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Hot and Sour Soup – make your own take out at home with this simple and easy soup! It is loaded with chicken, mushrooms, tofu and silky ribbons of eggs. Tastes just like P.F. Chang’s!
Chinese take out is a staple for so many people, and rightfully so, it is tasty stuff! But making your own take out at home is just a fun and delicious way to have dinner. Not only can you control the ingredients (less salt, good quality meat etc) you can use the vegetables and ingredients your family enjoys.
The Asian Recipe section on the blog is ever growing, with so many take out staples in there like Chicken Lo Mein or Egg Drop Soup. And today we are adding another classic. Hot and Sour Soup is on almost every Chinese menu out there. Some versions are really good, some are overly salt, some are just bland. Well this is one you will come back to over and over again!
What Is Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup is a Chinese style soup that is a staple on most take out menus. It is usually a meat based soup with pork or chicken broth and then is full of tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and egg ribbons. The white pepper makes it hot and the vinegar gives it the sour taste.
This hot and sour soup tastes exactly like the one at PF Chang’s! So if you have ever tried that, you are going to love this.
Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts
- Water
- Low Sodium Chicken Stock – using low sodium is a must or your dish will end up too salty
- Soy Sauce – I like to use low sodium soy sauce for almost all of my cooking
- Dark Soy Sauce – If you can not find dark soy sauce, using more of the regular soy sauce will work
- White Vinegar
- White Pepper
- Firm Tofu – cut into small cubes
- Bamboo Shoots – if you can find ones that are sliced into thin sticks use those. Or I like to slice the more traditional ones into matchstick size before adding to the soup.
- Mushrooms – I like to use baby bella mushrooms
- Sesame Oil
- Cornstarch
- Eggs
- Green Onions
Don’t click away after seeing the ingredient list. I get that it looks long, but it is mostly pantry staples that you can have on hand at any time! This comes together in about 25 minutes, so it is great for busy nights.
Hot and Sour Soup is a staple at Chinese restaurants, but often times it is disappointing. They make a big batch of it and then just scoop out a portion when it is is ordered. This is made fresh and is very balanced with flavor. It isn’t too salty or gloopy. It will definitely give you a different opinion of this classic soup.
How To Make Hot and Sour Soup
- Cut the chicken into 1/8th inch thin strips. Add them to a large stockpot that full of boiling water. Cook for a few minutes until it is cooked. Drain the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pot, heat chicken stock over medium heat. Add soy sauce, dark soy, white vinegar, white pepper, tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, sesame oil, and the cooked chicken. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- While you are waiting for the soup to come to a simmer, stir the cornstarch with some chicken stock until it is fully combined with no lumps.
- When the soup comes to a simmer, slowly stream in the cornstarch mixture while stirring. You want to make sure no cornstarch gets stuck on the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until the soup has thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Use a ladle to add the eggs. We are going to stir the soup then toss some of the beaten egg into the soup with the ladle, then again stir the egg in through the soup. Do this in about 6 batches. This will make the egg ribbon effect.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve with a garnish of scallions.
This is such a quick and easy soup that you can make to really take your homemade take out to a whole new level! And if you are a fan of the P.F. Chang’s version, you are going to want to make this immediately!
You really can mix this up and customize to your taste. If you want to make it meat free, leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth. Pork is also delicious in this soup. So many different ways customize and add whatever your favorite veggies are.
More Asian Recipes
- Easy Sesame Chicken
- Cashew Chicken
- Stir Fry Noodles
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Ground Mongolian Beef
- Wonton Soup
Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast
- 4 cups water
- 2 32 ounce boxes low sodium chicken stock, divided
- 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
- 7 ounces firm tofu, but into small cubes
- 8 ounces bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces baby bella mushroom, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 6 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- scallions thinly sliced for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1/8th inch thin strips.
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add chicken strips and cook for about 3 minutes, until it is cooked. Drain the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pot, heat chicken stock (reserve 3/4 cup of chicken stock for later) over medium heat. Add soy sauce, dark soy, white vinegar, white pepper, tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, sesame oil, and the cooked chicken. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- While you are waiting for the soup to come to a simmer, stir the cornstarch with the reserved chicken stock until it is fully combined with no lumps.
- When the soup comes to a simmer, slowly stream in the cornstarch mixture while stirring. Make sure no cornstarch gets stuck on the bottom of the pot. Continue to cook until the soup has thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Use a ladle to add the eggs. Stir the soup, slowly pour in some of the beaten egg. Use the ladle to continue stirring the soup.. Do this in about 3 batches. This will make the egg ribbon effect.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve with a garnish of scallions.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Perfect flavor. We like it even better than takeout.
mmmm..such a fantastic soup! I can’t wait to try this! YUM!
Oh my goodness, I LOVE the flavors in this Hot and Sour soup!! Incredibly delicious!
Hot and sour is such an amazing flavor! My husband will love this soup!
My family and I love this soup, and it’s so much better than our takeout place! Such a delicious and easy recipe to throw together! Can’t wait to make this again!
This tastes just like my favorite takeout! And it’s so easy!