Hot and Sour Egg Drop Soup with Tofu and Mushrooms
Make shortcut hot and sour egg drop soup with tofu, mushrooms, eggs, vinegar, soy sauce, white pepper, and pantry substitutions.
chicken or vegetable stock: 4 cups. Substitution: Use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
rice vinegar: 2 tbsp. Substitution: Use Chinese black vinegar for deeper flavor, or white wine vinegar in a pinch.
Bring stock, mushrooms, tofu, soy sauce, vinegar, and white pepper to a gentle simmer.
Stir cornstarch with cold water, then drizzle into the soup and simmer until lightly glossy.
Slowly pour beaten eggs into the moving soup. Turn off heat and finish with green onion and chili crisp if using.
White pepper is common in the spice aisle; black pepper works but tastes less classic.
Button, cremini, or shiitake mushrooms all work.
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Use black vinegar if available, or white wine vinegar if rice vinegar is missing.
Stock: Chicken stock, Vegetable stock, Mushroom broth. Use low-sodium stock if possible so soy sauce can season the soup cleanly.
Vinegar: Rice vinegar, Chinese black vinegar, White wine vinegar. Add vinegar near the end and taste before adding more.
White pepper: Black pepper, Chili crisp, Sichuan peppercorn. Black pepper works but tastes less traditional; chili crisp makes the soup redder and richer.
Yes. Use vegetable stock and check that any chili crisp or sauce you add is vegetarian.
Vinegar gives the sour flavor. Rice vinegar is accessible, while Chinese black vinegar gives a deeper flavor.
Drizzle beaten egg slowly into gently moving hot soup after it has been lightly thickened.