Hot & Sour Soup Recipe - Restaurant-Style, Spicy & Ready in 30 Minutes

Hot and sour soup is a light Indo-Chinese soup. It contains finely chopped vegetables cooked in a clear, tangy broth. 

It gets its spice from black pepper powder and sourness from vinegar. You can make this hot and sour soup recipe in about 30 minutes using simple vegetables that you already have in your refrigerator.

Most families order this soup first at any Chinese restaurant. Restaurants serve this soup hot in a small bowl with the noodles. 

The best part is that the similar restaurant variant is very easy to make. There is no need for any secret sauce. 

It is just proper crunchy vegetables, an amazing broth, the right amount of black pepper, and a little cornflour to give this soup its texture.

Why You Will Love This Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

• You can easily make this soup in 30 minutes, including chopping.
• The entire recipe uses a single pot, so there is no need for extensive washing.
• The vegetables stay crunchy, similar to the soup you get in restaurants.
• You can adjust the spice according to your family’s preference.

List of Ingredients 

This hot & sour soup recipe serves 4 people.

For the vegetables:

• ¼ cup thinly striped carrot
• ¼ cup thinly shredded cabbage
• ¼ cup thinly striped capsicum
• ¼ cup finely chopped French beans
• 4-5 button mushrooms, sliced thin
• 2 tbsp chopped spring onion

For the soup base:

• 4 cups water or vegetable stock 
• 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic, or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt, to taste

For the hot and sour flavour:

• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 2 tbsp vinegar 
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp green chilli sauce or red chilli sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar

For thickening:

• 2 tbsp cornflour slurry made with 4 tbsp cold water

Step-by-Step Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

Step 1: Chop all the vegetables into thin strips first

You can add your choice of vegetables, but never use leafy vegetables. You can use vegetables like carrots, cabbage, capsicum, beans, and mushrooms. 

Chop them into thin strips or fine pieces. Place them on a plate and keep them ready to add. This soup cooks quickly, so you won’t have time to chop them in between.

Step 2: Properly sauté finely chopped ginger and garlic

Take 1 tbsp oil in a deep pan and heat it over a high flame. Once heated, add the chopped ginger and garlic and sauté for 20 seconds. 

Make sure they won’t turn brown. If you are using garlic and ginger powder instead, add them here and stir in hot oil for just 10 seconds.

Step 3: Toss the vegetables over high heat

Once the ginger and garlic are cooked, add the spring onion whites, along with all the other chopped vegetables. 

Stir-fry these vegetables over very high heat for 2-3 minutes. The vegetables should stay a little raw and crunchy. 

If you cook these vegetables for longer, they will turn soft, and you won’t get the restaurant-style texture.

Step 4: Add water and let it simmer

After that, add in 4 cups of water or vegetable stock. Add salt to taste. Bring the water to a gentle boil, then let it simmer for 3 to 4 minutes over low heat.

Step 5: Add the flavour enhancers

On low heat, add your sauces like soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chilli sauce, and black pepper powder. 

Mix them well with water. Taste the soup and adjust the flavor by adding extra vinegar or soy sauce for a sourer taste, or more black pepper for a spicier one.

Step 6: Add cornflour slurry to thicken the soup

Once the spices are added and adjusted to taste, combine the cornflour with cold water until there are no lumps. 

Pour this slurry directly into the soup gently while stirring continuously with the other hand. Let the soup simmer for 2 more minutes. 

The soup's texture will turn slightly glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Step 7: Garnish and serve it hot

Turn off the flame. Transfer the soup to a soup bowl and garnish with a handful of chopped spring onion greens and a little extra black pepper. 

Serve it hot, with vinegar, chilli sauce, and black pepper on the side.

Hot and Sour Soup Recipe Variations

Hot and sour soup with tofu or paneer 

For a heavy, protein-rich soup, you can add ¼ cup of small tofu or paneer cubes during Step 4, along with the water. 

This variant makes the soup more filling and is perfect for a light dinner on its own.

Manchow style 

If you want to add a little crunch and make this soup more interesting, you can top the bowl with some fried noodles or other crunchy snacks right before serving. 

This variant is very popular with kids, and they usually finish the bowl faster.

Chicken hot and sour soup 

If you want to add more nutrients and prefer non-veg, you can add ½ cup of boiled, shredded chicken in Step 4. Use chicken stock instead of water for extra, interesting chicken flavour and to avoid a watery feeling.

Expert Tips for the Perfect Hot and Sour Soup

• Always cook the vegetables on high heat for a short time. Slow cooking softens the vegetables, and the final soup loses its restaurant feel.
• Don’t forget to add the black pepper in two stages: half during the vegetable cooking stage and a tiny pinch right before serving. 
• Add the vinegar after the soup has boiled. If you add vinegar before the soup boils, the heat removes the vinegar's sourness.
• Keep the soup's texture thinner than you want. It thickens as it cools in the bowl.
• If the soup turns too tangy, add a pinch of sugar: It balances out the sourness faster than water.

Serving Suggestions for Hot and Sour Soup

You can eat this soup on its own, but many families like to serve it with sides.

• Serve the soup with some crispy spring rolls or crispy corn on the side.
• Add a bowl of hakka noodles or fried rice for a filling, heavy meal.
• Keep a bowl of chilli vinegar and soy sauce on the table for everyone to adjust the spice and tang.

Tips for Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate: You can store the leftover hot & sour soup for up to 2 days. Make sure to transfer the leftover soup to an airtight container.
• Reheating: You can warm the leftover soup over a medium flame with 2-3 tbsp of water, because it might thicken in the fridge. Stir the soup well while reheating and add a fresh pinch of black pepper powder before serving.
• Freezing: This isn’t recommended. Because the cornflour changes the entire texture, and the cooked vegetables turn soggy after defrosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients does hot and sour soup contain? 

Hot and sour soup contains finely chopped and stripped vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, capsicum, and beans. These vegetables are cooked in a clear broth. The spice comes from black pepper powder and chilli sauce, and the tanginess comes from vinegar. It also contains cornflour, used at the end to thicken the soup.

Why is my hot and sour soup not thick? 

Most of the time, it happens when the amount of cornflour is very low, or it isn’t simmered long enough after being added. To fix this, you should add more cornflour in 2 tbsp of cold water, pour it in slowly while stirring continuously, and simmer for 2 minutes.

Can I make hot and sour soup without vinegar? 

Yes. Instead, you can add 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Add the lemon juice at the very end after turning off the flame. You will get a slightly fresher, less sharp taste than with vinegar.

How do I make hot and sour soup less spicy for children? 

Yes. You have to reduce the amount of black pepper to ¼ tsp and skip the chilli sauce entirely. The soup will still taste savory. You can keep the black pepper shaker handy for the adults who prefer extra spice.

Is hot and sour soup healthy? 

It is a light soup and contains mostly vegetables and water. There’s no deep frying. The only things to be careful with are the soy sauce and salt, since both add sodium. If you want to make it slightly healthier or if you’re watching your salt intake, add a little less soy sauce.

Can I use frozen vegetables for this recipe? 

Yes. Make sure to add them directly to the boiling water in Step 4, rather than stir-frying them. Frozen vegetables release extra moisture, and they won’t stay crunchy if you toss them directly into oil.