Spicy, tangy and hearty, this Chinese Hot and Sour Soup is a bowl of ultimate comfort. This instant Indo-Chinese recipe comes together in only 15 minutes. All you need are a couple of Asian sauces, vegetables and chicken. You can have it as a side or a full meal for dinner with fish crackers and garlic bread.
Before we bid these cold winters farewell, let me share with you my favourite soup recipe. Among all the soups there are the Chinese Hot and Sour Soup tops the list for me. I remember having it every other day from the street stalls of Pakistan and it used to be the first item I ordered in a Chinese restaurant.
This recipe is very close to the Pakistani-Chinese Hot and Sour Soup that we all love so much. And the best part is it doesn't take so long to make. So if you are suddenly craving for it, all you need are 15 minutes before devouring this bowl of deliciousness.
How To Make Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
- Start with adding the chicken stock to a pot. You can use store-bought chicken broth/stock or dissolve chicken bouillon cubes in water. If you prefer, you can make your own chicken stock from scratch as well.
- On medium heat, bring the stock to a simmer and add all the sauces and spices mentioned in the recipe below.
- Then add the shredded chicken, thinly sliced carrots, bell pepper, cabbage and white part of spring onion. You can also add your choice of vegetables. Some options include mushrooms, green beans, cabbage, bamboo shoots and celery.
- Make a cornflour slurry by mixing cornflour (cornstarch) and water. When the stock starts bubbling thicken the soup with the slurry.
- Pour a whisked egg. Let it settle in the pot and then stir. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- In the end, add the green part of the spring onion and serve the soup hot.
How To Prepare The Chicken
Take a chicken breast and put it in a pan. Add a few tablespoons of water along with some freshly chopped ginger, garlic, black pepper and salt. Cook on very low heat till the chicken is cooked through and the water has dried. Let cool and shred. You can also freeze shredded chicken for future use.
How To Make Instant Pickled Chili
This is my version of the vinegar you get served along with soy sauce and chili sauce in Chinese restaurants. Add 1-2 sliced green chili to ¼ cup of vinegar and let sit for 1 hour before serving. Pour a spoonful on top of your soup and enjoy.
Serving Ideas
Serve this deliciously spicy soup with fish crackers and garlic bread! My sourdough grilled cheese sandwich will also pair well.
You can also serve it as a side with a complete Chinese menu. Some ideas to dress up your Chinese table are: the addictively sweet Indo-Chinese Chicken Manchurian, my ultra-favourite Desi Chow Mein, the glorious Sticky Asian Chicken Wings and some Egg Fried Rice.
Can You Make It Vegetarian
Definitely! Skip the meat or replace it with tofu for a vegetarian Chinese Hot and Sour Soup.
Watch How To Make It
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📖 Recipe
15-Minute Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock see note 1
- 125 g chicken boiled and shredded
- ¾ cup carrots sliced thinly
- ¾ green bell pepper sliced thinly
- ½ cup cabbage optional
- 2 spring onions sliced
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce optional
- 2 tablespoon sriracha or chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- salt to taste if required
- 1 egg whisked
- 4 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with ¼ cup water
Instructions
- In a pot, on medium heat bring the stock to a simmer. Add in the regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sriracha sauce, vinegar, chili garlic sauce, white pepper, brown sugar and sesame oil. Taste for salt, usually the stock and soy sauces make the soup salty enough.
- Then put in the chicken, carrot, bell pepper, cabbage and white part of spring onion.
- Bring the water to a boil. Then gradually pour the cornflour/cornstarch slurry (cornflour mixed with water) while stirring the soup. Don't add all at once, stop adding when you reach your desired soup consistency.
- Lower the heat, add the egg and let it sit in the pot for 1 minute. Then stir and simmer the soup for 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the green part of the spring onion.
- Serve hot with additional soy sauce, sriracha sauce and vinegar and chili mix on the side.
Video
Notes
-
You can also make your own chicken stock by mixing 2-3 chicken stock cubes in 4 cups of water. Some stock cubes are saltier than the others, so adjust to your liking.
-
For a vegetarian soup, skip the chicken.
-
Don't overcook the vegetables or they will get mushy.
- This soup serves 4-6 people.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on March 6, 2019. The recipe has been updated with new pictures, video and detailed instructions. Here is the the old picture:
Judy LePori says
Sounds delicious. I’m anxious to make it ASAP.
Bella says
I made this today and it was amazing. My son, who has never eaten soup (and he is 20 years old) helped to make it, ate it and loved it too.
Rather than chicken (because we did not have it to hand) I made this using Quorn pieces. I was able to use the back of a spoon to push them down so there was a shredded appearance in the soup. We had it with bread and a bit of butter which broke up the spices as this was very spicy.
I also grated the carrot and diced the pepper which make it ready very quickly. One other thing to mention is that there was no need to add any extra salt to this dish.
I will be making this again for sure. Thank you very much for posting this recipe.
Najla says
I try it very nice
Kokolino says
I ate this soup only once 13 years ago and always dreamt of it since then. Last night I just gave it a try with this recipe and it turned out perfect! I have no clue if this is how it's supposed to taste but we loved it!
Where I live there are no authentic Chinese restaurants so I am glad I can do this whenever I want now! Thank you so much!
J cotter says
Absolutely fab, has become a once a week meal, I added pak choi and fine thread noodles for a veggie soup, also works well with prawns
Robin says
Needs about two tablespoons more vinegar. I added regular sliced mushrooms in a can did the carrots by grating them use tofu in addition and quite a bit of cabbage
rjl97 says
Fool proof recipe! 👌🏻👌🏻
AA says
Not so good. This is not close to hot and sour we used to have back home in Pakistan.
Qashang says
I am sorry to hear that the recipe didn't work out for you. Let me know what you didn't like so I can help you achieve that flavour. 🙂
Paul Foster says
Just made this. Used some chicken I had left from a roast chicken, instead of chilli garlic sauce I used 1 teaspoon of extra lazy chilli and one of extra lazy garlic. Looked exactly like your photo.
Ten out of ten for this recipe, better than any I have had from a takeaway in the UK. Thank you very much!
Afshan says
5/5 ❤
Qashang says
Yay glad you liked it 🙂
Ian Shaw says
I always thought that doufu is an essential part of the hot and sour soup.
I understand that one can easily replace doufu with chicken or pork. Since it is not easy to get doufu, I will be using meat instead. Thanks for the tip.
Qashang says
This is a fusion Indo-Chinese Hot & Sour Soup and tofu is not added to it. You can if you want though. Hope the recipe turns out great for you! 🙂
Clay says
The ingredients you list would never look so dark brown. The old picture was more accurate. What did you do to make it so dark?
Qashang says
I use both regular and dark soy sauce in this recipe. The dark soy sauce is what gives this soup that colour. You can see the video if you like. 🙂
Kim H says
I made this tonight. It was quick and easy and very flavorful. I had a bit of zucchini to use up so I cubed some and put it in. I was looking for a recipe for Hot and Sour soup for a while. I had never had in a restaurant before but the combination of hot and sour had my interest. My husband liked it and said it was very similar to what he has had in restaurants. I used Sambal Oelek chill paste in place of the Sriracha. My husband can not eat garlic so left out and flavour was still amazing. Thanks -I will be making again for sure.
Sheila says
Made this soup. Turned out amazing. I can now make this when ever I want. Easy once you have all the ingredients.
Qashang says
Thank you Sheila for trying and liking my recipe!
Afshan Kashif says
I love your recipes. They are too good. My family and I enjoy them. So delicious and tasty.
Suchandra says
Love it.
2pots2cook says
So glad to see how you improved your photography skills ! Also, this is one of those soups you take with both hands to warm and comfort you inside out !
Shahzil says
Tried this recipe of hot and sour soup and it turned out delicious 🤤🥰😍 so easy and tasty🤩
Chili to Choc says
Thank you so much! So happy you liked the recipe.
M.A. says
And how do we cook it? please provide steps. I know some boil, but not sure if that's the case here and/or how much water that requires or how it works. Thanks!
Chili to Choc says
Boil the chicken with a few tablespoons of water and then shred it. Add the cooked, shredded chicken to the soup.
Hi can we leave out the egg will the soup still taste the same says
Hi can we leave out the egg will the soup still taste the same
Chili to Choc says
The texture and look will be different but it will taste almost the same.
M.A. says
are we supposed to cook the chicken first then shred and add it?