Hot and Sour Soup
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Hot and sour soup (酸辣汤) is a silky, peppery, tangy Chinese soup of tofu, mushrooms, and egg ribbons in a savory broth thickened to a velvety body. The 'hot' comes mostly from white pepper (not chili), and the 'sour' from black vinegar added off the heat so it stays bright. Build a seasoned broth, simmer the shredded tofu and mushrooms, thicken with a cornstarch slurry until the soup turns glossy and coats a spoon, stream in beaten egg for ribbons, then finish with vinegar and a generous amount of white pepper. It comes together in about 30 minutes and is easily made vegetarian. The key is balancing the vinegar and white pepper at the end, off the heat, and adjusting to your taste.
Why you'll love this hot and sour soup
- Silky, peppery, tangy — exactly like your favorite takeout, in 30 minutes.
- Easily vegetarian, and a great way to use up tofu and dried mushrooms.
- We give you the white-pepper-and-vinegar balance that defines the soup.
- Forgiving and adjustable — make it more sour or more peppery to taste.
Ingredients
Broth
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for color
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry, optionalhard to find
Add-ins
- 8 oz firm tofu, cut into thin strips
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced (fresh, or dried and rehydrated)
- ½ cup bamboo shoots, shredded, optionalhard to find
- 2 eggs, beaten
Finish
- 3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, or to tastehard to find
- 1–1½ tsp white pepper, this is the 'hot' — adjust to taste
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 4 tbsp water
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions, sliced, to garnish
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Equipment
- Medium pot(shop →)
Instructions
In a pot, bring the stock, both soy sauces, and Shaoxing wine to a simmer.
Add the tofu strips, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots (if using). Simmer gently for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
Give the cornstarch slurry a stir and pour it in while stirring. Let the soup return to a simmer and thicken until it's glossy and lightly coats a spoon — about 1 minute. Add a little more slurry for a thicker soup.
💡 Thicken before adding the egg — the body of the soup is what holds the egg ribbons suspended.
Turn the heat to low. Hold a fork or chopsticks over the pot and slowly stream in the beaten egg in a thin stream, stirring gently in one direction to form silky ribbons. Stop stirring and let them set for a few seconds.
Turn off the heat. Stir in the black vinegar and white pepper. Taste and adjust — more vinegar for sour, more white pepper for heat. Adding them off the heat keeps both bright.
💡 Vinegar and white pepper fade fast when boiled. Always add them at the very end, off the heat.
Finish with sesame oil, ladle into bowls, and top with scallions.
Tips & notes
- The “hot” in hot and sour soup is white pepper, not chili — start with 1 teaspoon and add more. It builds a warming heat at the back of the throat that black pepper can't replicate.
- “Sour to taste” usually means 2–3 tablespoons of black vinegar for a 6-cup pot. Add it gradually at the end and keep tasting; vinegars vary in strength.
- For the silkiest egg ribbons, make sure the soup is gently simmering (not boiling), pour the egg slowly and thin, and stir once — then leave it alone.
- Make it vegetarian by using vegetable stock; the tofu and mushrooms already carry the soup.
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AIPaste any fuzzy step (少许, 火候正好, 焯水) and get exact amounts, temps and times.
Hot and Sour Soup
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Beginner
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for color
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry, optional
- 8 oz firm tofu, cut into thin strips
- 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced (fresh, or dried and rehydrated)
- ½ cup bamboo shoots, shredded, optional
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, or to taste
- 1–1½ tsp white pepper, this is the 'hot' — adjust to taste
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 4 tbsp water
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions, sliced, to garnish
Instructions
- In a pot, bring the stock, both soy sauces, and Shaoxing wine to a simmer.
- Add the tofu strips, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots (if using). Simmer gently for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Give the cornstarch slurry a stir and pour it in while stirring. Let the soup return to a simmer and thicken until it's glossy and lightly coats a spoon — about 1 minute. Add a little more slurry for a thicker soup.
- Turn the heat to low. Hold a fork or chopsticks over the pot and slowly stream in the beaten egg in a thin stream, stirring gently in one direction to form silky ribbons. Stop stirring and let them set for a few seconds.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the black vinegar and white pepper. Taste and adjust — more vinegar for sour, more white pepper for heat. Adding them off the heat keeps both bright.
- Finish with sesame oil, ladle into bowls, and top with scallions.
Nutrition (est., per serving): 170 cal · 11 g protein · 14 g carbs · 8 g fat
Hot and Sour Soup FAQ
What makes hot and sour soup 'hot' and 'sour'?
The heat comes mainly from white pepper, which gives a warming, throat-tickling spice rather than chili burn. The sourness comes from black (Chinkiang) vinegar. Both are added at the end, off the heat, because boiling dulls them — and both are adjusted to taste.
What can I use instead of black vinegar?
Rice vinegar with a splash of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar approximates it; or balsamic vinegar cut 1:1 with rice vinegar. You'll lose a little of the malty depth, but the bright sourness still comes through.
How do I get silky egg ribbons?
Thicken the soup first, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, then pour the beaten egg in a slow, thin stream while stirring once in a single direction. Stop stirring and let the ribbons set. A rolling boil or vigorous stirring breaks the egg into cloudy bits.
Can I make hot and sour soup vegetarian or vegan?
Yes — use vegetable stock and it's vegetarian as written. For vegan, also leave out the egg (or use a swirl of silken tofu blended smooth) and double-check your soy sauce. The tofu and mushrooms keep it hearty.
Why is my soup not thick enough?
Add more cornstarch slurry. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir it into the simmering soup, and give it a minute to thicken. Always re-mix the slurry right before adding, since cornstarch settles.
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