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Who doesn’t love hot and sour soup?

It’s spicy, it’s silky, and it’s surprisingly filling. But what do you do if you end up with leftovers?

Well, the good news is that it’s perfectly possible to reheat and restore its tangy flavors and textures.

In this post, I’ll take you through three different reheating methods that will have your hot and sour soup tasting as good as new.

I’ll also let you know how best to store it in both the fridge and the freezer.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer:

The best way to reheat hot and sour soup is on the stove. Pour your leftover soup into a pot and set it over medium-low heat. Stir the soup continuously until it starts to simmer. Once the hot and sour soup is simmering, optionally add fresh egg by creating a whirlpool with a fork and pouring it in.

A note on my experiment

Just the other night, I ordered a bulk portion of hot and sour soup, knowing I wouldn’t be able to finish it.

I intentionally kept some aside to conduct my experiment and determine how best to reheat this delicious and popular Asian dish.

The reheating methods I tried included:

On the stove (best technique overall)
In the microwave (effective, but turns the egg ribbons rubbery)
In a double boiler (not bad, but too slow)

The stove method was fast and produced excellent results. Great for reheating large quantities of soup at once.

The microwave was also fast, but it didn’t do the eggs any favors.

As for the double boiler, it took a while but worked relatively well, although it’s a bit of a hassle.

The trick to reheating hot and sour soup is to keep your heat low and be patient.

This way, you won’t risk overcooking any of its elements.

Tips for reheating hot and sour soup

For best results, don’t add any egg to your soup until just before serving. If you’re making the soup ahead of time, stop just before adding the egg and then add it when reheating the soup.
Hot and sour soup tastes best when it’s hot, so don’t serve it luke warm. Reheat the soup until it’s simmering.
To reinvigorate your soup’s flavors, add in a splash of lime juice, chili or garlic sauce, sesame oil, or pepper while you’re heating it.
For soup that has thickened in storage, thin it out with some stock or water while reheating.
Conversely, if your soup has gone watery, thicken it with a little cornstarch mixed with water (a cornstarch slurry) once it has reached 200°F (95°C).

Reheating hot and sour soup on the stove

Pour your leftover hot and sour soup into a pot and set it over medium-low heat. Stir your soup continuously until it starts to simmer. If adding fresh egg, once the soup is simmering, create a whirlpool with a fork and slowly pour in your egg mixture to create ribbons.

Continuously stirring your soup ensures it heats evenly and prevents any egg from settling at the bottom of the pot and cooking.

How to reheat hot and sour soup on the stove:

Pour your leftover soup into a pot and set it over medium-low heat (if there’s no eggs you can use a higher heat).
Stir your soup gently but continuously while it heats up to stop any eggs or veggies from settling on the bottom of the pan.
Heat the soup until it’s simmering.
Optional: once the soup is simmering, create a whirlpool with a fork or whisk and slowly pour in freshly whisked eggs.

Select a pot or saucepan that is a suitable size for your leftovers.

Spreading them out too thinly increases your chance of overheating the soup and makes it hard to add fresh eggs if you need to.

I also tested this method a second way – by straining the broth to remove the solid elements and just heating the liquid.

I then added the solid stuff back in just before serving.

It worked well but made no real difference to the end result. The soup heats up just as nicely when combined.

My verdict

This was my favorite reheating method.

I liked being able to have full control over the temperature of my soup.

And I could taste as I went, so it was easy to adjust the seasoning.

Using the stove is fast, easy, and delivers fresh-tasting results (especially with a pop of extra garnish!).

Reheating hot and sour soup in the microwave

Place a portion of hot and sour soup in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. On medium heat (50% power), warm your soup in 30-second intervals, stirring at each stop. If adding fresh egg, wait until the liquid is near-boiling and then pour the eggs in while stirring the soup.

How to reheat hot and sour soup in the microwave:

Transfer a portion of hot and sour soup into a microwave-safe bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a splatter guard.
On medium heat (50% power), warm your soup in 30-second intervals.
Stir your soup at each stop until it is close to boiling.
Optional: If adding fresh egg, pour your whisked mixture in slowly while stirring your hot soup.

50% power gives you more control over the heating process and means you’re less likely to end up with rubbery eggs (a real risk in the microwave).

Stick to heating 1-2 portions of soup in the microwave at any one time.

Larger portions won’t heat evenly.

My verdict

This method is quick and convenient if you’re on the go and reheating a portion of soup for yourself.

The eggs weren’t as smooth and silky as they should be, but everything tasted fine.

You can solve the problem of overcooked eggs by adding fresh eggs, or by straining the soup to remove the egg ribbons before reheating (and adding them back in at the end).

But this adds a bit of fuss and defeats the ease of the microwave.

Reheating hot and sour soup in a double boiler

Bring some water to a boil in a pot on your stove. Pour your leftover hot and sour soup into a bowl and place it over the pot, making sure its bottom doesn’t touch the water. Stir your soup while the steam from the boiling water warms it up. Once hot, serve immediately.

This method is not suitable if you need to add fresh egg, as the soup won’t get hot enough from the residual heat of the double boiler’s steam.

How to reheat hot and sour soup in a double boiler:

Bring a pot of water to the boil on your stove.
Transfer your leftover soup into a bowl and suspend it over the hot water, keeping a gap of at least an inch between the bottom of the bowl and the hot water.
Stir your hot and sour soup while it warms up over the steam from the water.

Keeping your soup an inch or two above the water prevents the bottom from cooking instead of just warming.

My verdict

If you’re in a hurry, this method is not for you – it’s pretty slow.

But it’s a super gentle method, so if keeping the soft, silky texture of the eggs is really important to you, then give the double boiler a go.

How to store hot and sour soup

You can store hot and sour soup in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you plan to have leftovers, it’s best to only add egg to the portion you’ll be eating right away. You can then store the rest of the broth in the fridge and add fresh egg when you reheat it.

If you’ve already added the egg, don’t worry. This will store fine too, but the eggs might lose some o their silky texture when you reheat the soup.

Can you freeze hot and sour soup?

You can freeze hot and sour soup for up to 6 months, but it’s best only to freeze the broth. Eggs don’t fare well in the freezer and can become rubbery rather than silky. Tofu becomes more spongey in the freezer, and the vegetables can become mushy.

The freezer won’t completely ruin the tofu and vegetables, so it’s not essential to remove these before freezing, but I would definitely remove the egg.

How to freeze hot and sour soup:

Allow your soup to cool to room temperature.
Strain it through a sieve to separate the broth from the egg (and the vegetables and the tofu if you want).
Transfer your broth into a heavy-duty freezer bag and remove the air while sealing it.
Lay your freezer bag flat (to preserve space) and mark it with the date.
Use within six months.

Alternatively, store your leftover hot and sour soup in an airtight container.

How to thaw and reheat hot and sour soup

To thaw hot and sour soup, leave it in the fridge overnight or reheat it straight from frozen on the stove or in the microwave. Use the lowest heat setting on the stove and break up the ice clump as soon as possible. Once the soup has melted, you can turn the heat up.

If your soup is stuck in its airtight container, run it briefly under hot water to loosen the soup.

Read next: the best ways to reheat tofu