Hot and Sour Soup is the perfect combination of spicy and savory. In all cases, the soup contains ingredients to make it both spicy and sour.
Hot and sour soup is a soup from Asian culinary traditions. It is typically made with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and eggs in a savory seasoned broth with soy sauce and vinegar. For more mouth watering Asian dishes try Better Than Takeout Fried Rice, Homemade Potstickers, Instant Pot Butter Chicken, and Sweet and Sour Chicken.
A Flavorful Chinese Soup
I am a sucker for a rich broth. I love to savor the flavors and really could sip on a bowlful of just that! This flavor punch of a soup delivers in that category.
Then it hits an entirely new level with the addition of mushrooms, bamboo shoots, egg, and green onion. The cherry on top is the crispy wontons. They add that desired crunch and another level to the deliciousness.
This savory soup is a perfect lead into a main dish, or a filling stand alone meal. You may want to make extra wontons, I always seem to be adding extras to my bowl, or snacking on a few of them as I cook.
Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients
My regular grocery store had all of the ingredients I needed, even ones I hadn’t used before, like bamboo shoots and chili garlic sauce. If you can’t find them at your store, try a specialty store that stocks Asian cuisine items.
Mushrooms: Do not use your mushrooms if they have gotten slimy or have lots of wrinkles because they are now bad.
Bamboo Shoots: Remember to rinse your bamboo shoots before incorporating them.
Too spicy? If this soup is too spicy for you, you can leave out some of the chili garlic sauce.
How to Make Hot and Sour Soup
WONTONS. To make the wonton strips, heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the wonton strips to the skillet and cook until golden brown, turning over to brown both sides evenly. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
SAUTE. To make the soup, heat the oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until softened, stirring frequently. Then, add the chicken stock, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and chili garlic sauce to the pot, and stir to combine.
SIMMER. Bring the soup to a simmer, and simmer 10-15 minutes.
COMBINE. In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and water until the corn starch is dissolved and no lumps remain. Pour the corn starch mixture into the soup and return the soup to a simmer.
SIMMER. Simmer 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the tofu, and cook until heated through.
POUR. Pour the beaten egg slowly into the soup, stirring it in with a fork to break it into ribbons.
COOK & SERVE. Cook 1-2 minutes, until the egg is set. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the green onion and sesame oil. Serve hot with crispy wonton strips sprinkled on top.f
Storage Tips
Keep this soup STORED in the fridge for 2-3 days. Try not to store the wonton strips with the soup or else they will get soggy and gross. Top individual servings with the wonton strips. REHEAT on the stove until warm or in the crockpot until warm
FREEZE this soup in an airtight container for 6-8 weeks. Thaw in the fridge overnight and rewarm on the stove.
For more Asian soups:
Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the wonton strips:
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 package wonton wrappers - cut into strips
For the soup:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms - sliced
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 1 8 ounce can sliced bamboo shoots - drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 8 ounce package firm tofu - drained and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg - lightly beaten
- 2 green onions - thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- To make the wonton strips, heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the wonton strips to the skillet and cook until golden brown, turning over to brown both sides evenly. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.
- To make the soup, heat the oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until softened, stirring frequently.
- Add the chicken stock, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and chili garlic sauce to the pot, and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a simmer, and simmer 10-15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, stir together the corn starch and water until the corn starch is dissolved and no lumps remain. Pour the corn starch mixture into the soup and return the soup to a simmer. Simmer 3-4 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Stir in the tofu, and cook until heated through. Pour the beaten egg slowly into the soup, stirring it in with a fork to break it into ribbons. Cook 1-2 minutes, until the egg is set. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the green onion and sesame oil.
- Serve hot with crispy wonton strips sprinkled on top.
Love a little spice!! It’s been a little cooler the last few days & this hit the spot! Had everything I needed, so decided to give it a try & I am so glad I did!
Love the combination of hot and soup! It looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!
I am so excited to try this with some of my favorite asian dishes! Yum!