Rhubarb Vegan Hot and Sour Soup
This vegan hot and sour soup is- well, primarily, hot and sour. This Chinese take out favorite is made with real chili peppers instead of chili sauce, and fresh rhubarb instead of vinegar. The broth is thick and silky, with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and crumbled tofu, and topped with fresh herbs. Making this soup will take you less than half an hour (including prep!), making it a quick and easy starter or main meal soup. For maximum enjoyment, get out the air fryer and make yourself a batch of these air fried vegan cream cheese wontons on the side!
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Vegan Hot and Sour Soup
It’s like normal hot and sour soup, but with tofu! Some versions of hot and sour soup may use a pork or chicken broth, but often they are made with vegetables stock. After all, the hot and sour elements are so strong that the broth you use doesn’t really matter much- we actually just used water. Hot and sour soup often will contain egg, which adds a good textural element. We just used tofu instead, and the egg wasn’t missed at all. One thing I was interested to find makes a big difference in the flavor is actually the presence of bamboo shoots– it really gives it that hot and sour soup flavor.
Love Chinese Food? Try One of these other delicious, China-Inspired Recipes!
- Vegan Brown Rice Congee (Savory Rice Porridge) with Jackfruit and Mushrooms
- Spicy Vegan Cold Noodles, Sichuan Style
- Vegan Air Fried Cream Cheese Wontons
- Spicy Chinese-Style Stir-fried Sweet Potatoes
- Air-Fried Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce with Jicama
Enter Spring, and Rhubarb Maddness
Every spring, the rhubarb plant on my mothers front lawn explodes into a grand display of thick, juicy, pinkish stalks supporting large, frilly dark green leaves. A little side-stepping is needed to navigate up to the porch, as the rhubarb plant stretches, expanding as far as possible. With just this one rhubarb plant there is still always enough rhubarb that a visit home in the Spring means a return with stalks and stalks of rhubarb (not that I’m complaining). But because rhubarb is so tart, most rhubarb recipes are sweet and sugary, and I’d rather find a savory application. This hot and sour soup is the answer to that- savory rhubarb for the win!
Check out last years response to abundant rhubarb and needing something less sweet here, along with a great shot of the above mentioned rhubarb plant.
Rhubarb Vegan Hot and Sour Soup Nutrition
What I really love about this soup, is it gives you all the intense flavor of restaurant-style hot and sour soup, but all of that flavor is coming from fresh vegetables. That means added micronutrients, and no compromise on flavor! I love being healthy without feeling like I am- in fact, one serving of this soup (about an eighth of the total soup) comes in around 75 calories. I don’t usually calculate calories, but I thought this one was worth sharing! Overall, it’s a little high in sodium, but thanks to the mushrooms it comes in with over 500% of your daily vitamin D requirements!
Making This Rhubarb Vegan Hot and Sour Soup
Making this soup is simple- it doesn’t require an immersion blender, or any other fancy technology. Just a pot and a little heat. Use a little water or broth, along with the rhubarb, chilis, onion and garlic to start off. As the veggies cook, the rhubarb will quickly break down into a soft broth along with the other veggies. That was the hard part! The next step is adding the rest of the vegetables and the broth to your vegan hot and sour soup, and using your hands to crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Reserve a little water to mix with your cornstarch, and once the mushrooms are cooked throw it in. It will thicken nicely, and voila! Just like in the restaurants, but better.
Rhubarb Vegan Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
- 2-3 stalks of rhubarb, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-2 chili peppers, seeded and chopped, according to spice preference
- 1 small onion, diced
- 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
- 8 oz. of canned bamboo shoots, chopped into small cubes
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 4 ¼ cups of vegetable stock or water, separated
- 14 oz. package of firm or extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 scallions, chopped
- Cilantro, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add ¼ cup water or vegetable stalk, rhubarb, garlic, chilis and onion. Simmer on a medium-low heat for 5 or so minutes, until the rhubarb has started to lose its shape and break down. Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and soy sauce, and sauté for a minute or two.
- Use 3 ½ cups of the remaining vegetable broth or water (reserving ½ cup) and add to the pot turning the heat on high. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces in the soup. Allow the broth to come to a boil, and reduce it to a simmer. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, combine the last ½ cup of vegetable stock or water and the cornstarch, whisking to remove any clumps. Add to the soup, and continue to cook until nicely thickened. Remove from the heat, add the scallions and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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Let’s hear from you…
- What are your favorite ways to eat rhubarb? Do you know someone with a highly productive rhubarb plant?
- What are some of your favorite Chinese food dishes you’d like to replicate at home?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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