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Hot and Sour Egg Drop Soup
A shortcut hot and sour soup with egg ribbons, tofu, mushrooms, vinegar, soy sauce, and white pepper.
Hot and sour egg drop soup gives home cooks a comforting Chinese-style soup without needing a long stock or many restaurant ingredients. Eggs create ribbons, tofu adds protein, mushrooms give savory depth, and vinegar plus white pepper provide the hot-sour shape.
The recipe can be made with chicken stock or vegetable stock. Rice vinegar is easy to find, while Chinese black vinegar can be used when you want a deeper pantry flavor.
It uses common soup ingredients and pantry seasonings to create a comforting Chinese-style soup without a long stock.
Before You Start
Medium pot, Small bowl, Whisk
- chicken or vegetable stock
- egg
- tofu
- mushroom
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- Read all steps once before heating the pan, pot, or skillet. Chinese home cooking often moves quickly after the oil or broth is hot.
- Measure sauces, chop aromatics, and place ingredients near the stove before you start cooking.
- For soups and congee, use a steady simmer instead of a hard boil unless the step specifically says to boil.
- Add spicy ingredients gradually if you are heat-sensitive; you can add more at the table.
Success check: The finished bowl should taste balanced and comforting, with broth or porridge that is hot but not violently boiling.
Ingredients
- chicken or vegetable stock: 4 cups. Substitution: Use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
- egg: 2 large.
- tofu: 200 g / 7 oz.
- mushroom: 150 g / 5 oz.
- soy sauce: 2 tbsp.
- rice vinegar: 2 tbsp. Substitution: Use Chinese black vinegar for deeper flavor, or white wine vinegar in a pinch.
- white pepper: 1/2 tsp.
- cornstarch: 1 tbsp.
- chili crisp: 1 tsp (optional).
- green onion: 2 (optional).
Steps
- Prepare tofu, mushrooms, and eggs
Cut the tofu into small cubes and slice the mushrooms thinly. Beat the eggs in a small cup with a fork until evenly yellow. Stir cornstarch with cold water in another cup to make a smooth slurry for thickening later.
- Simmer the soup base
Pour the stock into a pot and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add mushrooms, tofu, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and white pepper. The surface should bubble lightly, not boil violently, so the tofu does not break apart.
- Taste before thickening
Taste a spoonful of broth carefully after it simmers for a few minutes. Add a little more vinegar if you want it sharper or soy sauce if it tastes flat. Adjusting now is easier than after the eggs go in.
- Add the cornstarch slurry
Stir the slurry again because cornstarch settles quickly. Slowly drizzle it into the simmering soup while stirring the soup in circles. Wait 30 to 60 seconds; the broth should become lightly glossy, not thick like gravy.
- Create egg ribbons
Lower the heat so the soup moves gently. Stir the soup in one direction, then slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream. Stop stirring for a few seconds so the eggs set into soft ribbons instead of tiny bits.
- Finish without boiling
Turn off the heat once the eggs are set. Add green onion and chili crisp if using. Serve hot, reminding new cooks not to keep boiling after the eggs are added because strong boiling makes the ribbons tough.
Western Grocery Notes
- White pepper is common in the spice aisle; black pepper works but tastes less classic.
- Button, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms all work.
Substitutions
- Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
- Use black vinegar if available, or white wine vinegar if rice vinegar is missing.
- Skip chili crisp for a mild soup.
Ingredient Alternatives
-
Stock
Forms the soup base.
Alternatives: Chicken stock, Vegetable stock, Mushroom broth. Use low-sodium stock if possible so soy sauce can season the soup cleanly.
-
Vinegar
Creates the sour part of the soup.
Alternatives: Rice vinegar, Chinese black vinegar, White wine vinegar. Add vinegar near the end and taste before adding more.
-
White pepper
Adds the classic sharp heat.
Alternatives: Black pepper, Chili crisp, Sichuan peppercorn. Black pepper works but tastes less traditional; chili crisp makes the soup redder and richer.
Cook Better Next Time
- Thicken the soup lightly before adding eggs so the ribbons suspend in the broth.
- Pour beaten egg slowly while stirring the soup in one direction.
- Taste for vinegar and white pepper at the end because their strength fades as the soup simmers.
FAQ
- Can hot and sour soup be vegetarian?
- Yes. Use vegetable stock and check that any chili crisp or sauce you add is vegetarian.
- What makes hot and sour soup sour?
- Vinegar gives the sour flavor. Rice vinegar is accessible, while Chinese black vinegar gives a deeper flavor.
- How do I make egg ribbons?
- Drizzle beaten egg slowly into gently moving hot soup after it has been lightly thickened.
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