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4.6 from 480 votes

Hot and Sour Soup

This Chinese-style hot and sour soup recipe has a thick, tangy, and spicy broth loaded with tofu, egg ribbons, and mushrooms. This is the BEST and EASIEST hot & sour soup that's a zillion times better than takeout!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 114 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 can chicken broth (preferred) or vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 8 oz (230g) soft tofu cut into strips
  • 6 oz (230g) white button mushroom stems trimmed and caps quartered
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons Chinese vinegar apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce for coloring purpose
  • 3 dashes ground white pepper or black pepper
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Chili oil optional
  • 1 tablespoon chopped scallion optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the cornstarch and water together, and stir to combine well. Set aside.
  2. Add the chicken or vegetable broth and water to a medium-sized soup pot on medium heat. Bring it to a boil. Add the tofu and white button mushrooms, and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir to combine well. Add in the cornstarch mixture, and stir continuously to thicken the soup. Turn off the heat.
  4. Swirl the beaten eggs into the soup, count to 10, and then use a pair of chopsticks to stir in a clockwise direction, 3 times. This will form the silken egg threads in the soup that look very pretty. Add the chili oil and chopped scallions, if using.
  5. Dish out and serve immediately.

Notes

  • DO NOT USE A WHISK to swirl in the beaten egg! This will break the egg into tiny pieces and create a cloudy broth. The key is to cook the eggs after the heat is turned off. Gently swirl the beaten eggs into the soup then stir in a circular motion a few times with a pair of chopsticks for nice, beautiful, and silky egg threads.
  • Use freshly ground black or white pepper for the best flavor and aroma.
  • Never add the cornstarch directly into the soup, or you’ll end up with gloopy clumps. Instead, slowly drizzle the slurry into the simmering broth while stirring constantly until the soup is thick enough for your liking.
  • Cornstarch slurry thickens the soup, but be careful not to use too much of it. You want a soup with a slightly sticky consistency but still runny.
  • If you like chunks of tofu, add it near the end so it doesn’t crumble.
  • If you want to add some heat to the soup, you may add some chili oil or a few pinches of dried red chili flakes.

Nutrition Information

Serving 4people Calories 114kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 8g (3%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 41mg (14%) Sodium 1138mg (47%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 114

% Daily Value*

Serving 4people
Calories 114kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 8g 3%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 41mg 14%
Sodium 1138mg 47%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.