Instant Pot Hot and Sour Soup
This instant pot hot and sour soup recipe has been a LONG TIME coming. Traditionally, this soup is an Asian dish that contains ingredients making it both hot (spicy) and sour (tangy). This flavorful soup is a part of the regional cuisines of Beijing and Sichuan. Although it has many different varieties around the world, it is originally Chinese dish.
The essential ingredients in this soup usually include pork, whisked eggs, bamboo shoots, carrots, toasted sesame oil, vinegar, shiitake mushrooms (or enoki mushrooms), green onions, tofu, chili sauce, rice vinegar, chicken broth (or vegetable broth), white pepper, a cornstarch slurry (for a thicker soup) and more. Other ingredients that you might see in variations of this are wood ear mushrooms, day lily buds, and more.
Veganizing the Soup
The first time I tried this soup at a local Chinese restaurant, it just blew my mind how flavourful it was! So of course, I wanted to veganize it – the flavours were amazing and I knew it was easy enough to make it vegan. When I made it, I didn’t add all the non-vegan ingredients that this soup would contain, but was easily able to get vegan substitutions for them. For the egg, I just omitted it completely. Perhaps a beaten mixture of Just Egg could make for a good egg substitute? Drop a comment if you try that!
What type of meat replacements did I use? Now although there are a ton of vegan meat and even egg look-a-like products, I don’t think it’s fair to be using processed ingredients (even if they’re vegan) in a lot of my recipes. This is because firstly, they are still more processed than I would like. Secondly, not everyone reading this will have access to vegan pork or vegan egg as they would with mushrooms or carrots. Thirdly, it’s cheaper not to buy these gourmet vegan items. Fourthly, it’s better for the planet not to have all the extra packaging associated with using vegan processed foods. Not to say that I don’t appreciate them! I definitely go for a good pint of ice cream, Oreos, Gardein meatballs, and any vegan luxury item out there.
However, it is easier not to use these ingredients in every recipe, since I want to keep this as simple, cheap, eco-friendly and healthy as I can for you! Also because I don’t want to be running out to the grocery store every time I’m trying to cook some soup. Sometimes, leftover vegetables are the way to go.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Hot Soup Recipe
Instant Pot: Saute mode on the instant pot is a life saver (I love the Ninja Foodi)! This is the quickest mess-free way to make soup without requiring multiple pots! You can adjust the cooking time here depending on the recipe.
Full of Fresh Vegetables & Spices: This soup uses simple ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store that are top notch for staying healthy during flu season! Fresh ginger, garlic, celery, green onion, carrots, corn, mushroom and bamboo shoots. Every spoonful boasts a ton of hearty vegetables and flavour. It’s also a great recipe to use up leftover veggies! Not to mention it’s gluten free, pretty low carb (there’s no grains in here, all veggies and protein), vegan and refined sugar free!
Versatile: This recipe is very versatile! I love to change up ingredients depending on what I have at hand, and it’s very easy to swap different veggies in and out to make a soup that makes for a delicious soup.
Cozy Meal Prep: The best part about eating hot soup is cold weather is (a) soup tastes like a warm hug in a bowl (b) it’s easy to freeze soup into cubes to warm up for later. Winter meal prep!
Substitution for Hot and Sour Soup
Here are substitutions for some of the key ingredients!
Tamari: For a lower sodium option, go with coconut aminos. For a saltier option (or if you don’t have tamari), go with light soy sauce or dark soy sauce. Add the salt as desired depending on how much sodium you add here (eg. dark soy sauce already has more sodium than tamari so less salt would be needed in the recipe).
Cornstarch: Use all-purpose flour as a thickener (although it would not be gluten free).
Coconut Sugar: Half as much brown sugar or white sugar, as coconut sugar is not as sweet. It would not be refined sugar free if you make this substitution though.
Rice Wine Vinegar: Try using half red wine vinegar and half balsamic vinegar instead, or Chinese rice vinegar or dry sherry. Note that traditionally, Chinese black vinegar (aka Chinkiang black vinegar) is used to give a “sour” taste to restaurant soups, but I used rice vinegar instead.
Chili Garlic Sauce: This is referring to Sambal Oelek. There are different types of chili garlic sauces. Feel free to use any basic chili garlic sauce instead.
Tofu: I used firm tofu, but you can use extra firm tofu as well.
Bamboo Shoots: Feel free to omit these if you can’t find them at the store. I’ve made the recipe without them, it works well either way.
Instant Pot Hot and Sour Soup Recipe Notes
- For more protein, add in soy curls, tempeh or soy nuggets.
- Sprinkle red chili flakes on top before serving for an added kick!
- White pepper is traditionally used in this recipe. I didn’t use it, but I added it into the optional notes in the recipe card.
- Check out this link for more tips when using an instant pot for soup recipes.
More Easy Recipes You’ll Love
Yellow Lentil Soup: This traditional Indian soup uses orange and yellow lentils and a base of sauteed ginger, garlic, onions and tomatoes. One of my favorite high protein soups!
Egg Fried Rice: This is a vegan take on Chinese egg fried rice! The “egg” is made with chickpea gram flour, which is used often in Indian recipes. It makes the perfect “scrambled” egg texture!
Maple BBQ Tempeh: A smoky, seasoned maple glaze over tempeh is the vegan perfect side to any meal!
Fettuccine Pad Thai: This is an Italian take on traditional Pad Thai – using fettuccine noodles!
Jollof Rice: I love this simple, tomato based rice dish for meal prep!
If you make this Instant Pot Hot & Sour Soup recipe, leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Hot and Sour Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Skillet
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms chopped
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (sambal oelek)
- ⅓ cup corn
- 1 tbsp tamari
- ½ clove garlic minced
- 1¼ tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ tbsp coconut sugar
- ¼ tsp toasted sesame oil
- ¼ tsp ginger minced
- ½ cup bamboo shoots
- 1½ tbsp hot water
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ block firm tofu chopped
- ¾ tsp white pepper optional
- 1 green onion chopped, for garnishing, optional
Instructions
If using a Skillet
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, add everything except the tofu, cornstarch and water.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a bowl to remove any clumps in the cornstarch, then add the mixture into the soup.
- Let the soup simmer on low heat. It will thicken up. After a few minutes, add the tofu as well. When it reaches the desired consistency (after about 7-8 minutes), remove from heat.
- Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Garnish with green onions and serve hot! See recipe notes below for storage.
If using an Instant Pot
- Stir in all ingredients to the instant pot, except the tofu, cornstarch and water.
- Lock the lid, turn the pressure valve to "sealing" and cook on high pressure (or the soup button/manual pressure cook button) for 5 minutes.
- Once the five minutes are over, do not touch the pot, the lid or the settings. Let the pressure naturally release for the next 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the pressure value to "venting." This will release any extra pressure.
- After the pin on the lid has dropped, remove the lid and turn the pot to Saute Mode.
- Stir in the tofu.
- Whisk the cornstarch with the hot water in a small bowl until no cornstarch lumps remain, then pour it into the instant pot while continuously stirring.
- Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the soup thickens.
- Now turn off the pot. Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Garnish with green onions and serve hot! See recipe notes below for storage.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
