This Asian hot and sour soup is fresh mushrooms, tofu, egg, bamboo shoots and green onions, all in a savory broth. A remake of the restaurant favorite that’s so easy to make at home.
I love to make my own Chinese take out at home – some of my all time best copy cat recipes include beef and broccoli and egg rolls. Hot and sour soup has been my favorite soup for many years, and it’s simple to whip up at a moment’s notice with ingredients you can easily find at your grocery store.
Whenever I eat at a Chinese restaurant, I have to order the hot and sour soup. It’s my all time favorite soup, I prefer it over chicken noodle or any of the other classics. Hot and sour soup tastes exotic, and it happens to be quite easy to make.
How do you make hot and sour soup?
This soup starts with chicken broth, or you can use vegetable broth if you’re looking to make a vegetarian soup. Sliced mushrooms, ginger and bamboo shoots go into the broth. The soup is thickened with corn starch, as well as eggs which are slowly poured in to create those pretty egg ribbons. The finishing touch is some tofu and green onions, then you’re ready to eat.
Tips for hot and sour soup
- I use fresh shiitake mushrooms for the most authentic flavor. If you can’t find this variety, white button mushrooms will also work fine.
- Bamboo shoots come in a can in the ethnic foods aisle of most grocery stores. Simply drain the can, slice the bamboo shoots, then add them to the soup.
- Be sure to use extra firm tofu so that it doesn’t disintegrate into the soup.
- Corn starch acts as a thickening agent to give the soup more body. If you don’t have corn starch, you can omit it, although your soup will be thinner.
- To make the egg ribbons, slowly pour beaten eggs into the hot broth while gently stirring the broth in a circular motion.
I find that this soup is best served as soon as it’s made. If you’re looking to prepare ahead of time, you can slice up your mushrooms, tofu and bamboo shoots up to 2 days before you plan to make the soup.
Hot and Sour soup variations
I’ve ordered hot and sour soup at dozens of restaurants, and everyone has their own version with a little twist. This is a basic recipe, but you can alter it to your tastes by adding any of the following.
- Pork: Add thinly sliced pork tenderloin while the soup simmers.
- Spinach: Stir in fresh spinach leaves at the end of the cook time.
- Spice: Add a few teaspoons of chili sauce or sriracha.
- Shrimp: Add 1/2 pound raw shrimp while the soup simmers.
Hot and sour soup can be served as an appetizer, or as a light main course. I typically serve it as part of a meal alongside our other Chinese food favorites and some steamed or fried rice. However you serve it, you’re sure to get rave reviews!
More Asian food favorites
Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 inch slice of fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or more to taste
- 1 cup shiitake mushroom caps thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 eggs beaten
- 16 ounce package extra firm tofu drained and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Place the chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hot sauce, mushrooms and bamboo shoots in a large pot over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Remove the piece of ginger and discard.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch with 1/4 cup cold water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and stir well.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes or until soup has just thickened.
- Stir the soup in a circular motion while slowly pouring in the beaten eggs.
- Stir in the tofu, sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste and green onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tofu is heated through.
- Serve, garnished with more green onions if desired.
Ann says
This our second time making this soup. Husband is learning to like tofu and recipes like this help. I added slivered kale and celery. I need to use low sodium chicken broth next time. Husband added Carolina reaper bits at the table. Wow baby was it hot! He liked it despite the sweat and tears rolling down face. The soup has has wonderful flavor (sans the reaper).
Courtney says
O my yum! I just love hot and sour soup! Must give your recipe a try. Yum!
Catherine says
This soup looks wonderful and so comforting. It’s a rainy, cold day here and I’d love a bowl of this right now.
Helen Neale says
I love finding a new soup recipe to try. I’m always so scared I am going to mess it up somehow. This looks easy enough for me though. Thanks!
Preet says
ow, I have never tried to make a hot adn sour and this recipe looks really delicious and easy. I will try to make this for my kids, thanks for sharing!
Jasmine Hewitt says
ok, im guessing my husband might like this by the ingredients. i’ll have to try it
Sophia says
I love hot and sour soup and it is perfect for this cold weather.
B says
Wow great soup. I will add more spice next time but was wonderful.
I served it as a first course and then had your Honey Garlic shrimp stir fry.
We will have the all the time. Easy and great flavors.
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thank you for reporting back!
Marysa says
This looks delicious and comforting too. Thank you for mentioning about subbing in vegetarian broth for a vegetarian version. I’ve been a vegetarian my whole life and it’s nice to have a substitution mentioned to make a recipe vegetarian 🙂
sara lafountain says
My son has a cold and is home for the week from college. I made this soup for him and he swears it made him feel better!
Sara says
I’m so happy to hear that, hope he feels better soon!
Sue-Tanya Mchorgh says
I’ve heard of sweet and sour but not hot and sour. I would love to try this hot and sour soup.
Ria Amber Tesia says
This looks like a lovely recipe. I would make this at home minus the egg (it doesn’t really agree with me). I love your photos too, so colourful and crisp. 🙂
Angela Ricardo Bethea says
My husband loves mushroom and he loves soup too. I guess he will love this one. Will try to cook this on weekend!
Dominique Brooks says
Yum! Hot and Sour soup is my go-to soup when I eat Chinese food. Now I have a recipe– thank you so much! I will definitely give this a try!
Maggie Unzueta says
Wow! This Asian hot and sour soup looks so delicious. Will definitely try making this at home.
Hang Around The World - Paolo says
It looks all so healthy and easy to cook!! Maybe I cook this recipe one of the next days ahaha Thanks 😉
Stacie says
That looks so amazing! I can’t wait to make it. I love Asian food.
Tom sydor says
Love this site. Get excellent ideas making the chicken with sundried tomatoes and spinach tonight, shrimp and garlic yesterday.
Sara says
So happy to hear that you’re enjoying the recipes!