Description
This easy hot and sour soup delivers a perfect balance of tang and heat, making it a satisfying and quick meal for busy weeknights or a comforting family-friendly dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced (or extra firm tofu, pressed and diced, for a vegetarian option)
- 8 oz firm tofu, pressed and diced
- 0.5 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
- 0.25 oz dried wood ear mushrooms, rehydrate in warm water for 20 minutes
- 1 (8 oz) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
- 0.25 cup low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari for a gluten-free option)
- 0.25 cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp white pepper
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 0.25 cup cold water (for slurry)
- 2–3 Tbsp quality chili oil
- 0.25 cup fresh scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Rehydrate Mushrooms and Prepare Ingredients: Rehydrate dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 15 minutes. While they soak, thinly slice chicken breast, dice pressed firm tofu, chop scallions, and measure all other ingredients.
- Sauté Protein and Simmer Broth: Heat a large 4-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken or tofu and sauté until lightly browned and cooked through (3-5 minutes). Add broth, rehydrated mushrooms (sliced if large), and drained bamboo shoots. Bring to a simmer and let flavors meld for 10 minutes.
- Thicken and Season Soup: Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry until the soup thickens and coats the back of a spoon (1-2 minutes), ensuring the soup is at a rolling simmer. Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings (vinegar for tang, white pepper for heat).
- Serve with Garnish: Ladle hot soup into bowls. Drizzle a generous amount of chili oil in a spiral pattern over the top, then scatter fresh scallion threads as a garnish.
Notes
Boost protein with shrimp or extra tofu, or add veggies like napa cabbage, carrots, or spinach. Use fresh shiitake for different texture or dried for deeper umami. For vegetarian, omit chicken and use vegetable broth. For gluten-free, use tamari and pure cornstarch. Always adjust sour and hot balance to taste, and ensure soup is simmering when adding slurry for thickening.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (360 g)
- Calories: 200 calories
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg