Chinese Hot and Sour Tofu Soup Recipe

This Chinese hot and sour soup with tofu is a warming, nourishing soup with bold savoury, spicy and tangy flavours. It is a lovely choice when you want something light but satisfying, and it is especially comforting on cold days or when you feel in need of a healthy, vitamin-rich bowl of soup.

If you enjoy making homemade soup, this hot and sour soup with tofu is a recipe worth adding to your regular rotation. It is full of flavour, quick to prepare and easy to adapt depending on what you already have in the kitchen. In this version, firm tofu makes the soup filling while keeping it vegetarian, but the same base also works well with chicken or prawns if you prefer.

This is not intended to be a completely authentic Chinese hot and sour soup. It is a simple home-style version inspired by Chinese flavours, designed to be practical for everyday cooking. The ingredients are easy to adjust, and there are plenty of ways to change the vegetables, level of heat and protein to suit your own taste. Even if you are missing one or two ingredients, you can still make a delicious bowl of soup with a good balance of heat, acidity and savoury depth.

Ingredient notes for Chinese hot and sour soup with tofu

This hot and sour soup with tofu is simple to make, but each ingredient helps build the final flavour. You will need the following:

• Cooking oil – Vegetable oil, sunflower oil or a light olive oil all work well. Use the everyday cooking oil you normally keep at home.
• Aromatics – Fresh root ginger, garlic cloves, chilli pepper and coriander add lots of flavour. Garlic and ginger paste can be used if that is more convenient. One bird’s eye chilli gives gentle heat, but you can use more for a fiery soup. For a milder version, choose a less spicy chilli or remove the seeds.
• Vegetables – Shiitake mushrooms, carrot, bamboo shoots and spring onions give the soup texture and colour. You can vary the vegetables depending on what you have. This is a useful recipe for using up vegetables that need eating.
• Tofu – Firm tofu works best as it holds its shape in the soup. If you do not enjoy tofu or do not need the soup to be vegetarian, replace it with cooked chicken or prawns.
• Vegetable stock – Homemade vegetable stock is ideal, but a good stock cube is perfectly fine for a quick version.
• Soy sauce – This adds saltiness and savoury depth to the broth.
• Rice wine vinegar – This gives the soup its sour note. Add a little more at the end if you prefer a sharper flavour.
• Toasted sesame oil – A small amount adds a rich, nutty finish. It is best stirred in near the end rather than used for frying.
• Egg – Hot and sour soup often has beaten egg stirred in at the end to create fine ribbons. Leave it out if you want to make the soup vegan.
• Sichuan pepper – A pinch at the end gives a distinctive flavour. If you do not have it, or if you do not like the taste, season with ordinary black or white pepper instead.

How to make Chinese hot and sour soup

For the full quantities and step-by-step method, use the recipe card below. The process is straightforward and does not take long, making this a great option for a quick lunch or a light dinner.

Start by heating a little oil in a large saucepan. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic and chilli. Cook them gently for about five minutes, stirring often so they soften and release their flavour without burning.

Next, add the mushrooms, carrot, bamboo shoots, tofu and vegetable stock. Bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for around five minutes. The vegetables should soften slightly while still keeping some texture.

Stir in the spring onions and about half of the coriander. Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork, then pour it slowly into the soup while stirring continuously. This creates delicate strands of egg through the broth.

Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and toasted sesame oil. Taste the soup before serving and adjust the seasoning if needed. You may want a little more vinegar for sourness, soy sauce for saltiness or chilli for heat.

Serve the soup hot, topped with the remaining coriander and a small pinch of Sichuan pepper if you have it. If not, ordinary pepper is a good alternative.

How can you adapt Chinese hot and sour soup?

There are many easy ways to adapt this Chinese hot and sour soup with tofu. You can change the vegetables according to the season or whatever is already in your fridge. Thinly sliced cabbage, peppers, baby corn or other mushrooms would all work well. You can also increase the ginger, garlic or chilli if you enjoy stronger flavours.

To make the soup more filling, serve it over cooked noodles or rice. This is not traditional, but it turns the soup into a more substantial meal and works especially well for dinner. For a vegan version, leave out the egg and make sure the stock and other ingredients are suitable.

Storing and reheating the leftovers

Leftover hot and sour soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for at least three days. Let the soup cool before storing it, then reheat only the portion you need.

You can reheat it gently in a saucepan on the hob or warm it in the microwave. Stir well before serving and check that it is piping hot throughout.

Can you freeze it?

Yes, this soup can be frozen. Freeze it in individual portions for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating, then warm gently until hot. The texture of tofu can change slightly after freezing, but the soup will still taste good.

Recipe

More recipes you might like

If you enjoy this Chinese hot and sour soup with tofu, you may also like other warming soup recipes with bold flavours, noodles, lentils or prawns.

• Homemade Instant Noodle Soup
• Salmon Miso Soup with Soba Noodles
• Red Lentil Soup with Curry Spices
• Quick Tom Yum Soup with Prawns

Keep in touch

Let me know if you make this Chinese hot and sour soup with tofu or try your own variation. Reader feedback is always welcome, especially when you adapt the recipe with different vegetables, extra chilli or another protein.

This easy tofu hot and sour soup is a simple way to enjoy a warming homemade soup with plenty of flavour, and it is flexible enough to make again and again.