Classic Hot and Sour Soup | Spicy, Tangy Chinese Soup at Home
Hot and sour soup is the perfect balance of bold flavours — warming heat, tangy sharpness and deep savoury richness all in one comforting bowl. Inspired by classic Asian flavours, it’s surprisingly quick to make at home and uses simple ingredients to create something wonderfully aromatic and satisfying.
With tender vegetables, silky broth and just the right kick of spice, it’s ideal for chilly evenings, easy lunches or whenever you’re craving something soothing but full of character.
Once you’ve made it from scratch, you’ll find yourself coming back to this vibrant, flavour‑packed soup again and again. It’s a really popular choice from our local Chinese takeaway, and this homemade version tastes just as good.
Serving Suggestions for Hot & Sour Soup
- Vegetable Spring Rolls Crisp pastry and fresh veg offer a crunchy contrast to the silky soup
- Chicken Gyoza Tender dumplings with savoury filling that pair beautifully with the spicy broth
- Prawn Crackers Light, crunchy bites that echo classic takeaway flavours
- Stir‑Fried Greens Pak choi, broccoli or green beans add freshness and a clean, earthy contrast
- Crispy Tofu Bites Golden tofu adds protein and a satisfying crunch
- Salt & Pepper Chips A fun, familiar side that brings spice and crunch.
Variations: Hot and Sour Soup
- Extra‑Hot Version — keep the chilli seeds in, add a spoon of chilli paste, or finish with extra chilli oil.
- Chicken Hot & Sour Soup — stir in shredded cooked chicken during the final simmer.
- Tofu & Mushroom — add sliced mushrooms and cubes of firm tofu for a heartier, vegetarian bowl.
- Prawn Hot & Sour — drop in raw prawns for the last 3–4 minutes until pink and cooked through.
- Thick & Glossy Takeaway Style — increase the cornflour slurry for a richer, silkier consistency.
- Noodle Bowl — add cooked rice noodles or egg noodles to make it a full meal.
- Sichuan Pepper Twist — add a pinch of ground Sichuan pepper for a tingling, aromatic heat.
- Veg‑Packed Version — stir in pak choi, shredded carrot or baby corn for extra texture.
- Miso Hot & Sour — whisk in a spoon of white miso for deeper umami.
- Coconut Hot & Sour — add a splash of coconut milk for a creamy, lightly sweet variation.
- Sweet & Sour Balance — add a teaspoon of sugar or honey if you want a softer, more rounded flavour.
- Egg‑Drop Style — swirl in an extra beaten egg for more ribbons and body.
Hot and sour soup
A bold, tangy hot and sour soup with tender vegetables and warming spice, perfect for a cosy, flavour‑packed bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 1 tsp ginger puree
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (if you like it hotter, you can leave the seeds)
- 1 tbsp dry sherry or shaoxing rice wine
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tin water chestnuts
- handful of frozen peas
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp chilli oil
- pinch of freshly ground white pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Pour the stock into a pan and bring to the boil. Add all the ingredients up to and including frozen peas and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the soy sauce, vinegar, chilli oil, white pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the egg constantly stirring to ensure the egg breaks up, then add the blended cornflour and stir to thicken the soup (add more if you like a thicker consistency). Serve immediately.