This Hot and Sour Soup is just like you’d find in a Chinese food restaurant… and it’s low fat, too!
It has been super cold in Arizona this week. And by Arizona standards, that means we’re waking up to temperatures in the mid-thirties… and the highs during the day in only the mid 50’s. That may sound like heavenly winter weather to people in the colder parts of the world (and it is). But we’re just not used to it!
Chilly days require soup to warm us up. This Hot and Sour Soup is the perfect solution, especially if you’re trying to eat light.
Hot and Sour Soup is a classic Asian soup recipe. You can probably spot it on just about any Chinese restaurant menu. It contains ingredients to make it taste both spicy and sour.
Table Of Contents
How to make Sweet and Sour Soup:
Dried mushrooms are hydrated with hot water. Then you’ll combine chicken broth, rice, vinegar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and dark sesame oil and bring that to a boil.
Then you’ll add the mushrooms, tofu and bamboo shoots. To thicken the soup, you’ll add a cornstarch/water mixture. And a beaten egg white is swirled in at the end. That’s it!
About Tofu:
This recipe calls for using reduced-fat soft tofu.
Tofu is low in calories and has a lot of protein. It’s usually added to Chinese Hot and Sour Soup, so I wouldn’t skip it. Tofu doesn’t really have much flavor. It absorbs the flavors that are in the dish.
The photo above shows the tofu in larger chunks, but I prefer it cut into small cubes for this soup.
Is this soup Weight Watchers friendly?
Absolutely! This is a nice, light soup recipe. And it’s a great soup recipe to try if you’re on the Weight Watchers WW plan.
You’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card at the end of this post. The recipe makes enough for 4 servings, so just divide it into four equal portions.
Hot and Sour Soup
Just like what you'd find in a Chinese restaurant!
Ingredients
- 6 whole dried mushrooms
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 8 ounces reduced-fat soft tofu, drained and cut into ½-inch cubes
- One 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
- 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- chopped green onions for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the dried mushrooms with enough hot water to cover by 2 inches; let stand 15 minutes, and then drain.
- In a large saucepan, bring the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce and sesame oil to a boil. Add the drained mushrooms, tofu and bamboo shoots. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl; stir in about ¼-cup of the hot liquid, and then return to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens slightly, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat; slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the soup while stirring in a circular motion. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 102Total Fat: 3gCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
