Authentic Chinese gluten-free hot and sour soup with loads of vegetables, tofu, and an egg cooked in a rich chicken broth or vegetable broth. The flavor is enhanced by Chinese black vinegar and ground white pepper.

Hot and Sour Soup

It’s hot, and it’s sour.

But it’s not mouth-burning hot, and it’s not that kind of sour where you take a sip, and you squeeze your eyes, nose, and mouth altogether.

Instead, this hot sour soup recipe I am about to share with you has a very balanced flavor. It’s another recipe I learned from my mom while visiting her in China. As long as you don’t hate vinegar, you’ll be able to enjoy it. I promise.

Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients

Both crunchiness and tenderness.

The crunchiness comes from certain vegetables, such as carrots and water bamboo shoots. Obviously, we don’t have that here in the States. At least I haven’t seen them. So we are gonna substitute with broccoli stems. (My genius mom came up with this idea. I hope you don’t throw away broccoli stems anymore after learning this recipe.)

Hot and Sour Soup in a soup pot

Next, tofu and a beaten egg are going to bring the soup that hearty and comforting tenderness. Most importantly, there will be two types of mushrooms in the soup: shiitake and enoki. To me, the mushroom texture is the third layer, somewhere in between the carrots and the tofu.

Vegetable broth, chicken broth, or even beef bone broth will all work as the soup base. It depends on what you have in the kitchen or your preference. You know I prefer homemade stuff.

Now, you’ve got the ingredients down. We are going to cut everything into thin matchsticks. Why? Why don’t we just dice the vegetables like we normally do for soup?

Ladling hot and sour soup

Because the hot-and-sour soup is quick to make. We don’t simmer the vegetables for long. The actual cooking time is only 10 minutes. By thinly slicing the vegetables, they’ll be easier to cook. Within 10 minutes, the carrots and broccoli stems won’t be melt-in-your-mouth tender, but they will be soft and still crunchy, which is exactly what we want. Other ingredients will be cooked almost instantly in the boiling broth.

After a holiday feast, give your stomach a break or cleanse by enjoying this hot, sour soup the next day. Your taste buds will be happy too!

Hot and Sour Soup
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Authentic Chinese gluten-free hot and sour soup with loads of vegetables, tofu, and an egg cooked in a rich chicken broth or vegetable broth.

Hot and Sour Soup (Gluten-Free)

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  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Authentic Chinese hot and sour soup with loads of vegetables, tofu, and an egg, cooked in a rich chicken or vegetable broth.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup enoki mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
  • 1/2 cup broccoli stems, cut into matchsticks (stems, not florets)
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1/4 (16-ounce) block extra firm tofu, cut into strips
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • Fresh cilantro leaves for garnishing

Instructions

  1. Place shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, carrots, broccoli stems, and chicken bone broth or vegetable broth in a large saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
  2. Turn the heat to medium, and add vinegar, coconut aminos, and tofu. Gently stir.
  3. Slowly stir in the dissolved cornstarch in the soup. Keep stirring. The soup will start thickening. Add the beaten egg and immediately start stirring. Turn off the heat. The egg should break into very small pieces, floating on the surface of the soup.
  4. Season the soup with 1/4 teaspoon of ground white pepper first. Taste and add more if desired. (I found that 3/4 teaspoon of white pepper is perfect for my taste.) But you can adjust the amount according to your preference.) Dish and garnish with cilantro. Serve warm.

Notes

If desired, you can add 2 sticks imitation crab meat in the soup. Add it with the tofu at step 2. Imitation crab meat contains wheat.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 153
  • Sugar: 6g
  • Sodium: 368.4mg
  • Fat: 5.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 15.9g
  • Protein: 10.6g
  • Cholesterol: 33.9mg

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About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and author of the Complete Sous Vide Cookbook. She believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she aims to make meal prep easier than ever and help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.