Hot & Sour Soup
The Chinese restaurant classic — silky tofu, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, egg ribbons floating in a peppery-tangy broth. Done right at home in 25 minutes. The signature flavor comes from white pepper (not black) and dark rice vinegar.
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
38 min
Servings
6
Calories
401 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Carrot1 ½ medium
- Celery1 ½
- Onion1 ½ medium
- Black Pepper¾ tsp
- Bay Leaves1 ½
- Paprika1 ½ tsp
- Garlic4 ½ cloves
- Olive Oil3 tbsp
- Salt1 ½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 6 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 6 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Carrot1.5 medium
- Celery1.5
- Onion1.5 medium
- Black Pepper0.75 tsp
- Bay Leaves1.5
- Paprika1.5 tsp
- Garlic4.5 cloves
- Olive Oil3 tbsp
- Salt1.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Soak ¼ cup of dried wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes until soft. Drain and slice into thin strips. (If you can't find them, sub with 1 cup of sliced shiitake.)
- 2
Bring 6 cups of chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot. Add 1 cup of bamboo shoots (drained), the wood ear mushrooms, 4 oz of pork or chicken cut into thin strips, and 8 oz of firm tofu cubed into ½-inch pieces. Simmer 5 minutes.
- 3
Add the seasonings: 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy (for color), 1 teaspoon sugar, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 1.5 teaspoons of freshly ground white pepper. White pepper is critical — black pepper gives a totally different (and wrong) flavor.
- 4
Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of cold water. Drizzle into the simmering soup while stirring constantly. The soup should thicken to coat the back of a spoon — like maple syrup, not pudding.
- 5
Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl. With the soup at a gentle simmer, drizzle the egg in a thin stream while stirring slowly with a fork. The eggs cook on contact, forming the silky ribbons (called 'egg flowers').
- 6
Off heat, stir in 5 tablespoons of dark rice vinegar (or Chinese black vinegar), 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 3 tablespoons of chopped scallions. Taste — adjust vinegar (sour) and pepper (hot) until both punch through. Serve immediately.
Watch how to make Hot & Sour Soup
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.White pepper, not black. White pepper has the floral-musty heat that defines hot and sour soup. Black pepper gives a completely different flavor that won't taste right.
- 2.Dark rice vinegar or Chinese black vinegar. Regular rice vinegar is too mild. Chinkiang black vinegar (in Asian grocers) is the authentic choice.
- 3.Stir slowly when adding the egg. The slow swirl creates wide silky ribbons. Stirring too fast breaks them into tiny bits.
- 4.Add vinegar OFF heat. Boiling vinegar loses its bright tang and the soup tastes flat.
🔬 Why It Works
Hot and sour soup is a delicate balance of three contrasting tastes: hot (white pepper), sour (vinegar), and umami (soy + stock). Each must be assertive enough to stand on its own. The thickening from cornstarch creates the signature silky body that separates this from a thin broth. Adding eggs in a slow drizzle into hot liquid causes instant coagulation in ribbons, not chunks. Adding vinegar at the end preserves its sharp punch — heat would dull it.
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4.3
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Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 6 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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