With just 216 calories, Hot and Sour Soup just happens to be one of the healthiest mushroom soup recipes in the world! A Chinese restaurant favourite, it’s hearty, savoury, sour – and as spicy as you want it to be.
Filled with mushrooms, tofu and silky egg ribbons, Hot and Sour soup is thickened with cornflour/cornstarch so the broth is beautifully glossy. Serve as a starter with Fried Rice and Kung Pao Chicken, or have it as a meal!
Hot and Sour Soup
Can you handle the heat??
Hot and Sour Soup is what I order when I go out for Chinese and am pretending/trying to be healthy.
Hot and Sour Soup is also what I order just because I love it.
OK, well along with Spring Rolls, Chinese Corn Soup, San Choy Bow (Lettuce Wraps), Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelettes) and Sesame Toast. It’s an all-out war of indecision, trying to decide what starter to have! #FirstWorldProblems
I never thought to make it at home until I happened across this recipe from Woks of Life. It’s my go-to website for Chinese recipes, run by a Chinese American family who used to run a Chinese restaurant!
What is hot and sour soup??
Hot and Sour soup is a Chinese soup that’s savoury, spicy and tangy. The broth is thickened and it’s filled with mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots and silky egg ribbons. The flavour and textures in this soup are an addictive combination, making it a firm Chinese restaurant favourite!
What goes in Hot and Sour Soup
The soup broth
Chinese Hot and Sour soup broth is made with chicken stock which is flavoured with typical Asian ingredients such as soy sauce, sugar, pepper and ginger. The soup is thickened slightly using cornstarch/cornflour – I love how the glossy broth coats the ingredients when you scoop it up!
The spiciness comes from finely chopped dried chillies. Red pepper / chilli flakes are a perfect substitute. Feel free to adjust spiciness to your taste!
The sourness comes from plain white vinegar. Some recipes use Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar, but I honestly think white vinegar gives the cleanest flavour.
And the stuff that goes IN Hot and Sour Soup
Dried shiitake mushrooms
wood ear mushrooms
bamboo shoots
firm tofu
egg
shredded chicken (or drop in slices of tenderised Velveted Chicken)
shallots/scallions
Because there’s a few ingredients that aren’t mainstream here, I’m going to do a quick rundown on each of them. If you’re bored, skip to the recipe!
The Mushrooms
Dried shiitake mushrooms – dried is best because it has the best flavour, so if you really want one as good as how your favourite Chinese restaurant makes it, you’ll need to source some. Sold at major supermarkets nowadays, and also Asian stores. Subs: Fresh shiitake is good, followed by any other Asian mushrooms, Swiss Brown/Cremini mushrooms and bringing up the rear is good ole’ white mushrooms
Wood ear mushrooms – named as such because they are shaped like ears (does that freak you out? 🙀), they have a soft crunchy texture. Wood ear mushrooms don’t have much taste when raw, but they are a great flavour sponge as well as adding great texture to the soup. Use fresh or dried – I use fresh because it’s sold at a local grocery store (eg Harris Farms). All Asian stores should carry dried, and some will have fresh. Subs: More shiitake mushrooms.
And the other stuff in Hot and Sour Soup
Bamboo shoots – sold in cans at large grocery stores (Woolies, Coles, Harris), they have a crisp juicy texture and have a subtle taste. Mainly for texture in this soup. Subs: Any vegetable with a similar texture that can be cut into strips, like carrot, green beans, stalk of broccoli or cauliflower, or Asian greens. Use leftovers for stir fries, it’s ideal!
FIRM Tofu – Make sure it’s a firm tofu otherwise it will disintegrate when stirred. Squeeze the packet to be sure! If you can only get soft tofu, handle delicately and stir it in right at the end.
Chicken – I like to have a bit of protein in my Hot and Sour Soup, plus it’s poached in the broth so it adds flavour. But this is optional – there’s plenty of stuff in this soup even without! Alternatives: Shrimp/prawns, pieces of fish.
Eggs – to make the signature silky egg ribbons!
Shallots – aka scallions, green onions
How to make it
While the list of ingredients seems lengthy, the making part is very straight forward. Also, this recipe has a nice flow to it so it should be done from start to finish, including prep time, in about 40 minutes:
Start by soaking the shiitake mushrooms to rehydrate them
Pour the chicken stock into the pot and as it’s coming to the simmer, measure out and add all the flavourings
While the chicken is poaching, get all the other “stuff” for the soup prepared (chop mushrooms, bamboo shoots etc etc)
Tip it all in the pot and finish by thickening the Hot and Sour Soup with cornstarch / cornflour and adding egg to make the egg ribbons
Calories in Hot and Sour Soup – just 216 calories!!!
A big bowl of spicy-tangy-savoury-hearty deliciousness, and it’s just 216 calories. There are very few Chinese takeout favourites that are this healthy!
The only other ones I can think of is Chinese Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow) and Egg Foo Young, but they aren’t as filling in their own right so when you add a good pile of Fried Rice, it isn’t quite as low cal. 😂
Add ins: I’ve been known to add leafy Asian greens and even baby spinach to up the veg quota. I’ve also been known to add rice, to fill it out. It’s really, really good! – Nagi x
PS Giving myself a big pat on the back for (finally) adding another recipe into my Low-Cal recipe collection!
Best of Chinese Takeout recipes
Spring Rolls – better than egg rolls!
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The BEST Chinese Soup for a cold!
Hot and Sour Soup is the BEST Chinese Soup for a cold! The clear broth, vinegar and spiciness are ideal for clearing chest and nasal congestion, and it’s a relatively light soup (though full of flavour!) so it’s easy to digest.
So when you want something different to Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken Rice Soup when you’re feeling under the weather, try Hot and Sour Soup!
Watch how to make it
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Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 220 g / 7oz chicken breast
- 12 dried shiitake mushrooms (or 150g/5oz fresh) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms , chopped 1.5cm/ 3/5″ pieces (Note 1)
Hot and sour soup broth:
- 1 tsp dried chilli / red pepper flakes , adjust spice to taste (Note 2)
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tsp ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp white pepper (sub black)
- 6 cups (1.5L/1.5qt) chicken or veg stock/broth , low sodium
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) white vinegar (adjust to taste)
Soup:
- 125 g / 4oz firm tofu (~ 1 cup) , cut into 1.2cm / 0.5″ cubes (Note 4)
- 1/4 cup bamboo shoots , thinly sliced (Note 5)
- 2 eggs , whisked
- 1/4 cup (40g) cornstarch/cornflour
- 1/4 cup (125 ml) water
- Salt to taste
- 1 shallot/scallion , finely sliced
Instructions
- Cover shiitake mushrooms with plenty of boiling water. Stand 20 – 30 minutes until soft, drain, then slice thinly. (Discard or reserve liquid for other use)
Poached chicken:
- Place chicken broth, ginger, soy sauces, chilli, sugar, pepper and sesame oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Once simmering, add chicken, cover and reduce heat so it’s simmering.
- Cook 10 minutes, remove chicken and shred.
Finish Soup:
- Add vinegar, shiitake, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu and shredded chicken into the soup.
- Stir, simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mix cornflour with water. While stirring soup at a medium pace, slowly pour the cornflour mixture in (ensures no lumps).
- When it starts simmering again, stir constantly and slowly pour egg in a thin stream – this will create the signature “egg ribbons”.
- Taste – add salt if desired, more chilli if you want.
- Add shallots and serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Still pursuing a no dried-dog-food diet for Dozer, incorporating fresh meat and even vegetables (with advice from a professional!).
But if a single bit of kale doesn’t get blitzed up completely, he picks his way around it… #brat
A co-worker highly recommended this to make you feel better when you get a cold. This is a great recipe to have on hand–thank you!
Yes it is! The vinegar and chilli are terrific for colds! N x
Smart dog!
Don’t encourage him! 😂
Hi Nagi
I have forever been searching out a Hot and Sour soup recipe after having what I consider the best hot and sour soup in a mom & pop restaurant in downtown Toronto’s China Town. This one looks just like it however they used prawn instead of chicken and I believe that really makes this soup stand out as a high end soup. By the way, my sons and I had soup that day after coming in out of a cold damp winter day and the soup took the chill right out of us.
Cheers!
Oh yes! “Posh” versions are the seafood versions! Just plonk the shrimp/fish into the broth right at the end to cook! N x
Thanks so very much for this Nagi! It is absolutely one of my favorite soups, but I could never order it in a restaurant because it wasn’t gluten free.
I am just making this for me, so can the leftovers be stored in the refrigerator, and for how long? Will it taste good reheated?
I had to home cook for my little buddy before he passed away. I had a professional dog nutritionist from California. She was awesome!! I adore Doozer, and love how he left some kale Good Boy!!
Hi Regina! Sorry I forgot to add storage notes, have now down so. It’s 100% perfect for days and days in the fridge, I’ve been known to keep it for up to 5 days! I’m sorry to hear you lost your little buddy. I feel for you. Dozer is still young-ish and I am already fearful of how I will cope when his time comes. They don’t live long enough. 😢 Hugs – N x
I know Nagi. I live vicariously through you with Dozer. They are such a precious part of our lives. Dozer always puts a smile on my face. And your recipes turn me into a chef especially when I am cooking for friends. Thank you for all that you do!
oops, did I forget reheating directions? I’ll add them! I’ve eaten this even 4 maybe 5 days later! Taste is 100% fine, I just didn’t go beyond this just to be sure. 🙂 N x
I absolutely love hot & sour soup! I’ve been trying to recreate the delicious hot and sour soup that I used to get at a favorite restaurant years ago, with little success, so I’ll definitely be trying this recipe!
Hope you get a chance to try it Brenda! N x
At last I have a pal who doesn’t like kale. Only two in the world. Thanks buddy.
You and Dozer…. picky eaters!!!
Hi Nagi! Mmmm — am so excited to see this recipe for Hot and Sour Soup! I’ve wanted to learn how to make it for ages and were it not for this white-out blizzard, I’d be headed out for the mushrooms right now!
Dozer is just SO perfect!!!!
Hope you’re staying warm and safe Nadine! N x
Hey Nagi,
I soooo look forward to your emails. My problem is that I want to make EVERYTHING you post.
This Southern girl is on her way to the Asian market for some wood ears and “stuff” so I can make some of my FAVORITE soup.
BTW, I have been feeding my dogs a raw diet for over twenty years. Raw meat and bones, everyday. Beautiful white teeth, full thick glossy coat, my nine year old Anatolian thinks he’s a puppy. Contact me if you have any questions about the diet. Later Gator.
LOVE hearing that. 🙂 I’m a big believer in it, I was just a bit slow to get started because I wanted to make sure I was doing it right! I think I’ve figured it out now and am in a routine 🙂 I got advice from an expert! No grain fed animals, offal, fish, veg, carbs, bones – I’m having fun coming up with different combos for him! PS Hope you found all the “stuff” you needed 😂 N x
Hi Nagi: Interesting that I found your site about 6 months ago and am enjoying many of your recipes. Your commentary is fun too. Dog lovers are always more fun.. We have two Goldendoodles so we too enjoy lots of fun. Thanks for the til on Woks of Life . They are really into their blog. It’s fun cause my daughter is married to an Am Chinese and they have an adopted daughter. My daughter in with AM State Dept. and travels the world having been stationed in Japan, China twice and a few other countries. Lots of fun trying their cooking.
Wow she’s seen the world!! N x
Hello Nagi, this soup looks comforting… I am also a fan on Woks of Life blog, they have amazing recipes and tips.
PS – Dozer is getting the royal treatment with you as his personal chef…you can tell him I don’t like Kale either lol !!
Ha! You and Dozer – picky eaters! 😂
Hot n Sour soooooup!!!
I’m so excited Nagi, I’m going to the Chinese supermarket tonight – this will be made before the day is finished!
Thank you, thank you, I’ll report back!
Love to hear what you think Jason! N x
I absolutely loved it Nagi but, to be hinest, I am going to leave out the Tofu – it dawned on me that although every recipe I have ever tried with this has Tofu in, I’ve never had it with Tofu from favourite Chinese restaurants.
This is great though and I imagine I will sicken myself on it then won’t be able to eat it for 6 months and rinse and repeat 🙂
A two hours later update – I made it, even though I didn’t make it to eat as I dont have chicken, bamboo shoots or tofu and my dried shitakke and wood ear were older than the chinese civilisation – that’s how immature I am!! I just wanted to see how it shaped up before I replace my out of date chinese ingredients and it was perfect. It was just what I wanted from my hot n sour and could never quite get – my ‘balance’ was always off and I couldn’t suss out what the prob was.
Looking forward to the full dish at weekend – it won’t be 216 calories for the serving I plan on having 🙂
Your intructions and vid, once again, were fab!
Excellent! I used less water to soak the mushrooms and strained the soaking water into the broth. (I always use that water in recipes – full of flavour).
HI David! That’s a terrific idea if you like the extra mushroomy flavour in the broth 🙂 It won’t taste quite the same as takeout but you can definitely do it – or reserve the broth for another use eg in pasta sauces! N x
Yeah,
My thoughts as well…
Yeah, I was thinking of that as well…
This is a nice idea for amping up the umami – I’ll try that too 👍