Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup
what is hot and sour soup?
Hot and Sour Soup is a popular Chinese dish, typically made with shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and egg whisked into a thick, silky broth. The ‘hot’ part of the soup refers to the actual temperature, as well as the dried chilies and optional chili oil (though the recipe itself is not spicy). The ‘sour’ flavor comes from vinegar, but don’t worry, once balanced with the other flavors, this soup does not taste like vinegar! Adding a cornstarch slurry at the end thickens the soup and gives it the most lovely, silky texture and glossy sheen. This silky texture is my favorite thing about this soup! It’s unique and so cozy. This soup is great with a side of rice for a more filling meal.
This recipe diverges from tradition to really celebrate mushrooms, feature daikon radish for its medicinal properties, and is vegan by removing the egg. It does, however, stay true to the delicious umami and sour flavors and the addicting, glossy broth. If you’re a mushroom lover, this is the recipe for you! It is loaded with cute and chewy shimeji mushrooms (also known as beech mushrooms) and slightly crunchy wood ear mushrooms. Both add lots of texture, an earthy, umami flavor, and lots of nutrients to this light, healthy soup.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF THIS hot and sour mushroom soup
This soup is light and low calorie but packed with nutrition from the mushrooms, daikon radish, green onion and contains a good amount of protein from the tofu.
Daikon radish is not typically found in traditional Hot and Sour Soup, but I wanted to incorporate it, medicinally, into this soup rather than bamboo shoots which are often used.
Daikon radishes are such an amazing health food that an ancient Chinese proverb says that doctors can go on vacation when they’re in season! They are known to support healthy digestion, immune function, gentle detoxification and help dissipate heat and dampness in the body (think phlegm, acne, sluggishness, and digestive issues) which are common due our modern day lifestyle and things like greasy foods, sugar, alcohol, etc. Check out this link for more information on damp-heat.
Mushrooms, themselves, have many health benefits. They are low in calories but high in nutrients, antioxidants, and are great for the immune system.
ingredients + SUBSTITUTIONS
*a few of the harder-to-find ingredients are underlined below (click for links to order on Amazon)
used for flavor - discard at the end or remove, slice thinly, and add them back to the soup
DRIED, SLICED/SHREDDED WOOD EAR MUSHROOMS
(often labeled as black fungus)
very mild flavor and a little bit crunchy
FRESH SHIMEJI (BEECH) MUSHROOMS
soft and a little bit chewy, adds a nice earthy, umami flavor
these are easy to find in Asian grocery stores but if you don’t have access to them, substitute white button mushrooms, sliced thinly or cubed. It won’t be the same but it will still be delicious!
DAIKON RADISH
is known to support the digestive system, detoxification, and can help dissipate heat and phlegm in the body
it’s a long, white radish that looks like a large white carrot but can be as large as your forearm or bigger in circumference. It’s easily found in Asian grocery stores, but can often be found in grocery stores with a wide produce selection
If you don’t have access to this, you could use canned bamboo shoots which is more commonly used in hot and sour soup
TOFU
you can use baked/pressed tofu for a more firm and dense texture (that’s what I have shown in the photos)
you can substitute silken tofu - simply cut it into cubes and carefully add it at the very end; stir gently to not break the tofu
VEGETABLE BROTH
saltiness may vary depending on what you use - add salt or extra soy sauce to your liking
add more or less depending on your desired level of heat (chilies may vary in spiciness)
you can substitute for a few shakes of crushed red chili flakes
SOY SAUCE
RICE VINEGAR
you can substitute white vinegar if necessary
HONEY
you can substitute another sweetener (i.e. agave, a pinch of sugar) - feel free to add more to taste
CORNSTARCH
be sure to mix it into cold water before adding it to the soup. Cornstarch clumps in hot water
this thickens the soup and gives it that iconic glossy, silky texture
WHITE PEPPER
it’s slightly milder and sweeter than black pepper and looks cleaner in the soup, but you can substitute black pepper
SESAME OIL
this adds a nice layer of flavor but is optional
CHILI OIL
this adds some heat and additional flavor, highly recommended!
GREEN ONIONS
serving suggestions
A bowl of rice on the side makes this a more filling and well rounded meal.
A drizzle of chili oil adds some spice and extra depth of flavor.
A sprinkle of chopped green onion adds a pungent, peppery flavor, more color to the dish, and additional health-promoting qualities.
Got leftovers?
This will last several days in the fridge and the leftovers reheat really well.
For More light and healthy soups, try these recipes:
Lentil + Chard Soup
Split Pea Soup
the recipe
Hot + Sour Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by soaking the wood ear mushrooms in room temperature water for 20-30 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut the tofu into cubes or bite sized slabs. Cut the daikon radish into thin strips/slabs.
- Add the broth to a large pot with the dried shiitake mushrooms, daikon radish, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and chilies. Drain the wood ear mushrooms and add them to the pot, as well. Bring to a boil.
- If you are using baked or firm tofu, go ahead and add it now.
- Cut the woody ends off of the shimeji mushrooms and add them to the pot.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in the COLD water and set aside.
- Once everything has cooked for about 10 minutes and the daikon radish is soft, turn the heat to low and add the cornstarch mixture while stirring.
- If using silken tofu, add it now and stir gently.
- Add the white pepper (or sub for black pepper) and the sesame oil.
- Remove the shiitake mushrooms, then ladle the soup into bowls and top with chili oil and sliced green onions. Serve with rice on the side.