How to Make Hot and Sour Soup

The classic Chinese or Asian soup recipe that is healthy and better than takeout! Perfect as a side or appetizer. Tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots in a familiar flavorful spicy and sour broth.

I'm not a big soup fan.

Chili, yes (especially topped with cheese and sour cream).

Chowder, yes (especially when topped with cheese and green onions).

Chicken broth soups, not so much. Except for one.

Every time I've ever been sick or had dental work or in any way didn't feel like eating, I have craved hot and sour soup from my favorite Chinese restaurant. There is just something about it that makes my body feel good.

I found a recipe for hot & sour soup on the Nakano website, and I couldn't wait to try it. The recipe used simple, whole ingredients that I could find at my local grocery store, and that made it easily within my reach.

I mean, I'm not against soups that use authentic ingredients from an Asian grocery store, but to be honest, I don't even know the location of an Asian grocery store. If I'm going to make my hot and sour soup, I'm going to have to use regular old grocery store ingredients. It is what it is.

What you'll need to make homemade hot and sour soup

The only equipment you'll need is a nice big stockpot and a garlic press. If you don't have a garlic press, you could mince the garlic as fine as possible with a very sharp knife. That will work too.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup rice vinegar, garlic flavor if possible
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoon light soy sauce - I like to use low sodium.
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large pork chop, sliced paper-thin and precooked
• 1 15-oz can of mushrooms or straw mushrooms, sliced and drained
• 2 carrots, sliced into sticks about the same thickness as the bamboo
• 4 oz firm tofu, well drained, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ½ cup bamboo shoots, drained and sliced into sticks
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• ¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoon dark toasted sesame oil

How to make homemade hot and sour soup

1. Heat chicken broth in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add rice vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper, pork, mushrooms, and carrots. Simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are beginning to soften. Add tofu and bamboo shoots. Simmer for 5 minutes more.
2. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl; whisk until smooth. Add slurry to the soup and stir well. Let simmer until soup thickens, 5 to 10 minutes more.
3. Beat the egg white in a small bowl and slowly pour, in a fine stream, into the soup. Stir well and heat for another minute or two.
4. Mix in green onions and sesame oil. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Variations on hot and sour soup

I like my hot and sour soup with both pork and tofu in it. You could easily use chicken and tofu, just tofu, or just pork. Use whatever combination of protein you prefer.

Dropping the egg ribbons into the soup

If you've ever had egg drop soup, you might notice that the process with the egg at the end resembles the egg drop process. Hot and sour soup usually includes thin ribbons of cooked eggs, and that's how you make them.

More easy soup recipes

Check out these other delicious soups, stews, and chowders while you're here:

• Cheeseburger Soup from Taste of Home
• Cheesy Vegetable Soup
• Slow Cooker Potato Chowder
• Crockpot Corn Chowder
• The Best Simple & Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
• How to Make Hot and Sour Soup
• Crockpot Beef Stew
• Black Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Soup