mixture, then pour in the slurry. Mix until the broth has thickened to your preference.

6. Form the Egg Ribbons

Now that the soup has thickened, turn the heat to low. Slowly pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while simultaneously mixing the soup and egg with a ladle or spoon in a circular motion. If done correctly, you will begin to see the egg form silky egg ribbons throughout the soup that gives Hot and Sour soup its signature look!

7. Garnish and Serve!

To finish the soup, add the white vinegar along with freshly chopped scallions. Give the soup a final mix and adjust for any seasoning if needed. Serve it up and enjoy!