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Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

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4.2 from 38 reviews

This classic Hot and Sour Soup is a comforting, flavorful Asian soup featuring a perfect balance of spicy heat and tangy sourness. Loaded with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and eggs, it’s a hearty dish enriched with soy sauce, vinegar, and aromatic spices. Perfect as an appetizer or a light meal, this recipe offers an authentic taste of traditional Chinese cuisine, crafted with simple ingredients and a straightforward cooking process.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Soup Base

  • 1/2 tablespoon oil
  • 2-3 dry red chilies
  • 6-7 cups chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
  • Salt to taste

Main Ingredients

  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, cut into long strips
  • 8 oz tofu, cut into small bite-sized pieces

Thickening and Egg

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup water (cornstarch slurry)
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Instructions

  1. Prepare Mushrooms: Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water and cover, allowing them to rehydrate for 20-25 minutes. Once softened, squeeze out excess water and slice them thinly.
  2. Prepare Ingredients: Cut tofu into small, bite-sized pieces and slice bamboo shoots into long strips for easy incorporation into the soup.
  3. Infuse Oil: Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the dry red chilies and sauté for about 30 seconds until they turn dark brown and release a smoky aroma. Remove the chilies from the oil to prevent excessive heat.
  4. Create Soup Base: Carefully pour in the chicken stock—caution as it may splatter initially. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, minced ginger, sesame oil, white pepper, and vinegar. Stir everything well and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more soy sauce if desired.
  5. Add Vegetables and Tofu: Incorporate the sliced mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots into the simmering soup. Allow it to cook gently for 5 minutes so flavors meld and tofu warms through.
  6. Thicken Soup: Slowly add the cornstarch slurry into the soup while continuously stirring to avoid lumps. Let the soup simmer until it thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes.
  7. Add Eggs: Reduce heat to low. Beat the eggs thoroughly. While stirring the soup slowly in one direction, gently drizzle in the beaten eggs. This will form delicate, silky ribbons throughout the soup. After all eggs are added, turn off the heat.
  8. Garnish and Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped green onions. Serve immediately while hot for the best flavor.

Notes

  • Dried shiitake mushrooms provide deep umami flavor and are essential for authentic taste. Soaking them beforehand is crucial for texture and flavor release.
  • If fresh shiitake mushrooms are used instead, soak time can be skipped but the flavor will be milder.
  • Sauteing the dry chilies in oil releases smoky, spicy notes; adjust the number of chilies according to your heat preference.
  • Use chicken stock for a richer soup or substitute vegetable stock to make it vegetarian, but adjust seasonings accordingly.
  • The cornflour slurry is key to achieving the characteristic slightly thickened texture of hot and sour soup.
  • Slowly pouring beaten eggs while stirring creates the signature egg ribbons that add silkiness to the soup.
  • Author: Madelynn
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Halal

Find it online: https://allyumcooks.com/hot-and-sour-soup-recipe/