Tangy, peppery and packed with vegetables, hot and sour soup is a Chinese restaurant favourite that is easy to make at home. This version follows the Pakistani-Chinese style loved in Karachi and Lahore restaurants, with tender shredded chicken, crunchy vegetables, a glossy broth and that unmistakable punch of vinegar and black pepper.
What makes it great is balance. The heat comes mainly from pepper and a little chilli, the sourness from vinegar, and soy sauce brings savoury depth. Everything is adjusted at the end, so you can taste and tweak until the bowl is exactly how you like it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is ready in about 30 minutes once your ingredients are chopped.
- It clears the head on a cold day and tastes as good as takeaway.
- It is full of vegetables, and easy to make vegetarian.
- Every element can be adjusted: more heat, more tang or more body.
Ingredients Breakdown
A good hot and sour soup relies on a few pantry staples. Here is what each brings and how to substitute.
- Chicken: boneless breast or thigh, cut into thin strips. Thigh stays juicier. For a vegetarian soup, use firm tofu.
- Chicken stock: homemade or low-salt ready-made. Vegetable stock works too.
- Vegetables: carrot, cabbage, capsicum, mushrooms and spring onions, all cut into fine matchsticks. Bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms are traditional if you can find them.
- Vinegar: plain white vinegar is standard in Pakistani restaurants. Chinese black vinegar adds a deeper, malty sourness.
- Soy sauce: light soy for saltiness; a dash of dark soy for colour.
- Black or white pepper: the main source of heat. Use freshly ground for the best kick.
- Chilli sauce: for extra heat and a touch of sweetness.
- Cornflour and egg: to thicken the broth and add silky ribbons.
Hot and Sour Soup Recipe: Restaurant-Style in 30 Minutes
Chinese · Soup · Easy
Ingredients
- 250 g boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1.2 litres (5 cups) chicken stock
- 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 100 g (1 cup) mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 100 g (1 1/2 cups) cabbage, finely shredded
- 1/2 capsicum (bell pepper), cut into thin strips
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce, plus 1 tsp for the chicken
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 100 ml cold water, plus 1 tsp for the chicken
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp freshly ground black or white pepper
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- Salt and sugar, to taste
Method
- Toss the chicken strips with 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp cornflour.
- Heat the oil in a large pot, fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then add the chicken and stir-fry until white all over.
- Add the stock and bring to the boil; add carrot and mushrooms and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the cabbage and capsicum and simmer for 2 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through to 74°C (165°F).
- Stir in the soy sauces, chilli sauce and 3 tbsp vinegar.
- Pour in the cornflour slurry while stirring until the soup is glossy and thickened.
- Lower the heat, drizzle in the beaten egg, wait a few seconds and stir gently.
- Off the heat, add the remaining vinegar and pepper; taste and adjust with salt or sugar.
- Serve hot, garnished with spring onion.
The Method, Stage by Stage
Prep everything first
This soup cooks fast, so chop all vegetables into thin, even matchsticks before you turn on the heat. Even cutting means everything cooks at the same rate and the soup looks neat. Mix the sauces together in a small bowl and make the cornflour slurry so they are ready to go.
Cook the chicken
Toss the chicken strips with a teaspoon of soy sauce and a teaspoon of cornflour. This light coating, known as velveting, keeps the meat tender. Heat a little oil in a large pot, add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then add the chicken and stir-fry until it turns white all over.
Simmer the broth
Pour in the stock and bring it to the boil. Add carrots and mushrooms first, as they take longest, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the cabbage and capsicum and cook for 2 minutes more so they stay slightly crunchy. Make sure the chicken is cooked through to 74°C (165°F); thin strips will be done well within this time.
Season and thicken
Add the soy sauces, chilli sauce and most of the vinegar. Stir the cornflour slurry well and pour it into the simmering soup in a steady stream, stirring all the time, until the soup is glossy and coats a spoon.
Add the egg and finish
Lower the heat, swirl the soup and drizzle in the beaten egg. Let it set for a few seconds before stirring gently. Finish with plenty of black pepper and the remaining vinegar, added off the heat. Vinegar loses its sharpness when boiled, so adding some at the end keeps the sour flavour bright.
Getting the Balance Right
| If the soup tastes… | Try adding |
|---|---|
| Flat or dull | More vinegar, a pinch of salt |
| Too sour | A pinch of sugar, a splash of stock |
| Not hot enough | More black pepper or chilli oil |
| Too salty | Hot water or unsalted stock |
| Too thin | A little more cornflour slurry |
Taste after each small addition. Hot and sour soup should make you notice both elements at once, with neither shouting over the other.
It also helps to remember that flavours change as the soup sits. Pepper grows stronger and vinegar softens over a few minutes, so do your final tasting just before ladling into bowls rather than straight after adding the seasoning.
Variations to Try
Vegetarian: skip the chicken, use vegetable stock, and add cubes of firm tofu and extra mushrooms.
Prawn: add peeled prawns in the last 2 minutes of simmering; they cook quickly and turn pink when done.
Sichuan style: use black vinegar and white pepper, and add a few drops of chilli oil and sesame oil at the end.
Extra vegetables: add bean sprouts, baby corn or thin strips of green beans.
Leftover roast chicken: shred cooked chicken and add it with the stock; simply heat it through until piping hot.
Serving and Storage
Serve piping hot in bowls, garnished with sliced spring onion and fresh coriander. Put soy sauce, chilli vinegar and chilli sauce on the table. It is a perfect starter before chicken fried rice, chow mein or Manchurian, or a light meal on its own with prawn crackers.
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within two hours of cooking and eat within 3 days. The soup will thicken as it cools and the vegetables will soften a little. Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water until it is steaming hot throughout, then refresh it with a few drops of vinegar and fresh pepper. Freezing is possible, but the vegetables lose their crunch, so it is best enjoyed fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What gives hot and sour soup its heat?
Mainly pepper, often white pepper, plus chilli sauce or chilli oil. Pepper gives a warm, throat-tickling heat that is different from fresh chilli.
Which vinegar is best?
White vinegar gives the sharp taste familiar from Pakistani restaurants. Chinese black vinegar gives a rounder, slightly sweet sourness. A mix of both is lovely.
Can I make it ahead for guests?
Make the broth with chicken and vegetables ahead, then reheat, thicken and add the egg just before serving for the best texture.
Why did my egg turn into lumps instead of ribbons?
The soup was stirred too vigorously or the egg was poured too quickly. Pour slowly into gently moving soup and wait before stirring.
Final Thoughts
This homemade hot and sour soup is quick, warming and easy to customise. Keep vinegar, soy sauce and pepper in the cupboard, and you can make a restaurant-worthy bowl any evening the weather turns cold.
