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Chinese · Sichuan

Hot and sour soup

Non-vegetarian

酸辣汤 · suānlà tāng

A thickened soup of tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and silky egg ribbons, sharpened with black vinegar and heated with plenty of white pepper.

Hot and sour soup is a Chinese soup from China, ready in about 30 minutes and made with tofu, chinese black vinegar and white pepper. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Appetizing hot and sour soup in a bowl garnished with fresh herbs.
Photo: Patrick / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
267

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring the stock to the boil. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots (opens in a new tab) and pork if using, and simmer until the pork is cooked.

  2. Step 2

    Add the tofu (opens in a new tab), soy sauce (opens in a new tab) and salt and return to a simmer.

    • 2 min
    • medium heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Stir the cornstarch (opens in a new tab) with the water and pour it in while stirring; simmer until the soup thickens slightly.

    • 2 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Turn the heat to low. Stir the soup in one direction and drizzle in the egg (opens in a new tab) in a thin stream so it sets in ribbons. Do not stir again for 30 seconds.

    • 1 min
    • low heat

  5. Step 5

    Take the pan off the heat and stir in the black vinegar, white pepper (opens in a new tab) and sesame oil (opens in a new tab) — vinegar boiled in the soup loses its sharpness. Taste and add more vinegar or pepper. Serve topped with spring onion (opens in a new tab) and chilli oil (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

    Vinegar loses its edge when boiled, so add it at the end.

About this dish

Origin
China · Commonly attributedRegional versions exist across China, notably in Sichuan and Beijing.Also popular in Taiwan, United StatesMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Simmered
Taste
sour, peppery, umami, savoury
Diet
Dairy-free · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Low-fat · Calorie-conscious
Without the optional extras: No nut ingredients, Pork-freeWith the listed swaps: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), Eggetarian, Ovo-vegetarian, PescatarianWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Tofu · Chinese black vinegar · White pepper · Chicken stock · Shiitake mushrooms · Bamboo shoots
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • May contain: Peanutsfrom chilli oil
  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom soy sauce, chinese black vinegar
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom soy sauce, chinese black vinegar
  • Contains: Soyfrom tofu, soy sauce, chilli oil
  • Contains: Sesamefrom toasted sesame oil, chilli oil
  • May contain: Celeryfrom chicken stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

267 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 433 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 30%
  • Carbohydrate 33%
  • Fat 37%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy267 kcal62 kcal
Protein20.1 g4.6 g
Carbohydrate22.6 g5.2 g
Net carbohydrate19.9 g4.6 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.7 g0.6 g
Fat11.2 g2.6 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat——
Cholesterol——
Sodium1168 mg270 mg
Salt equivalent2.9 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
598 mg
Calcium
381 mg
Iron
3 mg
Magnesium
59 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
—
Vitamin D
0.6 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
49 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: chilli oil, pork tenderloin.
  • Chinese black vinegar: Balsamic vinegar (FDC 172241) used as a stand-in for Chinkiang/Zhenjiang black rice vinegar; both are dark, aged and slightly sweet.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The heat should come from white pepper and the sourness from vinegar — adjust both at the end, after the vinegar goes in.
  • Soaked dried wood ear mushrooms and dried lily buds are classic additions; add them with the shiitake.

Common mistakes

  • Stirring vigorously after adding the egg gives cloudy soup instead of ribbons.

Serve with

  • Serve as a starter before stir-fries and dumplings.

Food safety

  • If using pork, simmer until the strips are no longer pink before adding the tofu.
  • Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate; bring back to a full simmer before serving.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the soup thins as it sits.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently; refresh with a splash of vinegar.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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