This thoroughly authentic Chinese Hot and Sour Soup recipe is carefully crafted, jam-packed with flavor, rivals your very favorite restaurant version, and is sure to WOW your dinner guests!
Good restaurant Chinese hot and sour soup has a very distinct flavor that can be challenging to replicate. Â And not all restaurant hot and sour soups are created equal either – not by a long shot. Â Though you may not be able to pinpoint the difference, you can tell when shortcuts have been taken. Â And have you noticed that you can generally predict the quality of the entree based on the quality of the hot and sour soup? Â A really good hot and sour soup is a good omen for the food to follow.
This authentic Hot and Sour Soup recipe is the real deal – carefully crafted with attention to detail. Give it a try and we’re confident you’ll agree that it is as good as – and most likely far better than – the best hot and sour soup you have enjoyed at your favorite Chinese restaurant!
This is an easy soup to make, it just involves some prep work (which can all be done in advance) and the inclusion of ingredients you may not be familiar with. But once you’ve gathered up the right ingredients the rest is a breeze and you’ll become famous among your friends and family for making the best Chinese Hot and Sour Soup in town!
Key Ingredients For Authentic Hot and Sour Soup
Before we get started, let me introduce you to a couple of key ingredients in this soup that you may not be familiar with.
This soup uses two types of traditional Chinese dried mushrooms: Shiitake and Wood Ear. Shiitake mushrooms are well known but wood ear mushrooms, also called cloud ears or black fungus mushrooms, are less commonly known. These mushrooms come dried and can you usually be found in Asian grocery stores. You can also find them on Amazon (see links above).
The next ingredient is something called Day Lilies. There are a number of culinary uses for day lilies.  Fresh day lilies are great in salads, stuffed, battered and fried, or sauteed.  They are also very nutritious, packing a variety of vitamins.  Day lilies also play an important role in Chinese traditional medicine. Dried day lilies are used for hot and sour soup and you can also find those in Asian grocery stores and on Amazon (see link above).
Another key ingredient in Chinese hot and sour soup is Chinese Black Vinegar. You’ll also need some Chili Oil and Bamboo Shoots.
With these ingredients on hand you are ready to make an authentic and absolutely BEST hot and sour soup!
How To Make Hot and Sour Soup
Let’s get started!
Place the mushrooms in a bowl.
Pour boiling water over them and soak for 20 minutes. Â Reserve 1 cup of the mushroom liquid.
Give the day lilies a brief rinse.
Place the day lilies in a bowl and pour hot water over them. Â Soak for 20 minutes.
While the mushrooms and day lilies are soaking, prepare the remaining ingredients.
Julienne the pork.
Mince 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger.
Place the pork in a small bowl and combine with the ginger and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Â Set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
Drain and julienne the bamboo shoots.
Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch cubes.
Drain the day lilies and squeeze out any excess liquid. Â Cut the hard ends off the lilies. Â Slice the lilies lengthwise.
Chop the lilies into 1 inch lengths.
Squeeze the water from the mushrooms. Â Slice the shiitakes and chop the wood ear mushrooms.
Now let’s make the soup!
Bring the chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquid to a boil and add the soy sauce, vinegar, chile oil, sugar, hot sauce (adding more according to desired level of heat), and pepper. Add the pork, stirring to prevent the pork from sticking together, the bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Add the day lilies and the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and simmer for another minute until slightly thickened.
Add the tofu and simmer for another minute.
Lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture in a steady stream into the simmering soup, remove from heat, and let sit for 20 seconds to let set in fine strands. Stir gently.
Add the sesame oil and green onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
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Authentic Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 4 large dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1/4 cup wood ear mushrooms
- 1/2 cup dried day lilies
- 1/4 lb lean pork finely julienned
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 5 cups quality chicken broth
- 1 cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 4-5 tablespoons black vinegar according to desired sourness see note
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots drained and julienned
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed in 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup tofu cut into 1/4 inch cubes
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons chili oil or more depending on heat preference
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional, for additional heat)
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Instructions
- Place the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in a glass bowl and pour boiling water over them. Soak for 20 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the mushroom liquid, discard the rest. Squeeze the liquid from the mushrooms. Slice the shiitakes and chop the wood ear mushrooms.
- While the mushrooms are soaking, quickly rinse the dried day lilies and soak them in hot water for 20 minutes. Discard the liquid, squeezing any excess from the lilies, cut the hard tips off the bottoms, slice the lilies lengthwise and chop into 1 inch lengths.
- While the mushrooms and day lilies are soaking, place the pork in a small bowl and combine it with the ginger and teaspoon soy sauce. Set aside while you're preparing the other ingredients.
- Bring the chicken broth and the reserved cup of mushroom liquid to a boil in a stock pot. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chile oil, hot sauce (adding more according to desired level of heat), and pepper.
- Add the pork, stirring to prevent the pork from sticking together, the bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Add the day lilies and the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil and simmer for another minute until slightly thickened. Add the tofu and simmer for another minute.
- Pour the egg mixture in a steady stream into the simmering soup, remove from heat, and let sit for 20 seconds to let set in fine strands. Stir gently.
- Add the sesame oil and green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
My husband has a favorite Chinese place that we go to and this is one of my all time favorite soups there! I can’t wait to make this at home!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
awesome that you recreated this soup at home! I never realized how involved making a delicious version was!
christine says
Thanks for the step-by-step photos. I’m familiar w/ the mushrooms but hadn’t even heard of the day lilies. Consider me intrigued!
Liz says
Such fabulous flavors! Perfect for this cold, snowy day!!!
Nathan L. says
Hands down THE best hot sour soup I’ve had. And I’ve tried many different recipes on the web. It’s as good or better than the soup served at my favorite SF restaurant and that’s saying a lot. Well done and thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I am so thrilled to hear that, Nathan, thank you!
Cary Clarke says
This is a great recipe with bold and pungent flavors. A couple of observations worth noting. This soup is plenty spicy without adding the optional hot sauce. Even though I like spicy foods I did not add it and was still sweating an hour after eating. Also, the multi-dimensional textures in this recipe were amazing. I like the soup I get from the Chinese restaurant I frequent, but it probably sits on the stove all day and ends up taking on a monotone soft texture. Now I know what fresh hot and sour soup is supposed to taste like. Well done Kimberly!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cary, I’m so happy you enjoyed this and really appreciate the detailed feedback, thank you! I don’t personally add hot sauce to mine either, but I don’t have as high of a heat tolerance as some do, so the option is there to add additional heat for anyone who likes it really spicy. Thanks again, Cary!
Dave says
I’m making this recipe because I like the soup and I have the ingredients except for the day lilies. I think this recipe will be a great tasting soup.
shannon says
I’d like to try the mushrooms because I want to make this Hot and Sour soup.
Elaine says
I have been on a soup binge. Chicken, Ox Tail, WIld Cream of Mushroom,and Taco. My husband said I should try one of his favorites. Hot Sour
So I went immediately to daring gourmet.com. I made this just today. It (as always) all the recipes I tried from this site was awesome.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that, Elaine, thank you so much for the feedback and compliment! :)
Erika says
Hi, Can’t wait to make this recipe this weekend for a friend! However, I’m leaving out the pork (since my friend abstains from meat). Shall I just mix the ginger and soy sauce together and set aside…does it matter?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Erika! Correct. No adjustments are needed. Simply omit and pork and follow the recipe as outlined. Happy cooking!
mary johnson says
I would like to win these mushrooms because the restaurant that we frequent at least 3 times per week has the BEST hot and sour soup I have ever eaten bar none. I would like to make your soup and see if it really is as good as the best I have had in a restaurant.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mary, definitely give this a try and let us know what you think!
jennifer says
Hi Kimberly, will veal or chicken work fine with this recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer, absolutely! You can also leave the meat out entirely.
Jennifer says
it’s me again :) …… if i use veal, then should i use beef broth OR stick to the chicken broth.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer! I’m not a veal expert but I’d say either. I’m still leaning towards chicken still…
Anonymous says
Hi Kimberly,
Phil from Liverpool UK here. Tried your recipe this evening and have to say very impressed. Our restaurants here in England include prawns (that’s shrimp to you :-) ) and the soup is served with a distinct reddish colour so i added some prawns and added a few drops of red food colouring into the stock which worked well. Gutted when i realised half way thorugh i ran out of eggs, but still the end product was really really good. Kudos to you..recipe is great and for sure will be making another batch real soon!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Phil, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it and really appreciate your feedback! Yes, I lived in England for 7 years and am very familiar with the term prawns and a whole host of other words that have become very endearing to me :)
Bob says
Hot n Sour soup is the best thing a person can eat when feeling a bit under the weather and I have it at least 3 times a week just because I love it so much! I`m familiar with most mushrooms including the delicious local “sponge” mushroom we have here in the Midwest. I can`t wait to try this recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It sure is, Bob! I’ve always been fascinated by all the different kinds of edible mushrooms. I’m not familiar with the Midwest sponge mushroom but there are a number of mushrooms that can be substituted in this soup. Your local mushroom may elevate this soup to new heights! Happy cooking, Bob!
Norm Goldman says
I am an amateur cook and your instructions make it so easy that I can’t wait to go ot to the Asian grocery store to pck up the necessary supplies for Hot and Sour soup. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’re welcome, Norm, I’m excited you’ll be making this! Happy cooking and enjoy!