Sichuan-Style Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu and Mushrooms

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-18 · Updated 2026-06-18

A warming bowl of hot and sour soup bursting with bold Sichuan peppercorn heat, silky tofu, and earthy mushrooms, perfect for chilly days. This Chinese-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs vegetable broth, firm tofu, shiitake mushrooms for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 8 oz, cut into 1/2-inch cubes firm tofu
• 1 cup, sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dried, soaked and sliced wood ear mushrooms
• 1/2 cup, julienned bamboo shoots
• 1 tbsp, minced ginger
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 tsp, toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp, mixed with 3 tbsp cold water cornstarch
• 1 large, lightly beaten egg
• 2, thinly sliced green onions
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• to taste salt

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, bring 6 cups vegetable broth to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tbsp minced ginger, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms, 1/2 cup soaked and sliced wood ear mushrooms, and 1/2 cup julienned bamboo shoots. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: Stir in 8 oz firm tofu cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce, 1 tsp toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns, and 1/2 tsp white pepper. Simmer for another 3 minutes.
3. Step 3: Slowly pour in the slurry made from 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water while stirring the soup gently. Continue to cook until the soup thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.
4. Step 4: Slowly drizzle in 1 lightly beaten large egg in a thin stream while stirring the soup in a circular motion to create silky egg ribbons.
5. Step 5: Remove from heat, stir in 1 tsp sesame oil, and adjust salt to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with 2 thinly sliced green onions before serving hot.