Hot And Sour Dumpling Noodle Soup: A Cozy Bowl of Comfort

Hot and Sour Dumpling Noodle Soup

This hot and sour dumpling noodle soup sits right where two of my favorite bowls meet. It takes its comforting, brothy feel from classic Chinese wonton soup, and its sharp, lively kick from Sichuan hot and sour soup.

Chinese black vinegar is a key ingredient here, and it is what gives hot and sour soup its distinct acidity. Without it, the bowl tastes flat and the heat has nothing to push against.

If you have ever finished a plate of dumplings and wished you could drink the dipping sauce straight from the little dish, this soup is that idea turned into a full meal. The base is bold and aromatic, and the dumplings and noodles sit in it like they belong there, tasting savory, acidic, and spicy in every spoonful.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS DUMPLING NOODLE SOUP

The list is short and most of it already lives in my pantry. Here is what each part of the bowl does.

AN ESSENTIAL: CHINESE BLACK VINEGAR

Chinese black vinegar is required for the proper hot and sour flavor profile, so this is not the place to improvise.

It provides the soup’s distinct acidity, that deep, slightly malty tang that makes the hot and sour combination work. Swap it for something thin and sharp and the bowl loses its backbone.

You’ll find the full printable recipe in the card below!

All the amounts and the full method are gathered further down, so you can cook straight from the list.

FOR THE HOT AND SOUR SOUP BASE

The base comes together with 1.5 to 2 tsp gochugaru, adjusted according to your desired heat, 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 2 tsp sugar to taste.

You will also need 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil, such as avocado, sunflower, or grapeseed oil, 1.5 tbsp soy sauce to taste, 1 tsp dark mushroom soy sauce, 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, 1/4 tsp ground white pepper, and 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds.

DUMPLINGS AND NOODLES

For the main event, use 6 to 8 frozen dumplings. I keep frozen Chinese vegetable dumplings on hand for this, and they work beautifully. You also need 1 portion of wheat noodles of your choice, around 60 g per bundle or serving.

TO FINISH

Keep 1 to 1.5 cups of the hot water from the pot and 2 tsp sesame oil ready to finish the bowl.

FOR TOPPING

Chopped green onions or coriander and crispy fried shallots are the classic finish. Both are optional, but I rarely skip them.

STEPS TO MAKE THIS DUMPLING NOODLE SOUP

One pot does almost all of the work here, which is a big part of why this bowl shows up so often in my kitchen.

PREPARE THE SOUP BASE

In a large heatproof bowl, place the gochugaru or chili powder, the minced garlic, and the sugar. Mix well.

Heat a small or medium pot over medium heat. You can use the same pot later to cook the dumplings and noodles, so nothing extra is needed.

Add the oil and heat it over medium heat until small bubbles start to appear. Here is the trick I always rely on. Add a tiny piece of garlic. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is hot enough.

Turn off the heat and immediately pour the hot oil over the gochugaru, sugar, and garlic mix. Mix well and enjoy that first rush of aroma.

Then add the soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, the Chinese black vinegar, the white pepper, and the sesame seeds. Feel free to adjust to your taste here, because this little bowl of sauce is the flavor your whole soup will be built on.

Pour the hot oil slowly and keep your face back from the bowl. It bubbles up the moment it meets the chili powder.

COOK THE DUMPLINGS AND NOODLES

In the same pot, add water and leave it to come to a boil.

Once it boils, add the frozen dumplings or the dumplings of your choice. Leave to cook until the dumplings float up. This will depend on the cooking time of your dumplings, so trust the package timing here.

Remove the dumplings from the pot, drain any excess water, then transfer them straight into the bowl with the hot and sour soup base.

In the same pot, cook the noodles until they are still very chewy and still have a bite. Do not overcook your noodles. They will keep cooking from the residual heat and from the hot water you add later, and soft noodles turn this bowl into something much less exciting.

I usually taste one noodle before draining, just to check the chew. Then drain the noodles and add them to the bowl with the dumplings.

FINISHING THE BOWL

Carefully scoop 1 to 1.5 cups of the hot dumpling and noodle water from the pot and pour it into the bowl with the noodles and dumplings.

Mix so the soup base is evenly distributed into the liquid. The broth turns deep, glossy, and red, and it smells incredible.

Finish with the sesame oil and top with green onions and fried shallots.

SERVE AND ENJOY!

Finish the bowl with sesame oil and a generous handful of green onions and fried shallots, then bring it to the table while it is still steaming.

This is one of those bowls that keeps getting better as it sits, because the dumplings and the noodles continue to soak up flavor from the soup base. That is exactly why I do not wait around. The first few minutes are the best minutes.

If you want a little more in the bowl, blanched or boiled vegetables, mushrooms, or tofu can go in along with the noodles and dumplings.

Looking for more Vegan Asian recipes?

If this soup has you craving more plant based Asian cooking, Vegan Asian is a cookbook worth knowing about. It is described as featuring vegan friendly versions of classic Southeast and East Asian dishes, the kind of food inspired by home cooking and by travel.

Inside you will find Thai dishes, Japanese fare, and much more, all built around the same idea that runs through this bowl. Simple ingredients, layered flavors, and food that makes you feel taken care of.

It is a lovely companion if you cook for a mixed table, or if you are simply trying to eat more vegetables without giving up bold flavor. Serve it alongside a pot of rice, some quick pickled cucumbers, or a plate of steamed greens, and dinner is sorted.

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If you want to find this bowl again later, pin it now so it is waiting for you the next time a craving hits.

Ingredients

Everything is grouped the way you will use it, so nothing gets lost on the counter.

Hot and Sour Soup Base

• 1.5 to 2 tsp gochugaru, adjusted according to desired heat
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp sugar, to taste
• 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil, such as avocado, sunflower, or grapeseed oil
• 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, to taste
• 1 tsp dark mushroom soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Dumplings and Noodles

• 6 to 8 frozen dumplings, such as frozen Chinese vegetable dumplings
• 1 portion wheat noodles of choice, around 60 g per bundle or serving

To Finish

• 1 to 1.5 cups hot water from the pot
• 2 tsp sesame oil, to finish

For Toppings

• Chopped green onions or coriander, optional
• Crispy fried shallots

Instructions

1. In a large heatproof bowl, place the gochugaru or chili powder, the minced garlic, and the sugar. Mix well.
2. Heat a small or medium pot over medium heat. You can use the same pot to cook the dumplings and noodles.
3. Add the oil and heat over medium heat until small bubbles start to appear. Add a tiny piece of garlic. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is hot enough. Turn off the heat and immediately pour the hot oil over the gochugaru, sugar, and garlic mix. Mix well.
4. Add the soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, the Chinese black vinegar, the white pepper, and the sesame seeds. Feel free to adjust to your taste.
5. In the same pot, add water and leave it to come to a boil. Once it boils, add the frozen dumplings or the dumplings of your choice.
6. Leave to cook until the dumplings float up. This depends on the cooking time of your dumplings.
7. Remove the dumplings from the pot, drain any excess water, then transfer them to the hot and sour soup base.
8. In the same pot, cook the noodles until still very chewy and still with a bite. Do not overcook them, since they keep cooking from residual heat and from the hot water added later.
9. Drain the noodles and add them to the bowl with the dumplings.
10. Carefully scoop 1 to 1.5 cups of the hot dumpling and noodle water from the pot and pour it into the bowl.
11. Mix to evenly distribute the soup base into the liquid. Finish with sesame oil and top with green onions and fried shallots.
12. Enjoy immediately while hot. The dumplings and the noodles will continue to soak up the flavors from the soup base.

Notes

About the gochugaru. Gochugaru is a Korean chili powder with a bright red color, and it is milder than many other chili peppers. If you use another type of chili powder, start with 1 tsp and adjust upward according to your spice tolerance.

About the vinegar. Chinese black vinegar is the backbone of this bowl. It provides the distinct acidity that makes hot and sour soup taste like hot and sour soup, so it is the one ingredient I would not replace.

Extra additions. Blanched or boiled vegetables, mushrooms, or tofu can be added along with the noodles and dumplings.

Seasoning. The soy sauce and the sugar are both listed to taste, so taste the base before the water goes in. If it feels too sharp, a little more sugar rounds it out. If it needs more punch, a splash more soy sauce or black vinegar does the job.

Texture timing. Noodles keep softening as they sit, so serve this right away for the best chew.

Recipe details

Per serving, the source nutrition for this bowl is 686 calories, 62 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 45 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 5 g fiber, 14 g sugar, and 2052 mg sodium.

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Hot and Sour Dumpling Noodle Soup (Vegan)

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Hot and Sour Dumpling Noodle Soup This hot and sour dumpling noodle soup sits right where two of my favorite bowls meet. It takes its comforting, brothy feel from classic Chinese wonton soup, and its sharp, lively kick from Sichuan hot and sour soup.

• Total Time: 30 min
• Yield: 1 bowl 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Hot and Sour Soup Base
1.5 tsp gochugaru, adjust according to desired heat (see notes)
2 tsp gochugaru, adjust according to desired heat (see notes)
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp sugar, to taste
2 tbsp neutral cooking oil, avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, etc
1.5 tbsp soy sauce, to taste
1 tsp dark mushroom soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
0.25 tsp ground white pepper
0.5 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Dumplings and Noodles
6 frozen dumplings, I used frozen Chinese vegetable dumplings
8 frozen dumplings, I used frozen Chinese vegetable dumplings
1 portion wheat noodles of choice, around 60g per bundle/serving

To Finish
1 cups hot water from the pot
1.5 cups hot water from the pot
2 tsp sesame oil, to finish

For Toppings
Chopped green onions
coriander
Crispy fried shallots

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

SOUP BASE
1-In a large heat proof bowl, place: In a large heat proof bowl, place the gochugaru or chili powder, minced garlic, and sugar. Mix well.
2-Heat a small or medium pot over: Heat a small or medium pot over medium heat. You can use the same pot to cook the dumplings and noodles.
3-Add the oil: Add the oil. Heat the oil over medium heat until small bubbles start to appear. You can add a tiny piece of garlic. If the garlic immediately sizzles, the oil is hot enough. Turn off the heat and immediately pour the hot oil over the gochugaru-sugar-garlic mix. Mix well.
4-Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce,: Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar white pepper, and sesame seeds. Feel free to adjust your taste.

COOK THE DUMPLINGS AND NOODLES
5-In the same pot, add water: In the same pot, add water. Leave the water to come to a boil.
6-Once it boils, add the frozen dumplings: Once it boils, add the frozen dumplings or dumplings of choice.
7-Leave to cook until the dumplings float: Leave to cook until the dumplings float up. This will depend on the cooking time of your dumplings.
8-Remove the dumplings from the pot and: Remove the dumplings from the pot and then drain any excess water.
9-Transfer the dumplings to the hot and: Transfer the dumplings to the hot and sour soup base.
10-In the same pot, cook the noodles: In the same pot, cook the noodles until still very chewy and still has a bite. Do note that the noodles will still cook from the residual heat and the hot water that will be added later on, so don’t overcook your noodles.
11-Drain the noodles from the water and: Drain the noodles from the water and add in the bowl with the dumplings.

FINISHING THE BOWL
12-Carefully scoop 1 to 1: Carefully scoop 1 to 1.5 cups of the hot dumplings/noodle water from the pot. Pour into the bowl with the noodles and dumplings.
13-Mix to evenly distribute the soup base: Mix to evenly distribute the soup base into the liquid.
14-Finish with sesame oil and top with: Finish with sesame oil and top with green onions and fried shallots.
15-Enjoy immediately while hot: Enjoy immediately while hot. The dumplings and the noodles will continue to soak the flavors from the soup base, making them even tastier!

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Calories: 686 kcal
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 2052 mg
• Fat: 45 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 62 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 12 g