Description
This Chinese Style Hot and Sour Soup is a savory, tangy, and mildly spicy dish filled with mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, and silky egg ribbons. Perfect for chilly evenings, this comforting soup is simple to make and easy to customize with meat or spice levels to suit your taste.
Ingredients
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
1 cup firm tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water (slurry)
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili paste or red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare all ingredients: slice mushrooms, julienne bamboo shoots, cube tofu, and beat eggs in a small bowl.
2. In a large soup pot, combine broth, soy sauce, vinegar, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add tofu to the pot and continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
4. Slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry while whisking to prevent clumps. Let the soup thicken.
5. Drizzle in the beaten eggs while stirring in a circular motion to form ribbons.
6. Add white pepper and sesame oil. Adjust spice or vinegar to taste. Garnish with green onions and serve hot.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and skip the eggs or use a vegan egg substitute.
Use white pepper instead of black pepper for the traditional sharp flavor.
If the soup thickens too much when stored, add a bit of water or broth while reheating.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: Hot and sour soup, Chinese soup, spicy tofu soup