Easy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
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This Easy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe is full of fabulous sweet, sour and tangy flavor and is super quick and easy to make. So forget take-out, and make it right at home in no time.
There is something about a bowl of warm savory soup that really hits the spot on certain days. Last week we popped in for a bite at one of our favorite Asian restaurants. At this particular restaurant, they always serve us a bowl of soup right after being seated. Most of the time I hardly notice, but that day it just hit the spot. It was simple and warm and the most satisfying thing I had eaten all week. And it’s now at the top of my list of take-out options.
Of course, why get takeout, when you can make soup right at home? We enjoy making a few Asian-inspired soups at home, like Egg Drop Soup, Coconut Chicken Soup or this Easy Hot and Sour Soup that I’m sharing with you today. It’s a favorite quick go-to and certainly worthy of staying in and cozying up with a warm bowl.
About this Easy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
This version of Hot and Sour Soup has been simplified from the traditional version, thus the “easy” in the title. Traditional Hot and Sour Soup recipes feature Bamboo shoots, tofu and a variety of mushrooms, like wood ears, dried shiitake and enoki, and something called Chinese black fungus, which I’m not clear if it’s classified as a fungus or mushroom. Anyway, in an effort to use what is available in my small corner of the world, I used ingredients that are readily available and that my family would eat. I’ve also added in chicken, which can be removed, or substituted with shrimp or fish. And, as noted in the recipe below, tofu can be added. Or if you’d like a vegetarian version, substitute tofu for the chicken and use vegetable stock.
How to Make Easy Hot and Sour Soup
This Easy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe is super simple to make and takes only about 30-45 minutes tops.
- Begin by lightly browning diced chicken breast in oil for a few minutes. (To simplify things even more, rotisserie chicken may be substituted. See recipe notes below for details.)
- Once the chicken is lightly browned add in sliced mushrooms, garlic and ground ginger. Stir for about 3 minutes.
- In goes the vinegar, which adds the slightly sour part of the soup. The vinegar also helps to deglaze the pan. Stir for a few seconds, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Next, stir in the chicken stock, hot sauce, tamari (or soy) sauce and black pepper. Tofu is optional. If using tofu add it in now. Bring everything to a low simmer and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Be sure to taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.
- You’re almost done! Thicken up the soup a bit by stirring in a mixture of cornstarch and water until combined.
- And finally, finish off by gradually streaming in beaten egg.
That’s all she wrote! Hot and Sour Soup Recipe is so quick and easy. Serve warm. Garnish with thinly sliced green onion, and, if you like it hot, add more hot sauce. Enjoy!
More easy soup recipes you will enjoy:
- Coconut Chicken Soup Recipe
- Cheeseburger Soup Recipe
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
- Egg Drop Soup Recipe
- Quick and Easy Tomato Soup Recipe
- Escarole and Chickpea Soup from SkinnyTaste
Easy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
Easy Hot and Sour Soup
This Easy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe is full of flavor and super quick to make. So forget take-out, and make it right at home!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 8 ounces boneless chicken breasts or thighs,* diced
- 8 ounces Baby Bella or other button mushrooms**, thinly-sliced and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, grated/minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper,***
- optional: 8 ounces soft or firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch whisked with 4 tablespoons cold water
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- optional garnish: thinly sliced scallions/green onions, fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-low heat. Add oil. When oil ripples, add chicken to pot in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally to lightly brown all sides, about 2 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
- Stir in vinegar and scrape up any bits from bottom of pan. Add chicken stock, hot sauce, tamari (or soy) sauce, black pepper, and (optional) tofu. Bring to a low simmer; allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes. Taste; add more vinegar, soy, hot sauce, pepper or salt to taste. (If not in a hurry, allow to simmer for longer.)
- Stir in whisked cornstarch/water mixture until combined.
- Reduce heat to low; while stirring soup, gradually stream in beaten egg.
- Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Serve warm garnished with thinly sliced scallions/green onion or fresh cilantro, and hot sauce to taste.
Notes
*Rotisserie chicken or cooked shredded pork may be substituted. If using either, add meat when chicken stock is added.
** Shiitake mushrooms or a blend of mushrooms may also be used.
*** White pepper may also be used, but begin with half the amount as it can tend to be stronger than black pepper.
For a vegetarian version, substitute tofu for the chicken and use vegetable stock.
What can I use in place of sesame oil in here and can I cut the heat down? We do not like a lot of heat in our food.
Substitute olive oil or another cooking oil. And yes, if you don’t want heat, just omit the hot sauce.
Though Jac would like the hot sauce, I’m with Laura. I can’t have a lot of heat in my food. Can I just omit the hot sauce?
Yep. Just omit it.
I think using the sesame oil is what gives this soup it’s distinctive taste (in addition to the vinegar that gives it a nice zing). To use some other kind of oil, you lose a big feature of hot and sour soup.
Can this be frozen?
Where is the nutritional values for the hot & sour soup.
Such an easy recipe to make, came out well.Thanks Amy.
Can’t leave out the Seasame oil, and the “Hot” usually comes from white pepper. Looks like a solid easy recipe though.