Craving a flavorful dish that balances heat and tanginess? Look no further!
Our hot and sour soup recipe is the perfect blend of spicy, sour, and savory, bringing a burst of deliciousness to your table.
Ready to impress your taste buds and warm your soul? Dive into this easy-to-follow recipe that has delicious flavors in every spoonful.
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Hot and sour soup is a classic Chinese dish that tantalizes the taste buds with its perfect balance of spiciness and tanginess.
This comforting soup is a staple in many Chinese households and restaurants, known for its rich flavors and nutritious ingredients.
Our hot and sour soup recipe is designed to be simple and straightforward, allowing you to recreate this beloved dish in your own kitchen with ease.
The key to a great hot and sour soup lies in its diverse ingredients, which combine to create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
Traditional ingredients include mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, and a variety of spices and seasonings.
The soup base is usually made with chicken or vegetable broth, which is then thickened with cornstarch for a velvety texture. Serve your hot and sour soup hot, garnished with fresh green onions.
It's perfect as a starter or a main course, especially on a chilly day. This recipe not only satisfies your cravings but also offers a nutritious and hearty meal that can be enjoyed any time.
With this easy-to-follow recipe, you'll have a delicious pot of hot and sour soup ready to impress your family and friends.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Flavor Explosion: Combines spicy, tangy, and savory in every bite.
- Nutritious: Packed with healthy ingredients like tofu, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.
- Comfort Food: Perfect for warming up on a cold day.
- Quick and Easy: Simple recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
- Versatile: Can be customized to suit different tastes and dietary needs.
Ingredients
Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: You could use fresh or dried.
- Chicken Stock Or Vegetable Stock
- Light Soy Sauce
- Dark Soy Sauce
- Bamboo Shoots: Thinly sliced.
- Minced Ginger
- Minced Garlic
- Sesame Oil
- Sugar
- Rice Wine Vinegar (White Vinegar)
- White Pepper
- Salt and Pepper
- Cornflour (cornstarch)
- Water
- Eggs
- Red Pepper Flakes (Dried Chili Flakes)
- Medium to Firm Tofu: Cut into cubes.
- Green Onions (Spring Onions): Finely chopped.
Instructions
This recipe for hot and sour soup serves 6-8 as a side dish or 4 when served as a main meal.
Step One: If using dried shiitake mushrooms, completely cover mushrooms with boiling water and soak for at least 20 minutes or until soft. Once soft, drain and slice thinly. If using fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut your mushrooms into small pieces.
Step Two: In a large stock pot, add the chicken or vegetable broth, mushrooms, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, bamboo shoots, minced ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, white pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Bring liquid to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce heat to bring the liquid to a simmer. Allow liquid to simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Step Three: In a small bowl, combine the cornflour and water and mix together until there are no lumps.
Step Four: With the soup at a simmer, stir the soup in a circular motion. Then drizzle in the cornflour and water mixture for about 1 minute or until the soup has thickened.
Step Five: Still stirring the soup in a circular motion, drizzle through the beaten eggs. Keep stirring until the eggs are cooked.
Step Six: Mix through the red pepper flakes, tofu, and green onions. Turn off heat.
Step Seven: Taste soup for seasoning and adjust as desired. If you want your soup to be more “sour” add a bit more rice wine vinegar. If you want your soup to be more spicy, add some more chili flakes or white pepper.
Tips for Success
Avoid using soft tofu as it can break up when you add it to your soup. Instead opt for a firm (hard) tofu.
Cost To Make
Estimated cost = $6.75 or $1.68 a serve
Substitutions / Variations
Here are some variations for this hot and sour soup recipe you might like to try:
- Chicken Hot and Sour Soup: Add shredded chicken for extra protein.
- Seafood Hot and Sour Soup: Incorporate shrimp or crab for a seafood twist.
- Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup: Use vegetable broth and add extra veggies.
- Pork Hot and Sour Soup: Include thinly sliced pork for a meatier version.
- Miso Hot and Sour Soup: Mix in a spoonful of miso paste for an umami boost.
- Spicy Hot and Sour Soup: Increase the amount of white pepper and add chili oil for extra heat.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some ways you might like to serve this recipe for hot and sour soup:
- As a Starter: Serve in small bowls before the main course.
- Main Course: Enjoy a large bowl with a side of steamed rice.
- With Dumplings: Pair with steamed or fried dumplings for a hearty meal.
- With Spring Rolls: Complement the soup with crispy spring rolls.
- Topped with Fresh Herbs: Garnish with cilantro or green onions for added freshness.
Storage
Store any leftover hot and sour soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave before serving.
You can freeze this hot and sour soup recipe for up to 2 months.
FAQ
The stringy things in hot and sour soup are often strands of egg, created by slowly pouring beaten eggs into the hot broth while stirring.
Thicken hot and sour soup by adding a cornstarch slurry (a mixture of cornstarch and water) while stirring continuously until desired consistency is reached.
Hot and sour soup is good in the fridge for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below! We'd love to hear how it turned out.
Recipe
Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 12 dried (20 grams, 0.71 ounces) shiitake mushrooms (or 150 grams, 5 ounces if using fresh)
- 6 cups (1500 ml/grams, 52.91 ounces) chicken stock or vegetable stock/broth
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup (75 grams, 2.65 ounces) bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon (1-2 cloves) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup (65 ml/grams, 2.30 ounces) rice wine vinegar (or white vinegar), or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (40 grams, 1.41 ounces) cornflour (cornstarch)
- ¼ cup (65ml/grams, 2.40 ounces) water
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes dried chili flakes, or to taste
- 150 grams (5.30 ounces) medium to firm tofu, cut into cubes
- 40 grams (1.40 ounces) Green onions (spring onions), finely chopped
Instructions
- If using dried shiitake mushrooms, completely cover mushrooms with boiling water and soak for at least 20 minutes or until soft. Once soft, drain and slice thinly. If using fresh shiitake mushrooms, cut your mushrooms into small pieces.
- In a large stock pot, add the chicken or vegetable broth, mushrooms, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, bamboo shoots, minced ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, sugar, vinegar, white pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Bring liquid to a boil.Once at a boil, reduce heat to bring the liquid to a simmer. Allow liquid to simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornflour and water and mix together until there are no lumps.
- With the soup at a simmer, stir the soup in a circular motion. Then drizzle in the cornflour and water mixture for about 1 minute or until the soup has thickened.
- Still stirring the soup in a circular motion, drizzle through the beaten eggs. Keep stirring until the eggs are cooked.
- Mix through the red pepper flakes, tofu, and green onions. Turn off heat.
- Taste soup for seasoning and adjust as desired. If you want your soup to be more “sour” add a bit more rice wine vinegar. If you want your soup to be more spicy, add some more chili flakes or white pepper.
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