Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (2024)

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  • Vegetarian Soups

By

Jolinda Hackett

Jolinda Hackett

Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.

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Updated on 07/22/21

Tested by

Diana Andrews

Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (1)

Tested byDiana Andrews

Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

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Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (2)

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 4to 6 servings

Yield: 8 cups

84 ratings

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Chinese hot and sour soup is a light meal or accompaniment that can be enjoyed at any time of day.

This soup recipe combines mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, garlic, green onions,and chili oil, resulting in an authentic dish that vegans and vegetarians (or anyone else for that matter) can enjoy. It's warm, nourishing, and oh-so-delicious.

Make a batch the next time you want to warm up with something hot on a cold day. It's especially welcome if you've got a head cold, as it can really help open your sinuses.

If you order hot and sour soup at a restaurant, it will often be made with meat stock and may contain shredded or minced pork or chicken. Vegan vegetable broth or stock is a great substitution, and the soup has plenty of flavor without meat. If you want to boost the protein or simply make the soup more hearty, add somefried tofuor seitan.

"This delicious, comforting soup comes together quickly and easily with the benefit of being not only vegetarian, but also vegan. You won’t miss the meat since the hearty mushrooms effortlessly replace it. The soup is well-balanced, and you can control the heat level by adding hot sauce and chili oil to your taste." —Diana Andrews

Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (3)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 6 cups vegetable broth

  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms, such as Chinese wood ear mushrooms or shiitake

  • 1 (8-ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained

  • 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free), more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, more to taste

  • 2 tablespoons vinegar, more to taste

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, more for garnish

  • 1 teaspoon chili oil, more to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (4)

  2. In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer and add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, soy sauce, pepper, hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic. Allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes.

    Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (5)

  3. Add the scallions to the pot and simmer for about 5 more minutes.

    Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (6)

  4. Stir in the chili oil.

    Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (7)

  5. Add additional soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, and chili oil to taste. Serve garnished with scallions, if desired.

    Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (8)

Tip

Any mushrooms will do in this recipe, but Chinese wood ear mushrooms or shiitake work best. While shiitake mushrooms are readily available fresh in almost any grocery store, Chinese wood ear mushrooms may take a little more effort to procure. Also called Auricularia black fungus mushrooms, these mushrooms can be purchased dried from many online retailers. Just be sure to give the mushrooms time to soak if you are going to buy them dried.

Recipe Variation

  • Thicker Hot and Sour Soup: This recipe makes a thinner broth soup. If you prefer a thicker consistency, combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water. Mix well and add to the soup after it has cooked for 20 minutes. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes, stirring as it thickens. Once thickened, add the green onions and simmer 5 more minutes.
  • Add in more veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, or peas, if you desire.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Refrigerate any leftover soup once it has cooled and leave at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. It will last in the fridge for up to three days.
  • You can freeze individual servings of the soup to keep on hand when needed.
  • Simply microwave or reheat any leftovers or frozen soup in a saucepan over medium heat and enjoy it hot.

Six Chinese Restaurant-Style Soup Recipes

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
87Calories
1g Fat
17g Carbs
4g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories87
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0g1%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 970mg42%
Total Carbohydrate 17g6%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 7mg36%
Calcium 29mg2%
Iron 1mg8%
Potassium 540mg11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Mushroom
  • appetizer
  • chinese
  • back to school

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Try This Warming Vegetarian Hot and Sour Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the broth made of in hot and sour soup? ›

The soup broth

Chinese Hot and Sour soup broth is made with chicken stock which is flavoured with typical Asian ingredients such as soy sauce, sugar, pepper and ginger. The soup is thickened slightly using cornstarch/cornflour – I love how the glossy broth coats the ingredients when you scoop it up!

What is veg hot and sour soup made of? ›

This is made with Vegetables ,Vinegar, Soy Sauce and Tomato Ketchup. Hot & Sour is the only soup which I order all time... We will go to a near by restaurant often and I will order this soup along with crispy fish fingers..

Is Chinese hot and sour soup healthy? ›

Hot And Sour Soup Is Packed With Micronutrients

This nutrient helps in bone development. Also, it helps in boosting the metabolic rate of the body. The soup also has many other essential nutrients like vitamin B-6, phosphorus, iron, and magnesium.

What are the benefits of hot and sour soup vegetarian? ›

Key Takeaways:
  • 01Low in Calories.
  • 02High in Protein.
  • 03Rich in Vitamin C.
  • 04Good Source of Fiber.
  • 05Contains Essential Minerals.
  • 06Low in Fat.
  • 07Helps with Digestion.
  • 08Contains Antioxidants.

What are the stringy things in hot and sour soup? ›

Form the egg ribbons

Slowly pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream while simultaneously mixing the soup and egg with a ladle or spoon in a circular motion. If done correctly, you will begin to see the egg form silky egg ribbons throughout the soup that gives Hot and Sour soup its signature look!

What is the black stuff in hot and sour soup? ›

What are the dark things in hot and sour soup? The dark things you may find in hot and sour soup is black fungus, also known as wood ear mushrooms. These mushrooms have a dark and black appearance. It's crunchy in texture and adds a unique earthy flavor to the soup.

What's the difference between hot and sour soup and manchow soup? ›

If you've enjoyed hot and sour soup (another Chinese restaurant favorite), you'll definitely relish this manchow soup. While both soups employ similar elements, manchow contains more of stir-fried vegetables and is less sour.

What country is hot and sour soup from? ›

China. "Hot and sour soup" is claimed by the cuisine of Beijing. The Chinese hot and sour soup is usually meat-based, and often contains ingredients such as day lily buds, wood ear fungus, bamboo shoots, and tofu, in a broth that is sometimes flavored with pork blood.

Is hot and sour soup good for your liver? ›

Hot and sour soup supports healthy Liver function. The taste of sour resonates directly with the Liver and helps promote flow. Once you learn how to make the base of the soup, try using different ingredients.

Is hot and sour soup anti-inflammatory? ›

Red chiles, garlic, ginger root, and onion all contain high concentrations of various anti-inflammatory compounds, lending some truth to the folk wisdom that soup is “medicine in a bowl.”

Can diabetics eat hot and sour soup? ›

It is highly recommended that this recipe be relished by diabetics only occasionally and in small quantities. This is just a mere 'treat' and does not qualify for a regular diabetic menu.

What is the healthiest Chinese soup? ›

Egg Drop Soup

Of the soups commonly found on Chinese restaurant menus, egg drop is the healthiest. Totally starving when you walk into a Chinese restaurant? Order soup as an appetizer, and egg drop is tops. "It's really made with eggs, so it does offer quite a bit of protein," says London.

Is miso soup vegetarian? ›

It's typically made with a base stock, miso paste, tofu, soba noodles, and various vegetables. Many varieties of miso soup are vegan, unless the recipe uses fish-derived ingredients, in which case it could suit a pescatarian diet or vegetarian diet that allows seafood.

Is Chinese soup good for weight loss? ›

Weight Loss and Management

You can drink Chinese soups in place of snacks, or simply have them as meal replacements. Just follow these tips if you want to keep your Chinese soups healthy: Remove excess oil: Chinese soups can become oily from boiling fatty meat.

Why is hot and sour soup called hot and sour? ›

Why is it called hot and sour soup? The "hot" in hot and sour soup means spicy-hot, not temperature-hot, referring to the kick from the white pepper powder. Then it's sour from the vinegar.

What makes a broth soup? ›

Broth, stock, and bouillon are all terms used for a rich liquid made by simmering poultry, meat, and/or vegetables in water and seasonings.

What makes hot and sour soup gelatinous? ›

Simmering chopped up chicken carcass and chicken feet with classic Chinese aromatics and smoked ham produces a superior stock rich with gelatin in just about an hour. Using a judiciously small amount of cornstarch adds body to the soup and helps the solid elements stay suspended.

What is chicken hot and sour soup made of? ›

In a saucepan, combine the chicken broth, water, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and hot pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer while you assemble the rest of the ingredients. Place the chicken slices into a bowl and toss with the sesame oil to coat.

What is the difference between broth and bouillon soup? ›

Bouillon is made by removing the water from chicken broth, leaving all the flavor of the broth without the volume.

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