Hot and Sour Soup (The Easiest Recipe Ever) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Hot and Sour Soup - BEST and EASIEST Chinese hot and sour soup recipe ever! Simple ingredients, takes 15 mins and a zillion times better than takeout.

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Hot and Sour Soup (The Easiest Recipe Ever) - Rasa Malaysia (2)

You Asked for It – Hot and Sour Soup!

Many readers have emailed me and requested for Chinese hot and sour soup for the longest time, so I am really excited to be sharing this super easy hot and sour soup recipe that anyone can make at home.

This recipe takes only 15 minutes fromprep to finish and you’ll have a pot of warm, hearty and utterly delicious soup that tastes like it’s straight from your favorite Chinese restaurants.

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For those wondering, “What is hot and sour soup?” You might be wondering what is it made of and what ingredients are in hot and sour soup that actually makes it hot and sour.

Is hot and sour soup health? Yes, absolutely. Try my recipe, it’s only 99 calories!

Other Recipes You Might Like

  • Egg Drop Soup
  • Wonton Soup
  • Miso Soup

Main Ingredients

My recipe is very easy and quick. It calls for a few simple ingredients:

  • Chicken or vegetable stock.
  • Tofu.
  • Eggs.
  • mushrooms.
  • There are two seasonings to bring out the iconic flavors of hot and sour soup: soy sauce and vinegar.
  • If you like it spicy, you can add some dried chili flakes or chili oil into the soup.
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Tips on How to Cook Hot and Sour Soup?

I like Panda Express Hot and Sour Soup so here are the secrets techniques and tips that yield Chinese restaurant’s results:

  • DO NOT USE WHISK. This is the biggest mistake when it comes to making Chinese soups. We do not whisk beaten eggs in the soup. The eggs should form into nice, beautiful and silky pieces. The key is to cook the eggs after the heat is turned off.
  • Gently swirl the beaten eggs into the soup, stir a few times with a pair of chopsticks.
  • Corn starch thickens the soup but do not use too much of it. You want a soup that has a slightly sticky consistency but still runny.
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How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 114 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and Sour Soup - BEST and EASIEST Chinese hot and sour soup recipe ever! Simple ingredients, takes 15 mins and a zillion times better than takeout!

4.58 from 158 votes

Print

By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 4 people

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 5 minutes mins

Total 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 can chicken broth (preferred) or vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 8 oz (230g) soft tofu, cut into strips
  • 6 oz (230g) white button mushroom, stems trimmed and caps quartered
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons Chinese vinegar (apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar)
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (for coloring purpose)
  • 3 dashes ground white pepper or black pepper
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • 1 teaspoon chili oil (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped scallion (optional)

Instructions

  • Add the corn starch and water together, stir to combine well. Set aside.

  • Add the chicken or vegetable broth and water to a medium-sized soup pot on medium heat. Bring it to boil. Add the tofu and white button mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes.

  • Add the soy sauce, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and black pepper. Stir to combine well. Add in the cornstarch mixture, stir continuously to thicken the soup. Turn off the heat.

  • Swirl the beaten eggs into the soup, count to 10, and then use a pair of chopsticks to stir in a clockwise direction, for 3 times. This will form the silken egg threads in the soup that look very pretty. Add the chili oil and chopped scallions, if using.

  • Dish out and serve immediately.

Notes

If you want to add some heat to the soup, you may add some chili oil or a few pinches of dried red chili flakes.

Course: Chinese Recipes

Cuisine: Chinese

Keywords: Hot and Sour Soup

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Hot and Sour Soup

Amount Per Serving (4 people)

Calories 114Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 41mg14%

Sodium 1138mg49%

Carbohydrates 8g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 10g20%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Hot and Sour Soup (The Easiest Recipe Ever) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

What are the main ingredients in hot and sour soup? ›

Hot and Sour Soup
  • 16 cups chicken broth.
  • 2 pork lion chops (on bone)
  • 1 tbsp whiskey.
  • 1/4 cup and 2 tbsp cornstarch, divided.
  • 2 1/2 tbsp sesame oil.
  • 4 1/2 tbsp soy sauce.
  • 1 1/2 tsp white pepper.
  • 1 cup lily flower, dried and rehydrated - this is the dried measurement.
Feb 3, 2024

Why does hot and sour soup make you feel better? ›

Consuming hot and sour soup helps in preventing the movement of the white blood cells which are responsible for inflammation. This further helps in providing relief from common health issues like cold, cough, mucus among others.

What are the dark things in hot and sour soup? ›

Wood ear mushrooms - A classic in hot and sour soup! It's got a crunchy texture and sometimes known as black fungus and cloud ear mushroom. Wood ear mushroom is normally sold dry and require rehydrating with hot water before use.

What makes hot and sour soup gelatinous? ›

Hot from the chili sauce and sour from the rice vinegar. This soup usually has a slightly gelatinous texture due to the added cornstarch or tapioca starch and an abundance of texture from the tofu, vegetables and scrambled egg strands.

What is the broth made of 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!

How do you make sour soup taste better? ›

Mix in a small spoonful of sugar into lighter soups.

Stir the sugar thoroughly into your container of soup, then taste test it. If the soup still tastes a bit acidic, stir in another small spoonful of sugar into the dish. This solution works better with dishes that have lighter flavors, like lemon. Don't overdo it!

Is Chinese hot & sour soup healthy? ›

Is hot and sour chicken soup healthy? Yes, homemade hot & sour chicken soup can be very healthy as you control the ingredients. Optimize nutrition by minimizing added starch, using lean protein, and avoiding adding sugar.

Do Chinese people eat hot and sour soup? ›

Hot and sour soup is a popular example of Sichuan cuisine. Similar versions are found in Henan province, near Beijing, and in Henan cuisine itself, where it may also be known as hulatang or "pepper hot soup" (胡辣汤).

What are the strings in hot and sour soup? ›

Form the egg ribbons

Slowly pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while simultaneously mixing the soup and egg with a ladle or spoon in a circular motion. If done correctly, you will begin to see the egg form silky egg ribbons throughout the soup that gives Hot and Sour soup its signature look!

Is hot and sour soup good for your liver? ›

Hot and sour soup supports healthy Liver function. The taste of sour resonates directly with the Liver and helps promote flow. Once you learn how to make the base of the soup, try using different ingredients.

What is hot and sour soup made of Chinese style? ›

Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients:

Rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ground ginger: To flavor the broth. Cornstarch: To thicken the broth. Eggs: Which we will whisk, and the drizzle into the soup to make those lovely egg ribbons. Firm tofu: Which we will cube and add to the soup.

Which Chinese soup is the healthiest? ›

1. Chicken Herbal Soup. The Chicken Herbal Soup stands out as one of the healthiest options in the realm of Chinese soups. This soup combines the goodness of lean chicken with a variety of Chinese herbs that are believed to have therapeutic properties.

How do you keep sour cream from curdling in hot soup? ›

Turn the soup down to a simmer before adding the ingredients, then leave it on low heat until finished. Additionally, it may be wise to gradually heat your cream products before adding them, so the change is less drastic.

What is hot and sour sauce made of? ›

ingredients
  1. 3 tablespoons cider vinegar.
  2. 1 tablespoon low-sodium chicken stock.
  3. 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
  4. 2 teaspoons sugar.
  5. 1 12 tablespoons minced jalapenos or 1 1/2 tablespoons other fresh chili peppers.

Why is Hot and Sour Soup called hot and sour? ›

Why is it called hot and sour soup? The "hot" in hot and sour soup means spicy-hot, not temperature-hot, referring to the kick from the white pepper powder. Then it's sour from the vinegar.

Is Hot and Sour Soup a healthy choice? ›

Hot and Sour Soup is Rich in Vegetables

Hot and sour soup often contains an assortment of vegetables such as mushrooms, bamboo shoots, cabbage, carrots, and peppers. These vegetables contribute essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, which are beneficial for overall health and well-being.

What is veg Hot and Sour Soup made of? ›

Vegan Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients

Bamboo shoot – fresh or in a can or chili oil. Water – Yes, you only need water, but feel free to use vegetable stock that is usually lighter than broth and has less celery taste. Seasoning – vinegar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, mushrooms seasoning, or vegetable bouillon.

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