Slurpable hot and sour soup is made with two types of mushrooms, firm tofu, and beaten egg. It’s tangy, spicy, comforting, and best of all insanely easy to prepare.
With such a nuanced spicy and tangy flavor, you’d think hot and sour soup required a slew of specialty ingredients and many hours of simmering to prepare.
Luckily for my family (and yours!), that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Once the ingredients are prepped, you can have a steaming pot of hot and sour soup ready to slurp up in less time than it takes to pick up takeout.
The bits of firm tofu, tender mushrooms, and silky egg are the perfect primer for the next course in your Chinese-inspired feast. (Did someone order beef and broccoli or cashew chicken?)
In This Post
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This simple hot and sour soup is boldly flavored with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and white pepper.
- The broth is smooth and rich, with a generous amount of tang and a nice kick of heat.
- It can be enjoyed as an appetizer or main dish, and the hands-on prep is minimal.
What’s in Hot and Sour Soup?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms — are rehydrated in hot water; both the mushrooms and their soaking liquid are used in this recipe
- Wood ear mushrooms — mild, earthy, chewy, and slightly gelatinous wood ear mushrooms are an optional, but recommended, addition to this hot and sour soup
- Cornstarch — is mixed with water to create a slurry that thickens the broth and makes it almost silky in texture
- Oil — a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola works best
- Yellow onion — just one small onion helps build the flavor of this soup
- Chicken broth — make your own or choose a low-sodium variety and season the soup to taste if you’d like to control how salty it is
- Tofu — firm tofu holds its shape when diced and added to the piping hot soup
- Rice vinegar — the star ingredient that adds the “sour” to hot and sour soup
- Soy sauce — adds a subtle umami flavor
- Egg — beat the egg, then drizzle between the tines of a whisk to create restaurant-worthy strands in your soup
- Toasted sesame oil — infuses the soup with rich sesame flavor
- Ground white pepper — is stronger in flavor than black pepper, and also slightly brighter and earthier
- Green onions — finely slice and scatter them over your bowl for a pop of fresh flavor
Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions
- Soy sauce — swap with tamari to keep this soup gluten-free
- Rice vinegar — use an equal amount of apple cider vinegar for a similar level of tanginess
- White pepper — use freshly ground black pepper in a pinch
How to Make Hot and Sour Soup
- Rehydrate the dried mushrooms. Cover the dried shiitake and wood ears (if using) with hot water. Let them hang out for about 30 minutes before squeezing dry and slicing.
Heidi’s Tip: Don’t discard the water used to soak the mushrooms. It’s packed full of umami flavor and is one of the tricks I use to create the best-ever hot and sour soup.
- Combine and simmer. In a large saucepan, cook the onion until softened before stirring in the broth, chopped mushrooms, and the soaking liquid. Let simmer for about 15 minutes to let the flavors develop.
- Thicken, then season. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for about 3 minutes to allow the broth time to thicken up before seasoning with soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and white pepper. Stir in the chopped tofu.
- Create the egg strands. Bump up the heat to bring the soup to a slow boil. If you pour the beaten egg into the soup through the tines of a whisk, you’ll create perfectly silken strands.
- Garnish and serve. Stir in the toasted sesame oil and garnish with finely chopped green onions for one last dose of flavor.
FAQs
What does hot and sour soup taste like?
This soup is super thick and smooth from the cornstarch and egg, with a signature tangy yet spicy flavor. The flavor is perfectly balanced, with a gentle heat that warms you up without making you reach for a glass of water after every spoonful.
Can the tofu be replaced with another protein?
You’re more than welcome to experiment with this recipe by swapping the firm tofu with thinly sliced chicken, pork, or even shrimp.
You’ll want to add your choice of protein in step #3, when you simmer the broth mixture (cook times will vary depending on what protein you use).
How long is hot and sour soup good for?
You’ll want to enjoy any leftovers within 3 days. Reheat the soup gently over low heat, or nuke for 20-second intervals in the microwave to prevent curdling the eggs.
Storage Tips
Let the soup cool before ladling into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days and reheat over low heat.
What to Serve With This Soup
- Fried Rice
- Asian Broccolini
- Crispy Rice Chicken Salad
- Sweet and Sour Pork
- Sesame Soba Noodles
- Instant Pot Orange Chicken
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, and leave a comment take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #every_day_delicious_kitchen.
How to make The Delicious Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2-3 small wood ear mushrooms (optional)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup firm tofu drained and diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Kosher salt and ground white pepper
- 2-3 green onions chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Place the dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms (if using) in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and soak for about 30 minutes. Squeeze the mushrooms dry, reserving the soaking water. Cut off the shiitake mushroom stems, discard, and slice the mushroom caps. Trim away any tough stems from the wood ears, and finely chop.
- In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and mix in the water to make a smooth paste.
- In a 3 quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, mushrooms, wood ears, and soaking water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in the cornstarch paste, and cook for 3 minutes to thicken. Add the beancurd, light soy sauce, kosher salt, and white pepper.
- Bring the soup to a lazy boil then drizzle in the beaten egg letting it drop through a whisk to make threads in the soup. Stir in the sesame oil and serve with chopped green onion on top.
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