Tom Yum Thai Soup (Printable)

Vibrant Thai soup with lemongrass, lime, chiles, and fresh herbs. Balanced sour, spicy, and savory flavors.

# What You Need:

→ Broth Base

01 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
02 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
04 - 3 slices galangal, or ginger as substitute
05 - 2 Thai bird's eye chiles, sliced

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

06 - 7 ounces mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
08 - 1 small onion, sliced
09 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Protein

10 - 10 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined, or tofu for vegetarian option

→ Seasonings and Finish

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce, or soy sauce for vegetarian
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon chili paste (nam prik pao), optional
15 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - Lime wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium pot, bring stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chiles, garlic, and onion. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to fully infuse.
02 - Add mushrooms and tomatoes to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until mushrooms become tender.
03 - Add shrimp or tofu and simmer just until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt, sourness, and heat to your preference.
05 - Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The perfect balance of sour, spicy, salty and savory creates an instant mood boost even on the most challenging days.
  • Its incredibly adaptable to what you have on hand, yet always turns out spectacular enough to impress anyone lucky enough to grab a spoon.
02 -
  • Fish sauce smells terrible on its own but transforms completely when added to the soup, so dont be alarmed by the initial aroma when you open the bottle.
  • Leaving the lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves in rather than straining them makes for a more flavorful leftover soup, though you should warn guests not to eat these woody ingredients.
03 -
  • The soup tastes even better the next day, but add fresh lime juice and herbs only when reheating and serving, never before storing.
  • For an extra layer of complexity, float a teaspoon of chili oil on top just before serving to create beautiful red swirls and a fragrant aroma that hits you with the first spoonful.
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