30-Min Seafood Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
Seafood Hot and Sour Soup is a comforting Chinese soup made with shrimp, scallops, mushrooms, tofu, and silky egg ribbons in a rich, tangy, and peppery broth.
Ingredients
For the seafood
- ½ cup small shrimp, deveined
- ½ cup small scallops
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of white pepper
For the first seasoning
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/10 teaspoon salt
For the second seasoning
- 3 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the soup
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 5 medium fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh wood ear mushrooms, thinly sliced
- ½ cup bamboo shoots,
- ¼ medium carrot, julienned
- ½ teaspoon ginger, julienned
- ⅓ block soft tofu, cut into strips
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, for slurry
- 9 tablespoons water, for slurry
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
Instructions
- To season the seafood, in a bowl, combine the shrimp and scallops with the salt and white pepper. Mix gently and set aside.
- To prepare the seasonings, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and salt. In another bowl, combine the Chinkiang vinegar, white pepper, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil.
- To cook the soup, in a large pot over high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the first seasoning and stir to combine. Add the shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, carrot, and ginger. Boil for about 4 minutes until softened.
- To add the seafood, add the tofu, shrimp, and scallops. Boil for about 1 minute until the seafood is nearly cooked through.
- To thicken the soup, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Stir until smooth, then slowly pour the slurry into the soup while stirring. Cook until lightly thickened.
- To finish the soup, add the second seasoning and bring the soup back to a boil. Slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs in a circular motion. Let the eggs set for a few seconds, then gently stir. Garnish with the scallions and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Season in stages: Adding the seasonings at different times helps build flavor while preserving the bright tanginess of the vinegar.
- Add vinegar at the end: Chinkiang vinegar keeps its bold flavor when added near the end of cooking.
- Silky egg ribbons: Slowly drizzle the eggs into gently boiling soup and allow them to set before stirring.
- Adjust the heat: Add more white pepper if you prefer a spicier soup.
- Protein swap: Chicken, pork, beef, crab, fish, or extra tofu all work well in place of the seafood.