In Chinese culture, it’s believed drinking warm soups and beverages keeps illness away and strengthens digestion. While this hot and sour soup recipe is a favorite in Asian cuisine because of its exotic flavors, you’ll also enjoy the many health benefits as you sip it.
There are two great things about hot and sour soup. One: it’s incredibly easy to make at home—no need to dial for Chinese takeout. Two: hot and sour soup can be customized to suit your flavor preferences.
This means you can adjust the “hot” and “sour” levels to your liking and upgrade the nutritional value by adding extra veggies, spices, herbs, or using collagen-rich bone broth as the base (like we did in this recipe).
What’s in Hot and Sour Soup?
The traditional hot and sour soup ingredients vary but always include ingredients in the base to make it hot and sour. The “hot” comes from dried chilies, a chili garlic sauce, or black or white pepper (white has more of a kick), while the “sour” comes from vinegar.
In hot and sour soup, pork or tofu are usually the main protein sources. You’ll also find veggies, a variety of mushrooms, spices, eggs, and vinegar. Some hot and sour soups can be veggie-based, depending on the type of stock or broth you choose.
Traditional hot and sour soup recipes may also use other authentic Chinese ingredients like bamboo shoots and wood ear (a type of edible fungus usually added for texture).
If you’re keeping an eye on your calorie intake from saturated fats or oils, you’ll be happy to know that the hot and sour soup calories are on the lower end in this recipe—only 153 calories per serving.
How to Make Hot and Sour Soup (in 5 Simple Steps)
Making your own hot and sour soup recipe at home is a breeze and can be done in just five easy steps and under 30 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, combine all vegetables and Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth and bring to a boil with a pinch of salt.
- Lower the heat to medium and add sugar, vinegar, and tofu. Stir.
- Add cornstarch to the soup and stir as the soup starts thickening.
- Add one beaten egg and continue stirring until small pieces float to the surface of the soup.
- Season the hot and sour soup with black pepper until it’s reached your desired taste. (One-quarter of a teaspoon is recommended to start, and you can increase the heat from there.) Dish and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy!
Hot and Sour Soup
This hot and sour soup with a bone broth base tastes as good as your favorite Chinese joint (but better for you). It’s quick and easy to make in five steps.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 cup enoki mushrooms
- 1/2 cup carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup broccoli stems cut into matchsticks (stems, not florets)
- 6 cups Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 (16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu cut into strips
- 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 egg beaten
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing
Instructions
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Place shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, carrots, broccoli stems and Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth in a large saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
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Place shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, carrots, broccoli stems and Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth in a large saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
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Turn the heat to medium, add sugar, vinegar, and tofu. Gently stir.
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Slowly stir the dissolved cornstarch into the soup. Keep stirring. The soup will start thickening.
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Add the beaten egg and immediately start stirring. Turn off the heat. The egg should break into very small pieces that float on the surface of the soup.
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Season the soup with 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper first. Taste and add more if desired. (I found that 3/4 teaspoon black pepper is perfect for my taste, but you can adjust the amount according to your preference.) Dish and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
If desired, you can add 2 sticks imitation crab meat to the soup. Add it with the tofu at step 2. Imitation crab meat contains wheat, so if you do add it, note that it will no longer be gluten-free.
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