This restaurant style Hot and Sour Soup recipe is quick and easy to make. You won't believe the rich flavorful broth you'll develop in under 20 minutes!
It's the perfect recipe for a quick, weeknight dinner and it's so much better than take-out!
Hot and Sour Soup is a favorite menu item for many people. Eaten as an appetizer before a meal or as the main dish, it's a rich and flavorful soup that's hard to beat.
Luckily, you don't have to go to the restaurant to enjoy a hearty bowl of hot and sour soup. You'll be surprised at just how easy it is to make!
Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients
- Broth: Beef broth adds a rich flavor to this soup. Chicken broth can be used.
- Mushrooms: I used white mushrooms for this recipe because that's what my local grocery store had on hand but, shiitake mushrooms will give it a more authentic flavor if you can get your hands on some.
- Soy Sauce: I like to use reduced sodium but you can use regular soy sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: This is my personal favorite type of vinegar. White vinegar can be substituted.
- Hot Sauce: This is an optional ingredient. I recommend using a sriracha sauce or chili garlic paste for this Asian style recipe.
- White Pepper: This ingredient really makes a difference in the flavor of the soup. I don't recommend substituting with black pepper.
- Eggs/Tofu: Eggs make up the bulk of protein in this soup along with slices of tofu. If you don't like tofu, just omit it, no big deal. You can leave out the protein all together or substitute it with cooked chicken, pork or beef.
- Corn Starch: This is used to thicken the soup. You can substitute arrow root.
How to make hot and sour soup from scratch
- Simmer: Simmer the broth, mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha sauce and white pepper over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Thicken: Make a slurry by whisking the corn starch and cold water together. Pour it to the soup, stir and simmer for 5 minutes or until the soup starts to thicken.
- Add Proteins: Pour the beaten eggs into the soup while gently stirring. Add the tofu and green onions, stir and remove from heat.
Serve this soup on it's own as dinner or alongside Sweet and Spicy Chicken.
How to store
- To Store: Keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: It can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- To Reheat: Thaw completely and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Easy soup recipes to make for dinner
When it's cold outside, nothing hits the spot like a big, hot bowl of homemade soup. These soup recipes can be prepared in under an hour on busy weeknights.
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Cajun Shrimp Chowder
- Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
Hot and Sour Soup
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Ingredients
- 6 cups beef broth (or chicken broth)
- ½ cup mushrooms (sliced )
- ¼ cup lite sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 eggs (well beaten)
- 6 oz. firm tofu (sliced into strips)
- 2 green onions (sliced)
Instructions
- Simmer: Bring the broth to a simmer over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha sauce and white pepper. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Thicken: In a small bowl, whisk together the corn starch and cold water to make the slurry. Add it to the soup and stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the soup starts to thicken.
- Add Protein: Pour the beaten eggs into the soup while gently stirring. Add the tofu and green onions, stir and remove from heat. Add the tofu and green onions, stir and remove from heat. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To Store: Keep in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: It can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
- To Reheat: Thaw completely and heat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition
This recipe is from Amy in the Kitchen. All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or republish this recipe without prior permission. Thank you.
Isabelle says
Thank you. Great recipe.
I added two Chinese mushrooms and a handful of dried lily flowers. Didn’t have tofu. I will definitely make this again.
Simple, fast and tasty
theresa dean says
i made this soup tonight and my husband who is not a fan of chinese food even loved it. i added a lot of different ing. such as crab, shrimp, chicken. napa cabbage, bean sprouts and did not go lightly with the seasoning sauces. it was deliscious..........!! will definitely make again.
Jenn says
Thanks for the great recipe. Easy quick and souper on a gray day.
Grandad says
Great tasting and do easy
Live the tofu in this
Laura says
Exactly what I wanted to eat. Tasted almost identical to the soup I used to get at my favorite Chinese restaurant (which no longer exists). So much easier than any recipe I've seen before.
Joan Peterson says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It is delicious and easy!
katie says
this was super easy and so delicious equal to or better than takeout
AM says
Amazing recipe and easy to make. Taste was excellent!!
Marnie says
Loved this! So simple and requires simple ingredients. Thank you for sharing!!
Dorene says
Made this recipe it came out perfect, the taste was spot on! Easy and fast! I used baby Bella mushrooms & bamboo shoots. Omitted the tofu as not a fan. Tastes
Thanks for sharing your recipe
Emma Bennett says
Wow!!! So delicious!! Much nicer than any take away H&S soup I’ve had. Thanks so much for this re pie x
Loren says
Amazing! Added bamboo strips and upped the green onion by 1. Thank you!
Jack Carson says
Outstanding recipe that hits all my requirements: Inexpensive, easy to make, delicious and open to adding new ingredients that need to be used! I added a bit of leftover braised beef rib to replace the tofu and also threw in a can of drained bamboo shoots just because I like them! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Amy Duska says
Hi Jack, thank you so much for the 5 star review! 🙂
sandy says
This is a great recipe. It was quick and it didn't matter that I was out of tofu, I used chicken. I didn't have Siracco so I substituted Schechwan sauce. Hubby ate two bowls! Thank you, this one is a keeper!
Dave Cowan says
Best soup this season.
Jim says
Excellent! Made it last night. My wife and I loved it. I also told our nephew who is a hot and sour soup connoisseur about it. He asked me for the recipe, something he has never done before.
Becky says
The best hot and sour soup I've had in a long time! Hubby loved it.
I may need to share the recipe with the restaurant up the street
Amy Duska says
Hi Becky! So glad you liked it!!
micuko says
Hello. 🙂 What if we hate mushrooms? Do we just omit those?
Amy Duska says
Yes, feel free to omit the mushrooms!
Chuck says
Extremely satisfying and simple to make
Amy Duska says
Thanks Chuck!
Jean Edwards says
Holy Cow! This is the BEST hot and sours I’ve had! 10 stars
Amy Duska says
Yay! So glad you liked it so much! 🙂