This Tom Yum Soup Is a Thai Classic (2024)

At first sip of this Thai tom yum soup, you'll be overcome by the intoxicating flavors of lemongrass, garlic, lime, coconut milk, and chile combined with a chicken stock base and topped off with shrimp. If you like spice, we recommend either fresh red chiles or getting yourself a bottle of chile oil and adding anywhere from a few drops to a few teaspoons. Or leave the chile out for a terrific mild tom yum.

Serve tom yum soup as is for a flavorful appetizer or with steamed white rice or sticky rice as a main dish. You can either place some rice in a bowl and serve the soup on top or serve the rice on the side.

what you'll need to make this tom yum recipe

A Nice Heavy Pot

A Good Microplane

Ingredients

6 cups chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass, lower third finely minced, top bulb smashed and bound with twine
1 carrot, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons grated galangal or ginger
3makrut limeleaves (or bay leaves and long strip of lime zest)
1 1/2tablespoons plus 1 teaspoonfish sauce, divided
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon juice
1 to 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
See Also
Lazy 1-Pot Vegan Tom Yum Soup
1 small zucchini, sliced into half-moons
12 to 14 medium raw shrimp (or 8 to 10 large), shells left on or removed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 to 1/3 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1 teaspoon chili oil, optional
Brown sugar, to taste, optional
Crushed chile pepper flakes, to taste, optional
1/3 cup fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Pour the stock into a deep cooking pot over medium-high heat. Add the prepared lemongrass, including the upper sections of the stalk you didn't mince. Boil 5 to 6 minutes to soften.
Add carrot, garlic, onion, galangal or ginger, lime leaves, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Reduce heat slightly, cover, and continue simmering 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini, and continue simmering another 5 minutes.
Add shrimp and cherry tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink and plump.
Turn down the heat to low and add 1/4 can coconut milk, chile oil, and brown sugar and red pepper flakes to taste (if using). Add the remaining teaspoon of fish sauce or more chile oil to taste. Discard the lime or bay leaves and the zest, if using. Serve with fresh cilantro sprinkled over and enjoy.

Tip

While they can be messy to remove while eating, leaving the shells on shrimp adds infinitely more flavor to the soup. In Thailand, cooks sometimes remove the shells before cooking but add them to the soup, removing just before eating.

Recipe Variations

If you want to add some spice to your tom yum soup, we recommend adding chile oil, fresh chile, or chile flakes.
If this tom yum soup is too sour for your taste, add a little brown sugar.
If it turned out too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice.
Add more coconut milk if you want your soup richer/creamier or if it's too strong for your taste.

What Is the Difference Between Tom Kha and Tom Yum?

Tom kha is another classic Thai soup made with fragrant broth. Tom kha typically contains chicken and almost always includes coconut milk, while tom yum usually includes shrimp and can be made without coconut milk.

Is Tom Yum Soup Healthy?

Flavored with aromatics and filled with vegetables and lean shrimp, tom yum is a healthy option for lunch or dinner. To make this soup lighter, use low-fat coconut milk or omit it altogether. More vegetables can also be used in place of the shrimp. Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce the amount of salt.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
183	Calories
8g	Fat
19g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	183
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 25mg	8%
Sodium 866mg	38%
Total Carbohydrate 19g	7%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 9mg	47%
Calcium 48mg	4%
Iron 3mg	15%
Potassium 683mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: