Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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Everything about this Hot and Sour Soup Recipe will make your heart go pitter-patter. Its incredible flavor of tofu, soy sauce, pork loin, sesame oil, and some other awesome ingredients gives you an explosion of deliciousness in every bite. Now you can make amazing quality Chinese food right in your own home.

It’s a scrumptious dinner or lunch idea, and you won’t be able to get enough of it.

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Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

The weather here in central Illinois has been a bit crazy. From sunny and highs in the upper 70’s one day to cool and dreary 50’s the next. When the cool weather starts to set in, I crave warming soups like nobody’s business. Hot and Sour Soup has to be one of my favorite soups; unfortunately, I have not been able to find a great Chinese restaurant here in Peoria. (If you know of any, please let me know! ;)) Since I have been going through hot and sour soup withdrawal, I have been searching for a recipe to make in my own kitchen.

Many of the recipes that I have found called hard to find ingredients such as wood ear mushrooms, cloud ear mushrooms, and day lily buds. I am all about ingredients that I don’t have to order online and receive six pounds of. I should have looked at the Cook’s Illustrated recipe first because they always have easy to find ingredients. This recipe includes easy to find shiitake mushrooms (no cloud ears here!) and substitutes if you cannot find black Chinese vinegar in your local store. This soup was incredible and surprisingly easy to make! It is also low in calories and high in protein, which is always a plus. 🙂 Want to make a full Chinese meal in your home tonight?

What’s the Difference Between Soft and Firm Tofu for This Soup?

This hot and sour soup recipe is intended for using extra-firm tofu. The more firm the tofu is, the less water is in it. If you use a soft tofu, then it will add some extra moisture to the soup, but it’s not going to be the correct texture. Stick with an extra firm tofu to obtain a dense, delicious texture every time.

Can I Make This Vegan Hot and Sour Soup?

Yes, you can make this a vegan hot and sour soup. You will need to make some adjustments or leave out some ingredients to make that happen. First of all, you’ll want to omit the pork loin chop and the egg. They aren’t required if you are looking to adjust it, so it’s a vegan dish. Then you should trade the chicken broth for a vegetable broth instead. Then you can enjoy a vegan meal that tastes amazing for dinner!

What Mushrooms are Best in Hot and Sour Soup?

By far, our favorite mushrooms to add to this hot and sour soup is the shiitake mushrooms. They are perfect and give you amazing flavors as well as texture. However, if you don’t have any, you can easily substitute them for portabellos. They are a great option and will also make it taste great.

Ingredients

Extra-firm tofu
Soy sauce
Toasted sesame oil
Cornstarch
Pork loin chop
Cold water
Large egg
Low-sodium chicken broth
Bamboo shoots
Shiitake mushrooms,
Black Chinese vinegar or red wine vinegar plus balsamic vinegar
Chili oil
Ground white pepper
Medium scallions

How to Make Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

This soup has a few steps, but none of them are difficult. It comes together rather quickly, and you are sure to love every last drop of it. Let’s get started:

First Step: Place the tofu in a pie plate and put a heavy plate on top. Then add two heavy cans on top of the plate. Allow it to set for least 15 minutes (as it sits you will see that the tofu will release about 1/2 cup liquid).

Second Step: Combine together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium bowl using a whisk. Place the pork in the bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Third Step: Mix together 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl and set aside, leaving spoon in the bowl.

Fourth Step: Combine the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with the rest of the water in a small bowl. Mix in the egg and beat it with a fork until combined.

Fifth Step: Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Turn down the heat to medium-low, then add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Simmer the mixture until the mushrooms are just tender about 5 minutes.

Sixth Step: Dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes while the mushrooms are simmering. Add in the tofu and pork to the soup, stirring to separate any pieces that stick together. Simmer until pork is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.

Seventh Step: Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir, then pour it into the soup. Stir occasionally until the soup has thickened and turns translucent about 1 minute. Mix in the vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off the heat.

Eighth Step: Drizzle very thin streams of the egg mixture into the pot in a circular motion. Allow the soup to sit 1 minute, then return the saucepan to medium-high heat. Let the soup cook until there is a gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir the soup to evenly distribute the egg. Pour the soup into bowls and top with scallions.

Enjoy!

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Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

Servings: to 8 servings as an appetizer

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

7 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons cornstarch, plus an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons, divided
1 boneless, center-cut, pork loin chop (1/2 inch thick, about 6 ounces), trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch by 1/8-inch matchsticks
3 tablespoons cold water, plus 1 additional teaspoon
1 large egg
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup bamboo shoots, from one 5-ounce can, sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
5 tablespoons [black Chinese vinegar] or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chili oil
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 medium scallions, sliced thin

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Instructions

Place tofu in pie plate and set heavy plate on top. Place 2 heavy cans on top of the plate and let stand at least 15 minutes (tofu should release about 1/2 cup liquid).
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Add the pork and set aside for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes).
In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water; set aside, leaving spoon in bowl.
In a separate small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with remaining 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; add egg and beat with fork until combined; set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the bamboo shoots and mushrooms and simmer until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes.
While the broth is simmering, dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Add tofu and pork, (including marinade) to soup, stirring to separate any pieces that stick together. Continue to simmer until pork is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.
Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine. Add to soup and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and turns translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off heat.
Without stirring the soup, use a soupspoon to slowly drizzle very thin streams of egg mixture into pot in circular motion. Let soup sit 1 minute, then return saucepan to medium-high heat. Bring soup to gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir soup to evenly distribute egg. Ladle into bowls and top with scallions.