Tom Yum Soup (Thai Soup)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
2
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Calories
156 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Thai
Tom Yum Soup (Thai Soup)
Description
Tom Yum Soup (Thai Soup) is built on a broth simmered with aromatic ingredients such as smashed lemongrass, garlic, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh Thai chilies. Using prawn heads and shells intensifies the seafood flavor of the broth. After simmering and straining, the broth is returned to the pot and finished with oyster mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes before adding the prawn meat. Seasoning with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar creates the balanced sweet, sour, and salty profile essential to Tom Yum.
The soup’s texture is clear and broth-focused with tender prawns and soft vegetables providing bite. The optional creamy version adds Thai chili paste and evaporated milk, giving a milder heat and a richer mouthfeel. This flexible soup combines complex herbal flavors with seafood freshness.
This soup is typically served hot, garnished with fresh coriander and extra fresh chilies if desired. It works well as a light main course or appetizer. It can be reheated gently, adding seafood last to avoid overcooking. Fresh ingredients such as lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves enhance the authentic flavor but dried or paste substitutions work if fresh items are unavailable.
Frozen peeled prawns can be used for convenience, added late in cooking. The broth freezes well if strained and cooled separately from the seafood and vegetables, making it easy to prepare ahead.
Ingredients
- 300g / 10oz prawn with heads and shells on (Note 7, or shrimp, whole
Broth:
- 3 cup (750 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) chicken stock low sodium, or broth
- 2 lemongrass outer layers peeled(Note 1, stalks
- 1.5 cm / 3/5" galangal cut into 4 slices (Note 2, piece
- 5 kaffir lime leaves , torn roughly (Note 3)
- 2 Thai chili Note 4, or bird's eye chilies
- 3 garlic cloves
Soup Add Ins:
- 120g / 4oz oyster mushrooms
- 1 Roma tomato , cut into wedges
- 1/2 white onion (medium sized), cut into wedges about 1 cm thick
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (Note 5)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- Coriander for garnish, or cilantro
Creamy Tom Yum Option:
- 1 1/2 tbsp Thai roasted chili sauce (Nam Prik Pa, Note 6)
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) evaporated milk
Instructions
Broth:
- Peel the prawns. Place heads and shell in pot, reserve meat.
- Use a meat mallet or similar to bash the garlic, chilli and lemongrass so they burst open to release flavour. Add into pot.
- Crush kaffir lime leaves with your hands. Add into pot.
- Add galangal, stock and water. Bring to simmer on high heat, cover, then reduce to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Strain the broth, discard the prawn shells etc, then return broth into same pot over low heat.
Finish Soup:
- Add onions and mushrooms, simmer 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, simmer for 1 minute.
- Add prawns, simmer 2 minutes or until just cooked.
- Stir in sugar and fish sauce, simmer for 1 minute.
- Add lime juice, then taste. Adjust sweet (sugar), salt (fish sauce) and sour (lime) to your taste (trust me, you'll know when you like it!).
- Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh coriander and fresh chilli! This is the CLEAR version of Tom Yum.
Creamy Tom Yum:
- When you add sugar, also add Thai Chilli Paste and evaporated milk.
- Then continue with recipe!
Bonus: Tom KHA!
- Following Creamy Tom Yum steps but use coconut milk instead of evaporated milk.
Notes
- Peel the lemongrass stalks to expose the softer bottom half for maximum flavor release.
- If galangal is unavailable, substitute fresh ginger with a pinch of black pepper for similar spice notes.
- Fresh kaffir lime leaves are preferable but dried leaves can be used in the same quantity.
- The heat level is moderate; adjust the number of Thai chilies to taste.
- Fish sauce is essential for authentic flavor, with no close substitute recommended.
- Thai roasted chili paste adds depth; use sambal oelek plus chili oil if needed.
- For a quick version, use frozen pre-peeled prawns, adding them near the end to prevent overcooking.
- Leftover broth can be refrigerated for 2 days and reheated gently without seafood to retain flavor and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 156 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 156cal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 191mg | 64% |
| Sodium | 2821mg | 118% |
| Potassium | 593mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 287IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 138mg | 14% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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