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    Home » Recipes » Soups

    Classic Hot and Sour Soup

    March 31, 2022 · Published: March 23, 2020 By: Asian Caucasian 38 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    hot and sour soup in a white bowl with a fork on the side

    This classic, Chinese restaurant-style Hot & Sour Soup recipe comes from my good friend and fellow food blogger, Amy Duska (Amy in the Kitchen). This soup is a must for busy weeknights! No need to order takeout with this one. It’s ready in less than 30 minutes!

    hot and sour soup in a white bowl
    Photo credit: Amy Duska

    One of my favorite soups to order when I go out for Asian is a Classic Hot and Sour Soup. A lot of people don’t realize how easy it is to make in your own kitchen!

    Ingredients you'll need for this recipe

    tofu

    Tofu makes a terrific, hardy protein in this Hot and Sour Soup. I like to buy extra firm or sprouted tofu so it doesn’t fall apart in the broth.

    tofu strips on a cutting board with a chefs knife on the side

    mushrooms

    I used white button mushrooms for this recipe because that’s what I had on hand, but shiitake or cremini mushrooms would also be perfect in this soup.

    green onions

    Gotta have some greens, right? The green onions add a mild oniony flavor to this soup recipe.

    small button mushrooms sliced on a wooden board  green onions bundled together on a wooden board

    The broth

    Just these simple ingredients create a beautiful balance of flavors in this broth!

    • Low-sodium chicken broth
    • Low-sodium soy sauce
    • Rice wine vinegar
    • Sriracha sauce
    • Ground white pepper
    • Corn starch
    • Water
    • Eggs
    hot and sour soup in a white bowl
    Photo credit: Amy Duska

    Tips and tricks

    • This recipe calls for corn starch to thicken the soup. You can substitute arrowroot if you don’t use corn starch.
    • Eggs make up the bulk of protein in this soup along with slices of tofu. If you don’t like tofu, just omit it. You can leave out the protein all together or substitute it with cooked chicken, pork or beef. 
    • Hot and Sour Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

    Want more recipes like this?

    If you liked this recipe, you’re going to want these recipes too:

    • Miso Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Easy Thai Clear Soup with Chicken and Tofu
    • Asian-Inspired Chicken Tortilla Soup
    • Miso Butternut Squash Soup
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    hot and sour soup in a white bowl

    Classic Hot and Sour Soup

    ★★★★★

    5 from 14 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This Classic Hot and Sour Soup recipe is quick and easy to make, and full of delicious flavors. No need for Chinese takeout!

    • Total Time: 20 min
    • Yield: 4 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
    • ½ cup mushrooms sliced
    • ¼ cup low-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. extra-firm tofu, sliced into strips
    • 2 green onions, sliced

    Instructions

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. Pour the beaten eggs into the soup while gently stirring.
    4. Add the tofu and green onions. Stir and remove from heat. Serve while hot.

    Notes

    • This recipe calls for corn starch to thicken the soup. You can substitute arrow root if you don’t use corn starch.
    • Eggs make up the bulk of protein in this soup along with slices of tofu. If you don’t like tofu, just omit it. You can leave out the protein all together or substitute it with cooked chicken, pork or beef. 
    • Hot and Sour Soup can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
    • This recipe is originally from Amy in the Kitchen.
    • Author: Amy in the Kitchen
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 15 min
    • Category: Soup
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: Chinese

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 237
    • Sugar: 2.5 g
    • Sodium: 640.8 mg
    • Fat: 9.8 g
    • Carbohydrates: 16.3 g
    • Protein: 22 g
    • Cholesterol: 93 mg

    Keywords: easy hot and sour soup, easy hot and sour soup recipe, szechuan hot and sour soup, vegan hot and sour soup

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @AsianCaucasianBlog on Instagram and hashtag  #AsianCaucasianEats

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pea

      April 06, 2023 at 11:33 pm

      So good so easy! Adding this to my recipe book

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        April 07, 2023 at 9:19 am

        I'm so happy to hear that you liked this soup recipe! I also love that it's so easy to make. Thank you so much for your feedback!

        Reply
    2. Michelle Hoskins

      March 02, 2023 at 8:39 pm

      So much flavor. I didn't have all the ingredients so I used black pepper & cayenne instead of sriracha. Tasted great without the corn starch. I will definately make again!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        March 03, 2023 at 8:54 am

        Great substitutions, Michelle! I'm so happy that the you enjoyed the soup! Keep those comments coming, I love the feedback!

        Reply
    3. Sherron

      January 29, 2023 at 1:48 pm

      Can this be put in a crockpot to keep warm for Church gatherings

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        January 29, 2023 at 2:15 pm

        Hi Sherron. I have not tried this, but I don't see why not. Just make sure you wait until you're ready to serve before you add in the eggs and tofu. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    4. Jenn Stephens

      November 26, 2022 at 9:57 pm

      Unbelievable easy! Made with pantry staples. We substituted checked for tofu. It was amazing and we will make again!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        November 27, 2022 at 2:32 pm

        So happy that you liked this soup recipe! I agree, it couldn't be easier to make. So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    5. Poph

      December 29, 2021 at 5:49 pm

      Hi, can you tell me what the serving size for this soup is? I count calories😅

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        December 30, 2021 at 1:32 pm

        Yes! This Hot and Sour Soup serves 4, 237 calories per serving. Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. J. Walker

      December 12, 2021 at 8:01 pm

      Definitely the best hot and soup soup that we have enjoyed since moving to the US 19 years ago. Fast, easy and so very good!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        December 13, 2021 at 10:38 am

        So glad you enjoyed the hot and sour soup! Certainly does warm you up on during these chilly winter days!

        Reply
        • Michale

          February 20, 2022 at 11:22 pm

          Hi, can I use beef broth?

        • Asian Caucasian

          February 22, 2022 at 11:24 am

          Yes, you can! You can also use vegetable broth for this hot and sour soup.👍

    7. mavee125

      November 01, 2021 at 6:15 am

      This Classic Hot and Sour soup is so delicious! I used San-J Tamari Soy Sauce and Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce that I bought at Karman Foods; it's perfect!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        November 01, 2021 at 12:35 pm

        That does sound perfect! Both great brands for making this yummy Hot and Sour Soup!

        Reply
    8. Joann

      October 28, 2021 at 6:59 pm

      Just made tonight, and it was great. Will never order out again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        October 31, 2021 at 10:36 am

        So glad you liked the soup! So warming and comforting, right?

        Reply
    9. Kathy Lehwald

      October 06, 2021 at 8:06 pm

      Super great recipe! Will definitely make it again!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        October 07, 2021 at 9:34 am

        So glad you like this hot and sour soup, Kathy! It's a classic recipe that's on repeat in my house!

        Reply
        • Andrea Harris

          September 26, 2022 at 12:54 am

          Very yummy!! Used chicken instead of tofu. Doubled the recipe because I can never seem to not cook for large crowds even when there are only 4 of us. I guess I'll be freezing some for our next Asian dinner night! Served it with homemade General Tso's Chicken.

          ★★★★★

        • Asian Caucasian

          September 26, 2022 at 5:12 am

          So glad you made this soup recipe, Andrea! I love that you switched out the protein, and great choice with chicken. YUM! I always make enough for an armu too, and this soup does freeze well. Cheers!

    10. Cheryl Mills

      March 01, 2021 at 7:31 pm

      We loved your Hot and Sour soup. Easy to follow instructions. It was so delicious. We added your recipe to Our Favorites. 😋. Thanks

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        March 02, 2021 at 11:11 am

        That's so great to hear! So glad you like this hot and sour soup. It's super easy, right?

        Reply
    11. Linda Rowse

      February 11, 2021 at 7:12 pm

      Made this tripled it to freeze. Added fine stripped chicken ,cut it frozen ,
      stripped carrot and red pepper. Best hot and sour soup ever.

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        February 13, 2021 at 1:08 pm

        Yay! So glad you like this hot and sour soup recipe! Love that it's so versatile too!

        Reply
      • Mike

        August 25, 2021 at 2:05 pm

        Made this 3 times, I get my mushrooms from an Asian market. Add bamboo shoots also. It always tastes restaurant quality. Add more ingredients to your taste buds.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Asian Caucasian

          August 25, 2021 at 2:46 pm

          So glad you liked this recipe, Mike! It sure is a winner soup in our house, and with fall approaching, we will be making this often! Love the addition of more mushrooms!

    12. Diane

      November 17, 2020 at 2:24 am

      This recipe was so good! Easy to follow recipe with most of the ingredients I already had on hand......
      Will be making this a lot this winter!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        November 18, 2020 at 11:15 am

        This wonton soup is so perfect for this season. I make a huge batch of broth and freeze it so can pull it out and just add in the frozen wontons and baby bok choy. Enjoy!

        Reply
    13. leeyah

      October 16, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      Delicious soup. My husband and I loved it. Thank you for this yummy recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        October 17, 2020 at 2:08 pm

        So glad you enjoyed the soup, Leeyah! It's definitely the perfect time of year for a hot and sour soup!

        Reply
    14. Ghulam Mohyudin

      March 26, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        March 26, 2020 at 1:03 pm

        Thank you so much! So glad you liked the hot and sour soup recipe!

        Reply
    15. Heidi

      March 23, 2020 at 12:24 pm

      Looks delish and I know we'd love it...but....how important are the eggs? Would it still taste OK without? I would definitely use tofu, though.

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        March 23, 2020 at 2:58 pm

        Heidi, you could definitely omit the eggs. It would be just as tasty!

        Reply
    16. Annette Briar

      March 23, 2020 at 8:18 am

      This is definitely one of my favorite Chinese takeout soups! I’m so excited to try this recipe at home! I’ve been needing more soup recipes during this self isolation. 👍

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian

        March 23, 2020 at 8:19 am

        Hi Annette! Hope you're hanging in there during these crazy times. This soup should definitely be on your rotation list. It's so easy to make!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lesli! Welcome to Asian Caucasian, a healthy-ish food blog born out of a passion for home-cooked, Asian-inspired cuisine. I always cook with market-fresh ingredients and prepare simplistic, healthy Asian recipes so you can throw away those take-out menus! Come share my culinary love of beautiful Asian-fusion food, and get cooking in the kitchen! READ MORE!

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