This restaurant-style Hot and Sour Soup recipe is the best!! It’s quick and simple to make, easy to adapt to your personal taste preferences, and so delicious.
Can’t stop, won’t stop with the soup recipes this winter. ♡
And today’s recipe is one that I’ve been meaning to share with you on the blog for years, after literally dozens and dozens of you have requested it. (This usually comes up when I’m chatting about my favorite egg drop soup recipe — apparently many of you usually opt for the hot and sour soup at your favorite Chinese restaurants and have wanted to learn how to make it!)
Well, good news, friends! Traditional hot and sour soup is actually incredibly easy to make as well. And the bonus of making it at home is that it’s also incredibly easy to customize to your taste. Like it extra hot? Add in more chili garlic sauce. Like it extra sour? Add in more rice wine vinegar. Like it vegetarian? Make it with tofu. Like the meat version? Just add in some pork.
Trust me, this is one of those restaurant recipes that will taste just as good at home. And on chilly winter weeks like this one that we’re having here in Kansas City, it’s guaranteed to warm you up in the most delicious of ways.
Hot And Sour Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients:
To make this hot and sour soup recipe, you will need:
- Broth: Either chicken or veggie stock (or broth) will do.
- Mushrooms: I highly recommend using shiitake mushrooms, but baby bella or even button mushrooms would also do.
- Rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ground ginger: To flavor the broth.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the broth.
- Eggs: Which we will whisk, and the drizzle into the soup to make those lovely egg ribbons.
- Firm tofu: Which we will cube and add to the soup.
- Green onions: To stir into the soup and also sprinkle on top as a garnish.
- Toasted sesame oil: An essential flavor in the soup, which we will drizzle at the very end.
- Salt and pepper: Hot and sour soup is traditionally made with white pepper, which (heads up) has a different and much stronger flavor than black pepper. I recommend adding in a pinch, and then you can always add in more later. Or if you don’t have white pepper, black pepper will also do.
- Optional: Many restaurant versions of hot and sour soup are also made with bamboo shoots. I’m personally not a fan of them, but you are welcome to add some in if you would like.
How To Make Hot and Sour Soup:
To make this hot and sour soup recipe, simply…
- Make your cornstarch slurry. Whisk together 1/4 cup of the stock and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
- Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the remaining stock, mushrooms, bamboo shoots (if using), rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chili garlic sauce to a large stock pot, and cook until the soup reaches a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking for a minute or so, until the soup has thickened.
- Drizzle in those beautiful egg ribbons! While stirring the soup in a circular motion with one hand, use your other hand to slowly drizzle the whisked eggs into the soup.
- Season the soup. Stir in the tofu, half of the green onions, and sesame oil. Then season the soup with salt and black pepper (or white pepper) to taste.
- Serve. Ladle up your servings while the soup is nice and hot, garnished with extra green onions.
What To Serve With Hot & Sour Soup:
Here are a few of my favorite dishes that pair well with hot and sour soup:
- The BEST Fried Rice
- 12-Minute Chicken & Broccoli
- 20-Minute Moo Shu Pork (or Chicken)
- Beef & Broccoli
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Sesame Noodles with Broccoli and Almonds
- Black Pepper Chicken
More Favorite Soup Recipes:
If you love egg drop soup, feel free to check out these other favorite soup recipes:
Hot and Sour Soup
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 -8 servings
Description
This classic Chinese hot and sour soup recipe is quick and easy to make, full of delicious flavor, easy to make vegetarian (with tofu!) or with pork, and it totally rivals any soup I’ve tried at a Chinese restaurant!
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (or baby bella mushrooms), thinly-sliced with stems discarded
- 1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained (optional)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 8 ounces firm tofu*, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Kosher salt and white pepper (or black pepper)
Instructions
- Set aside ¼ cup of the chicken or vegetable broth for later use.
- Add the remaining 7 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots (if using), rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chili garlic sauce to a large stock pot, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until the soup reaches a simmer.
- While the soup is heating, whisk together the ¼ cup of broth (that you had set aside) and cornstarch in a small bowl until completely smooth. Once the soup has reached a simmer, stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir for 1 minute or so until the soup has thickened.
- Continue stirring the soup in a circular motion, then drizzle in the eggs in a thin stream (while still stirring the soup) to create egg ribbons. Stir in the tofu, half of the green onions, and sesame oil. Then season the soup with salt and a pinch* of white pepper (or black pepper) to taste. If you’d like a more “sour” soup, feel free to add in another tablespoon or two of rice wine vinegar as well. Or if you’d like a spicier soup, add in more chili garlic sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnished with the extra green onions.
Notes
Pork option: Or, you’re welcome to make this with pork instead of tofu. Just add in a half pound of cooked pork — ground pork, or you can thinly-slice pork chops or pork loin — in place of the tofu.
White pepper: I prefer using a pinch of white pepper in this soup instead of black pepper. But if you are new to cooking with white pepper, heads up that it has a much stronger (and slightly) different flavor than black pepper! I recommend starting with a small pinch, then you can always add more to taste.
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There are a lot of different versions of this recipe, but this one is nice because you don’t have to search for unusual ingredients. I don’t know that it is exactly authentic, but it’s delicious. I made it exactly as written- with the bamboo shoots, and adjusting both the rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce to my liking. It has a perfect amount of broth to other ingredients, and is a substantial, filling soup. It’s a keeper.
Thank you, Jen, we’re so glad you enjoyed it!
I used to ate this,when i was working in a chinese restaurant(somewhere in greenhills)it’s yummier when sprinkled with chinese black vinegar before eaten…the last time we dine at fine chinese resto,was just this may(it was mother’s day).i ordered hot and sour soup,however it was sold out.so we ordered fish head for our soup.and i’m always searching for the best hot and sour soup in youtube and i think this is it.thank you for sharing this.i will cook this,when i’m not busy.
Cherrypieingco@gmail.com
Thanks for sharing with us, we hope you enjoy this recipe!
This was amazing tysm!!! Always wanted to make at home but thought it would be too hard! Only few changes added more rice vinegar and while the broth was boiling and inch of ginger cut in half ( one side we love ginger )Then added pork used thin cut pork loin chops . Pounded paper thin and julienned them while broth boiling drop in boil till cooked very easy ! THis is now a family fav!! Ty
Thank you so much, Lelly, we’re thrilled that you and your family enjoyed it so much! :)
Turned out wonderfully! I make this all the time because it’s just so easy to make and comforting to eat.
We’re so glad to hear that, Hana! :)
The best hot and sour soup ever . Even better than the restaurants
Thank you, Lee, we’re so happy you love it!
In my recipe box. Very good base and the suggestions are all good. I added siracha to up the spice and definitely added more rice wine vinegar.
Awesome, so glad you enjoyed it! :)
I’ll try to make it ! I always eat this soup in Hokkaido resto!! I loved it Thank you for sharing❤️❤️❤️
Thanks, Mila — we’re glad to hear you loved it! :)
Question about the eggs? Do you mix before pouring in with the egg yolk.
Thank you in advance
Hi Meagan! Yes, you want the eggs to be whisked already before adding them to the soup. We hope you enjoy!
Thank really love it
Egg drop and hot and sour soup, while yummy, are not remotely vegetarian because they are made with chicken stock or broth. If a vegetarian eats it they will likely throw up and have stomach upset. Anything an animal (including fish and birds) died to create is not vegetarian. Just wanted to respectfully point that out before someone cooks it for a vegetarian guest. Thank you! Good recipes though!
Hi Melissa! We state in the recipe that you can use vegetable stock or chicken stock (if using vegetable stock, the recipe is vegetarian). Since it does have eggs, it’s not vegan, but it is vegetarian, but feel free to leave the eggs out if you prefer!