Hot and Sour Soup is a beloved dish in Chinese cuisine, celebrated for its vibrant mix of spicy and sour tastes. Packed with delicious ingredients like shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and your choice of chicken or pork, it's a versatile choice for both lunch and dinner.
What You’ll Find On This Page
This soup's unique flavor comes from white pepper and vinegar, adding a spicy kick and refreshing tanginess. It's ideal for warming up on cool days or adding an Asian-inspired touch to any meal.
Perfect as a hearty main course or a tasty starter, Hot and Sour Soup is customizable to your taste preferences. It's a healthy and satisfying choice, whether you're in the mood for traditional Chinese flavors or a nourishing, robust soup.
Ingredients and Substitutions Overview
Making Hot and Sour Soup involves a mix of essential Chinese pantry items and fresh ingredients, typically found at Asian grocery stores. Here's a detailed list of everything you'll need to make this flavorful dish:
Main Ingredients
- Mushrooms: Shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, also known as black fungus, are essential for their earthy taste. Both come in fresh and dried forms. If you can't find these, white or brown mushrooms work wonderfully too. Remember to soak dried mushrooms in hot water before using them. For added vegetables, you can also include carrots and cabbage.
- Bamboo Shoots: These add a unique, sweet, and earthy crunch to the soup. If bamboo shoots aren’t to your liking or are unavailable, feel free to omit them.
- Tofu: The recipe calls for extra firm tofu, and you can add spicy tofu for a kick. Using just extra firm tofu is perfectly fine as well.
- Chicken Breast: I use thinly sliced chicken breast in this recipe, although traditionally, pork is often used. Feel free to swap in pork if that’s what you prefer; both work beautifully in this soup.
- Eggs: Beaten eggs are stirred into the soup to create beautiful "egg flowers" or egg ribbons.
- Chicken Stock: The chicken stock is crucial—it's what gives the soup its rich and savory base.
- Ginger: Just a touch enhances the soup with a warm, spicy note.
Additional Ingredients
- Soy Sauce: It's essential for its deep umami flavor. I prefer using dark soy sauce to enrich the soup’s color, giving it that classic look and taste.
- Rice Vinegar: The key to the soup’s tangy profile. If you don’t have rice vinegar, white vinegar works as a good substitute.
- Chili Flakes: These add a gentle but noticeable heat to the dish. If you like a bit more kick, you can use chili sauce or chili garlic sauce instead for a similar spicy touch.
- Brown Sugar: A touch of brown sugar balances and enhances the soup's flavors.
- Ground White Pepper: This gives the soup a sharp, spicy kick. Start with just a bit and adjust to taste. If you don’t have white pepper, black pepper is a suitable alternative.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: A staple in Asian cuisine, it contributes a rich, earthy aroma.
- Chili Oil (Optional): For those who love an extra zing, drizzling some chili oil on top of the soup before serving can really elevate it.
How to Make Hot and Sour Soup at Home?
Let's make a delicious pot of Hot and Sour Soup together! I've put together a simple, step-by-step recipe for you, complete with helpful photos and a video guide to follow along. Let’s get started!
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Hot and Sour Soup
Enjoy the rich flavors of Hot and Sour Soup, a classic in Chinese cuisine, featuring shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu. Perfect for a hearty meal or as a flavorful complement to your Asian dining experience, this homemade soup is both healthy and satisfying. Ideal for chilly days or as a delightful starter, it's sure to please everyone.
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Ingredients
For Marination
- 4 oz Chicken Breast, or pork, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce
For Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 3 tbsp Water
For Soup
- 6 cup Chicken Stock
- 1 tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
- 0.7 lb Shiitake Mushroom, dried or fresh, thinly sliced
- 4 oz Wood Ear Mushroom
- ¼ cup Bamboo Shoot, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp Chili Flakes
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Spicy Tofu, thickly sliced
- ½ cup Extra Firm Tofu, thickly sliced
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 1½ tbsp Ground White Pepper, start with a small amount and increase for more heat
- 3 tbsp Scallions, chopped
- 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
For Topping
- Chili Oil, optional
Instructions
Prep Marinade and Egg
- Thinly slice the chicken breast and marinate it in a mixture of soy sauce and cornstarch. Set it aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse and tenderize the meat.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until well combined. Set them aside, ready to be added to the soup later.
Making Hot and Sour Soup
- In a wide pot or pan, add chicken stock and heat over medium heat. Add finely chopped ginger and let the mixture warm up, allowing the ginger to infuse its flavor.
- Gently add the marinated chicken to the pot, stirring lightly to separate the slices and ensure even cooking.
- Add the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, chili flakes, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in both the spiced tofu and extra firm tofu. Allow the soup to continue boiling for an additional 7-10 minutes, ensuring the tofu heats through.
- Prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with water as per the recipe's quantity. Slowly add the slurry to the soup, stirring constantly until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
- Slowly pour the beaten eggs into the soup in a thin stream, stirring gently in a circular motion to create delicate egg ribbons.
- Finally, add ground white pepper, chopped scallions, and toasted sesame oil. Stir gently and then remove the pot from heat. Your Hot and Sour Soup is now ready to enjoy!
Serving
- Enjoy this comforting Hot and Sour Soup with a drizzle of chili sauce or oil for extra heat. For more pairing ideas, be sure to check out our Serving Suggestions section below.
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes and Tips
Here are some of my favorite tips to help you make Hot and Sour Soup your own.
- Mushrooms: Thinly slice both shiitake and wood ear mushrooms. If you are using dried mushrooms, first soak them in hot water until they soften, then slice. For fresh mushrooms, gently clean them with a damp kitchen towel before slicing. Also, thinly slice the bamboo shoots lengthwise.
- Tofu: Cut the tofu into your desired shapes. You can cut spiced tofu directly. For extra firm tofu, first drain and press out any excess moisture before cutting.
- Mushroom Type (Dried vs Fresh): Choose between fresh or dried mushrooms. If opting for dried, ensure they are thoroughly soaked in hot water to soften them for easy slicing. Note that Wood ear mushrooms may be found under the label "dried black fungus".
- Meat Selection: While traditional recipes often use pork, this recipe uses chicken for a lighter option. However, feel free to switch back to pork if you prefer.
- Balancing Flavors: Hot and Sour Soup is all about balance. Start with the recipe’s suggested amounts of vinegar and white pepper, then adjust according to taste. It’s easier to add more spices or vinegar incrementally than to correct if too much is added initially.
- Thickening the Soup: For a thicker soup, mix a little cornstarch with water and add it to the soup while cooking. This will help achieve the classic viscous texture that many people love in Hot and Sour Soup.
- Customizing Heat Levels: If some diners prefer less spice, serve chili oil or red pepper flakes on the side instead of mixing them directly into the pot. This allows everyone to customize the heat level to their liking.
- Vegan Adaptations: To make this soup vegan, replace the chicken with additional tofu or another plant-based protein, and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Omit the eggs or substitute with a vegan egg replacer. Also, ensure that all soy products are explicitly labeled as vegan. This ensures the dish remains flavorful while accommodating vegan dietary preferences.
Nutrition Info
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 89mg | Sodium: 974mg | Potassium: 745mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 622IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
Disclaimer
We're not nutrition experts, and the nutritional information provided is an estimate. Please use it as a guide. For precise details, it's best to consult a professional. To learn more, please view our Detailed Disclaimers.
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Serving Suggestions
This comforting Hot and Sour Soup pairs wonderfully with a variety of Chinese and Asian dishes. Here are my top suggestions for a truly authentic dining experience:
- Classic Pairing: Serve it alongside favorites such as fried rice, chicken fried rice, Szechuan chicken, kung pao chicken, and honey garlic shrimp for a complete Chinese meal.
- Asian Takeouts: It also complements popular dishes like pad Thai, orange chicken, and teriyaki chicken, creating a diverse and satisfying flavors.
- Vegetarian Dinner: Pair the soup with stir-fried dishes like vegetarian, tofu with mixed vegetables or eggplant in garlic sauce. These dishes complement the robust flavors of the soup without overwhelming the palate.
- Noodle Dishes: Offer the soup alongside noodle dishes like lo mein or chow mein. Noodles add substance to the meal, making it more filling and satisfying.
- Steamed Rice: Simple steamed white or brown rice works beautifully with Hot and Sour Soup, as it absorbs the flavors and adds a comforting texture.
- Salads: A light Asian cucumber salad or a crisp green salad with a ginger dressing can provide a refreshing contrast to the hearty soup.
Storage Suggestions
Hot and Sour Soup is ideally enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you're ready to enjoy it again, simply reheat the soup on the stovetop until it's evenly warmed throughout. This way, you can savor the flavors of this delightful soup once more!
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