Our easy, homemade Hot and Sour Soup is a classic dish known for its bold balance of heat and tang. Our version uses shiitake mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, and a flavorful broth seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
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Our hot and sour soup is flavorful, easy to make, and endlessly customizable. It’s a great addition to any meal or a satisfying dish all on its own. You can adjust the spice level and seasoning according to your family’s preferences, and everyone will enjoy a comforting, restaurant-quality soup at home. The soup is thickened with a cornstarch slurry and finished with delicate egg ribbons for extra flavor, texture, and protein.
How to make Hot and Sour Soup
First, gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
For best taste, always use the highest quality ingredients you have access to.
To make this Hot and Sour Soup recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Bamboo Shoots
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Fresh Ginger
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Kosher Salt
- Ground White Pepper
- Firm Tofu
- Scallions
- Cornstarch
- Eggs
- Rice Vinegar
- Toasted Sesame Oil
If you don’t have low-sodium vegetable broth or soy sauce, you can sub in the regular kind. You may want to add an additional 1/2-1 cup of water to dilute the soup so it isn’t too salty.
Sriracha sauce can easily be substituted for the red pepper flakes.
If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use ginger powder instead. I’d recommend starting with a half teaspoon and working your way up from there.
Cooking Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup is a simple recipe that can be made in just a few steps. Here is how to make it.
First, simmer the broth – In a large pot, combine the broth, water, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, white pepper, tofu, and the white parts of the scallions. Bring to a boil, and lower the heat to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Next, thicken the soup – In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with ¼ cup of water to create a slurry. Stir it into the soup and let it cook for 2 minutes until thickened.
Now, add the egg – Slowly drizzle the whisked eggs into the soup, gently stirring to create ribbon-like strands.
Finish with Seasonings – Turn off the heat and stir in the green parts of the scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Always use common sense and good judgment when it comes to leftovers, though! If something looks or smells funky, don’t eat it.
I hope y’all enjoy this easy Hot and Sour Soup recipe! Let me know if you try it.
More Recipes Like This
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Hamburger Soup
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Egg Drop Soup
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Hot and Sour Soup
Our easy, homemade Hot and Sour Soup is a classic dish known for its bold balance of heat and tang. Our version uses shiitake mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, and a flavorful broth seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 7 cups water
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems removed and thinly sliced
- 2, 5- ounce cans bamboo shoots 10 ounces total, drained
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper optional if you like more heat
- 8 ounces firm tofu cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 5 scallions thinly sliced, light and dark green parts divided
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add the broth, 7 cups water, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, tofu and sliced white parts of the scallion.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 1⁄4 cup of water. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering soup and mix until combined. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Slowly drizzle the whisked egg into the soup and use a spoon to swirl it into the broth, allowing it to cook and become ribbon-like.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the sliced green parts of the scallion, vinegar and sesame oil.
- Taste and add more soy sauce, vinegar or salt/pepper to your liking.
Recipe Notes
- I like to use low sodium broth and soy sauce in this recipe. It can easily become too salty of a soup, so it is best to start with less salt and add more if needed.
- I also like to add a small splash of extra soy sauce into my bowl when serving, but that’s just because I love the soy sauce flavor. The recipe as-is is amazing!
- Easily swap the fresh ginger with 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger.
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