Mushrooms, tofu, and carrots simmered in a savory, tangy, and spicy broth with silky eggs. This quick and easy hot and sour soup recipe is made in one pot in 20 minutes - a family-friendly, better-than-takeout starter perfect for busy weeknights!
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Hot and sour soup features soft tofu, eggs, carrots, red chilies, and a variety of mushrooms in a flavorful chicken broth, with a touch of vinegar for acidity.
It's a traditional Northern Chinese soup often enjoyed as a starter at Chinese restaurants.
This comforting soup is popular for its perfect balance of spicy heat and tangy flavor - satisfying all your taste buds. It also has become a favorite across North America!
There are a few variations of this soup, using different vinegars or vegetables and some containing meat. This version is the American Chinese version, which is thicker in consistency.
Thanks to the contrasting flavors and textures, it's one of my favorite soups! I had so much fun developing a recipe for this, and I hope you enjoy it.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Chicken Broth: Ideally low-sodium chicken broth.
- Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms: Or substitute with dry shiitake mushrooms rehydrated in boiling water, wood ear mushrooms (aka black fungus), or button mushrooms.
- Seafood Mushrooms: Or substitute with enoki mushrooms.
- Soft Tofu: Or substitute with medium tofu or firm tofu.
- Carrots: Or substitute with bamboo shoots.
- Red Chili: Or add red chili flakes to taste at the end of the cooking process.
- Green Onion
- Eggs: To make the egg ribbons.
- White Vinegar or Chinese Black Vinegar: Or substitute with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Or substitute with light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Or substitute with dark mushroom soy sauce or add more regular soy sauce to taste at the end.
- Sesame Oil: Or substitute with a pinch of sesame seeds.
- Chicken Bouillon Powder
- White Granulated Sugar: Or substitute with cane sugar.
- Cornstarch: Or substitute with potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch.
- Cold Water: This is for the cornstarch slurry.
- Salt
- White Pepper or Black Pepper
Variations
- Gluten-free variation - Substitute both soy sauces with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce. Substitute the chicken bouillon powder with a gluten-free version.
- Vegetarian or Vegan variation - Substitute the chicken stock with vegetable broth and omit the chicken bouillon powder and eggs.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online.
Expert Tips
- Prepare all the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is quick.
- Be gentle when slicing the soft tofu into small strips or they make break apart.
- Add the beaten eggs after the soup has thickened or you may not see ribbons.
- To make the egg ribbons, pour them in a thin stream from a height while stirring.
- Add vinegar at the end of the cooking process or it will evaporate, reducing flavor.
- Season with white pepper at the end and don't add it at the start of the cooking process or it'll create a bitter taste.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make hot and sour soup:
- Make cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until combined. This is your cornstarch slurry. Set aside.
- Make soup base: In a medium-sized pot, add chicken stock, regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder and sesame oil. Cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
- Cook vegetables and chili: Reduce to low-medium heat. Add carrots, both mushrooms, red chili, and boil for 2 minutes uncovered, or until mushrooms have softened.
- Add tofu and cornstarch slurry: Add sliced tofu and gently stir. Then stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup.
- Add beaten eggs: Once thickened, while stirring the soup in a circular motion, pour beaten eggs from a slight height to create a thin stream for egg ribbons.
- Add scallions and seasoning: Turn off the heat. Add green onions, vinegar, salt and white pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- Hot and sour soup can last up to 4 days stored in the fridge in an airtight container once cooled. To reheat, boil on the stovetop or microwave for a few minutes covered until hot.
- I don't recommend freezing hot and sour soup as the freezing can cause the tofu to change in texture.
Pairing Suggestions
Hot and sour soup pairs well with:
- Starters: Egg rolls or Crab rangoon.
- Rice Dishes: White rice, Brown rice, or Fried rice.
- Noodle Dishes: Chow mein, Lo mein, Plain noodles, or Soup noodles.
- Vegetable Dishes: Chinese Garlic Gok Choy, Spicy Garlic Bok Choy, Chinese Garlic Yu Choy, Chinese Garlic Gai Lan, Garlic Green Beans or Stir-fried Snow Pea Leaves.
- Protein Dishes: Szechuan Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Beef with Black Bean Sauce, Beef Vegetable Stir-Fry, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!
FAQ
Hot and sour soup can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat on the stovetop or microwave until hot. Note: With each reheating, the soup will lose its sour taste, so add more vinegar to taste.
Meat can be added to hot and sour soup. I recommend adding ground chicken, or ground pork, and boil to cook it through in step 2.
Different vinegars have varying acidity and flavor, so it's based on personal preference. Typically, Chinese black vinegar is used in this soup for its fruity and umami taste, but you can also use white vinegar, rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
More like this
📖 Recipe
Easy 20-min. Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock low-sodium
- ½ cup seafood mushrooms ends trimmed (or sub with sliced button mushrooms)
- ½ cup soft tofu or medium / firm tofu, sliced into ¼-inch thick strips
- ¼ cup carrot julienned
- 5 shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 1-2 tablespoon red chili sliced
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- ¼ teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch / tapioca starch
- ¼ cup water cold
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar or Chinese black vinegar / rice vinegar
- salt add to taste
- white pepper or black pepper, add to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until combined. This is your cornstarch slurry. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized pot, add chicken stock, regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder and sesame oil. Cover and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
- Reduce to low-medium heat. Add carrots, both mushrooms, red chili, and boil for 2 minutes uncovered, or until mushrooms have softened.
- Add sliced tofu and gently stir. Then stir in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the soup.
- Once thickened, while stirring the soup in a circular motion, pour beaten eggs from a slight height to create a thin stream for egg ribbons.
- Turn off the heat. Add green onions, vinegar, salt and white pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Bob
Loved it so much! Perfect consistency!
Christie Lai
Fantastic! Thanks so much!
May
Recipe was easy to follow, quick to make.
I used everything except for the chili.
I did use Chinese black vinegar, I prefer the taste.
Will make this again!
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe!
Lin
I enjoy your recipes! Thank you! I found this to be easy but not exactly quick. There is a lot of prep (cutting veggies, making slurry, et. al.) . But the end result was great! I did add more vinegar (we wanted it a bit more sour) and I had to substitute a Serrano pepper because I could not find a fresh red chile. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly.
Christie Lai
Thanks for making it and glad you enjoyed it!
Judith
Hi, made this for the first time tonight. My soup looks not so nice clear as yours. Maybe the cornstarch...? I did stick to the quantity in the recipe. Any idea what I may have done wrong...? Thanks!
christieathome
Hi there, thanks for making my recipe! It could have been the soft tofu. If you're not gentle while stirring, it can easily break apart and create a milky broth. That's the only factor I can think of that would cause that. Hope this helps!
Susanne Coulson
I find soups from the take-away very gloppy. This soup was delicious though and so quick and easy to do.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Susanne! Glad this was delicious and easy to make!
Claire
Delicious. So quick and easy. A soothing, warming bowl of loveliness!
Christie Lai
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making my recipe and so glad you found it soothing and lovely, Claire 🙂