Easy Hot and Sour Soup
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So much tastier (and FASTER) than delivery! 30 min start to finish. Made with homemade wonton strips. SO SO GOOD.
Featured Comment
I made it. I LOVED it! After making it, my daughter dragged me down to a favorite restaurant. Just to see, I decided to order Hot & Sour Soup there. Your recipe was better!! (That’s accounting for modifying the recipe for low-sodium) …and once you’ve made it, it gets easier every time … it’s totally become my “go to”.
Thank you!
reasons to make hot and sour soup
- Cozy, comforting and quick to make in 30 min or less
- Takeout favorite, tasting even better at home
- Best for cold-fighting, helping to clear congestion
what is hot and sour soup?
Hot and sour soup is a classic Chinese soup typically made with mushrooms, sesame oil, egg, cornstarch, and of course vinegar for its enhanced sourness.
tips and tricks for the wonton strips
- Homemade wonton strips goes a long way. Store-bought will save some time in the kitchen but the homemade version below requires only 2 ingredients and tastes so much more fresh, crisp and light-textured.
- Use a heavy pot. A heavy bottom pot, such as a Dutch oven, is ideal here for even heat distribution for the hot oil.
- Cook in batches. If too many wonton strips are added at once, the oil temperature will drop and the wontons will absorb too much oil, resulting in soggy wonton strips.
- Make ahead. The crispy wonton strips can be made 1-2 days in advance, stored in an airtight container at room temperature once cooled completely.
tips and tricks for the soup
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
- Add more vinegar. If you like your soup particularly sour, add additional vinegar, to taste.
- Make it vegetarian. Use vegetable stock for the chicken stock, skipping the fish sauce as well.
- Mix it up. Swap out the tofu for cooked beef, chicken or pork.
what to serve with hot and sour soup
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Easy Hot and Sour Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Wonton wrappers are available at most grocery stores as well as Asian specialty markets by the refrigerated aisle, typically next to the tofu.
We recommend using a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil, canola oil or peanut oil.
Yes! The wonton strips can be made 1-2 days in advance.
White, cremini and wood ear mushrooms can be used as well.
For a more thicker consistency, add additional cornstarch (about 1-2 teaspoons) to the cornstarch-water mixture.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Easy Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 (3.5-ounce) packages fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 1 (8-ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained and cut into slivers
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the crispy wonton strips
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 (12-ounce) package wonton wrappers, cut into strips
Equipment
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; set aside.
- Heat canola oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Stir in garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in mushrooms until wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in chicken stock, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and pepper.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in tofu.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Gradually add egg in a slow steady stream, stirring with a fork. Cook until the eggs are set, stirring frequently to create ribbons, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in green onion and sesame oil.
- Serve immediately with crispy wonton strips.
For the crispy wonton strips
- Heat vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
- Working in batches, add won ton strips to the Dutch oven and fry until evenly golden brown and crispy, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Video
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I hate fish sauce and I always just add in extra soy sauce instead, sometime a little lime as well!
I made this recipe for my family and it turned out better than the restaurant version. I will definitely share and make this again. Everyone loved it!
This is a tasty soup
This soup is Double Damn Delicious!! I’ve missed Panda’s soup, but no longer. Your recipe tastes EXACTLY like theirs. My husband and I both slurped it down like ravenous dogs! A definite keeper!!
Turned out great!! Had to make a minor modification due to allergies, omitted the fish sauce, added diced orange peppers, and bok choy. Also cooked it a little longer and it got spicier. I will make it again!
I have made this several times, and saved this site. It looks like the recipe has changed a bit. I remember just using Sirracha and not the Chile garlic sauce. Was this a modification, or am I not remembering correctly?
You are remembering correctly. I’ve saved and printed the original recipe so I don’t lose it. Basically the same, but the previous one didn’t have fish sauce, bamboo shoots, or Chile sauce.
Does this freeze well? before adding the egg and wontons of course.
Okay so, am I the only one who’s squeamish about using fish sauce? Is fish sauce absolutely necessary?
If so, what is the best brand (best quality)?
I’d say red boat is a definite favorite. A little goes a long way and the umami it gives is well worth having.
Fish sauce adds NO fishy flavor. Do not hesitate to use it. If you ever order out for Asian food it is probably already in just about everything you are eating
Hot and Sour Soup is one of my favorite dishes, when done right. I’ve tried every recipe I could find to make this at home without success UNTIL I tried this recipe. It’s delicious! I skipped the wonton wrappers (just don’t care for them in soup) but proceeded as written otherwise…very, very good…yummy. Makes a very nice pot of soup and more than enough for a second or third day of leftovers which is good because this recipe is actually better on the second day. Just love this recipe!
Great recipe, we make it all the time!
Has this recipe been updated recently? Some of the ingredients seem to call for different amounts now and some of the method seems different than I remember.
Delicious!!!! I’ve made this twice already because my family loooooves it! I never thought I’d be able to make my own hot and sour soup but you made it so simple. I followed the recipe to the T and it’s just as good, if not better, then any Chinese restaurant! I make dumplings on the side and it’s the perfect meal! This is definitely a staple for us now. Thank you!!!
Can I substitute vegetable broth for the chicken?
Of course! I’m not the OP but that would be perfectly fine. Chicken broth is traditional but it would taste very close to the same and be vegetarian minus the fish sauce. The fish sauce I think would make a difference. I made this exactly except I used 2 less cups of broth. It came out perfect!
Love this recipe, reminds me of my favorite place in the Bay Area that I haven’t had in 3+ years since moving away! Thanks for this and all your great recipes 🙂
I cannot believe how easy this was and how delicious. I subbed GF Soy Sauce to make it gluten free and added a little extra chili garlic sauce for extra kick. This came together in 20 min. So quick and delicious.
We love your soup thanks for sharing.
Looks great. After reading reviews I will add try with adding more heat, pork strips and bamboo shoots.
I want to know the carbs. You say nutritional information added at the end of the recipe, I don’t see it. Thank you
So friggin good! I was eating this tonight wishing it was raining outside and I didn’t feel well (not really). This is my new chicken noodle soup. That delicious flavorful soup that just makes you feel better.
my favorite soup ….. looks amazing
problem: you mention NOT to forget the important HOMEMADE WONTON STRIPS
NOT INCLUDED IN RECIPE ???
now, I need the wontons BEFORE I make the soup
please ….. thank you
It is the very first item in the recipe.♀️
What about the crispy won tons???
The first step of the recipe.
I have not made the soup yet but it looks AMAZING! Quick dumb question: where is the recipe or directions for the homemade won ton strips? Cannot seem to find that and I definitely want to include them in the final product.