Speedy Hot & Sour Soup
Typically when I make hot and sour soup, I make an in-depth, multi-step recipe full of huge flavor and lots of ingredients. But recently I found myself incredibly under the weather, and the only thing I could think of that sounded remotely appetizing was hot and sour soup. Could I have ordered from our local Asian restaurant? Sure, but as someone with intense food allergies, I prefer to make my own version. The problem: Who wants to go shopping when they’re sick?
So, instead, I created a quick version with ingredients that most homes generally have on-hand, that’s equally delicious. This soup is light, full of anti-viral properties, and provides great detox benefits for when you aren’t feeling your best. Plus, if you’re not a meat eater like me, or if you also have food allergies, it’s a great alternative to the other comfort food when you’re sick, chicken noodle soup.
When I created this version, heat from spicy sources was the last thing my stomach could handle, so when I say “hot” and sour, I quite literally mean the temperature. However, in my original version, I do incorporate spicy properties which I’ve included in the alternate suggestions and substitutes below. One thought before you start - DO NOT ADD SALT at least not until the end. I’m typically a proponent of salt, don’t get me wrong. But because some of the ingredients contain a higher salt content, I recommend tasting at the end, THEN adding if you still feel you’d like more.
Whether you’re healthy as a horse, or are riding the cold and flu waves, I hope this recipe brings as much comfort to you as it does to me and my family. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
Ingredients:
64 oz Organic Vegetable Broth
64 oz Water
8 oz Chopped Portobello Mushrooms
8-10 Finely Chopped Garlic Cloves
2-3 Inches Fresh, Peeled And Finely Chopped Ginger
5 oz Shredded Carrots
1 Bunch Chopped Scallions (Approx 1.5 Cups)
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Cilantro
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
3/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Cup Tamari (Gluten-Free Soy Sauce)
1 Tbsp Turmeric Powder
Black Pepper To-Taste
Directions:
Step 1: Pour vegetable broth and water into a large stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil.
Step 2: While liquid is heating, prepare your veggies! Finely chop the ginger (you will want to peel first), and garlic. Chop the mushrooms into approximately a 1/2 inch dice. Scallions can be chopped as large or small as you prefer.
Step 3: Once liquid is boiling, add all vegetables. Lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 30-minutes. Vegetables should be cooked through but still remain al-dente.
Step 4: Add in the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, tamari, turmeric, and black pepper. Stir to incorporate and cook for another 10 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in cilantro and serve!
Suggestions & Substitutions:
A few things to change up as you play with this recipe.
If you like spice, add chopped jalapenos, chilies, or your favorite spicy peppers when cooking the other vegetables. You can also incorporate cayenne pepper.
Tamari is gluten-free, but it is NOT soy free. For soy allergies, substitute tamari with coconut aminos in a 1:1 ratio
For additional vegetables, mix up the types of mushrooms you use. For example, in my original recipe, I use a mixture of shitake, oyster, exotic, white, and Portobello mushrooms.
For an extra layer of flavor, try adding miso (I like the gluten-free white miso personally). When incorporating, do not just pour the miso paste into your soup. You’ll end up with a clumpy texture. Instead, mix the miso in a separate bowl with some of the hot liquid from the soup. Once smooth, add to your soup right before serving along with the cilantro.
Cilantro isn’t for everyone, so if it’s not for you, simply omit it! You can also swap for parsley if you’d like another herb instead.
For tofu lovers: Drain a block of tofu and press between a layer of paper towels and clean dish cloth under a heavy pot for 20 minutes. Then thinly slice and add to the soup for the last ten minutes before serving.
Storage Note!
Because I tend to cook for no less than an army, I end up with leftovers A LOT. This soup freezes well. My suggestion is to use freezer-safe quart bags, release any additional air in the bag before sealing, and lay flat. This way you’ll save freezer space, and can thaw one individual portion at a time.