Tom Yum Soup is one of the easiest and quickest soups to make. This Thai Tom Yum Soup recipe, made with tender shrimp is absolutely delicious!
Tom Yum Soup
This Tom Yum is the absolute best Thai soup! The full flavored broth is infused with lemongrass, ginger and Thai chiles. Plump shrimp, mushrooms and fresh cilantro complete this simple and easy to make Thai soup.
Tom Yum or Tom Yum Goon is possibly one of the most popular soup recipes in Thailand. Just like this spicy Coconut Curry Soup, Tom Yum is one we make at home all the time due to its simplicity and amazing flavor.
This soup will seriously knock-your-socks-off! Tom Yam is very healthy, low-carb, gluten free and packed with flavor! If you want, you can make it spicy enough to clear out your sinuses (guaranteed!).
What is Tom Yum Soup?
Tom Yum or Thai Hot and Sour soup is a spicy soup that originated in Thailand. Commonly made with prawns or shrimp, Tom Yum Goon (Goon means shrimp) it can also be made with chicken – Tom Yum Gai (Gai means chicken). In Thailand this soup is sometimes served with sticky rice on the side.
If you are wondering what does Tom Yum means, Tom means “boiling” and Yum refers to the “spicy and sour” flavor.
Fun Fact Box
Did you know? There are two types of Tom Yum, a clear soup (like the recipe below) and a creamy soup. The difference? Evaporated milk! To make creamy Tom Yum all you need to do is add evaporated milk – not coconut milk! If you are thinking coconut milk, you are most likely thinking of traditional Tom Kha soup which is made with coconut milk!
Tom Yum Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Stock or Broth: To make this Thai soup recipe even easier, I use store bought stock or broth. You can make a simple shrimp broth with shrimp shells if you prefer, however I can guarantee skipping that step won’t make your soup lack any flavor! Chicken broth or seafood broth can be used.
- Lemongrass: Fresh is best. Your next best option is lemongrass paste (sold in tubes).
- Kaffir Lime Leaves: When I can’t find them, I use lime zest instead. The zest of 1/2 lemon is all you need.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is a must for this recipe. I use ginger instead of galangal because I can never find galangal in my area. If galangal is available to you by all means use it!
- Chiles: Thai or birdseye. If you cannot find them, chile the arbol or jalapenos are a good option.
- Fish Sauce: This is a key ingredient in Thai cuisine.
- Lime Juice: Fresh, not bottled!
- Brown Sugar: To balance the savory, salty, sour flavors of he soup.
- Red Curry Paste: This paste is savory and spicy. You can add less than what the recipe calls for if you are sensitive to spicy food.
- Straw Mushrooms: I buy them canned. Other types of mushrooms like fresh shitakes. oyster, enoki and white mushrooms can be used as well.
- Shrimp: I always have some frozen large shrimp in the freezer. Medium shrimp can be used. Prawns are a great option as well.
- Cilantro: Lots of fresh cilantro for me, but if you don’t like cilantro skip it
Authentic Thai Tom Yum soup uses galangal – a root similar to ginger. However, galangal is very hard to find in my neck of the woods so I always use ginger with amazing results.
How To Make Thai Tom Yum Soup
Thai hot and sour soup is a breeze to make – which makes you wonder how can you develop so much flavor with such a few ingredients in such little time? You can! Seriously this soup is the best. There are two steps to this Thai soup:
- THE BROTH: A good chicken broth like this Basic Chicken Stock or shrimp broth are always a plus. However, feel free to use canned chicken broth or seafood broth. We are going to infused the broth with lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves and Thai chile peppers. Transforming a basic broth into a flavor packed Thai broth!
- THE ADD INS: After a quick simmer, the rest of the ingredients are added. It only takes a few extra minutes and the soup is done! Garnish it with fresh cilantro and serve.
What’s The Difference Between Tom Yum and Tom Kha Soup
Although both are similar in taste, Tom Kha has the addition of coconut milk. Coconut milk makes Tom Kha soup slightly creamier.
Is Thai Tom Yum Soup Healthy
This tasty shrimp soup is considered one of the healthiest dishes in Thailand. Tom Yum is low in carbs, gluten free and has very few calories.
Can I Freeze Tom Yum Soup
Absolutely! You can freeze the soup with the shrimp and the mushrooms added however, I prefer to make the broth, add all the rest of ingredients but the shrimp and mushrooms.
After thawing, I reheat the soup and when hot, I add the raw shrimp and the mushrooms. This gives the shrimp a fresh taste and the mushrooms a better texture.
Add In Ideas For This Thai Hot and Sour Soup
- Add noodles to make shrimp tom yum a meal! Soba Noodles are a good option, simply cook the noodles according to package instructions (it usually takes 5 minutes), drain, rinse and place in a soup bowl. Pour the spicy Thai soup over the noodles and enjoy!
- Tomato cut into quarters. Add them at the same time you add the mushrooms.
- Sliced onions. Add them at the same time you add the mushrooms.
- Instead of straw mushrooms, you can add sliced Shiitake or white button mushrooms.
- Sliced scallions. Add them with the cilantro.
Tom Yum Soup Recipe Tips
- Make the broth extra flavorful by making your own shrimp or prawn broth. Buy shrimp or prawns whole with heads and shells attached. Remove the head, peel the shrimp and reserve the shrimp meat. Make the broth as written with the addition of the shrimp/prawn heads and shells. Strain the broth before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Remove some of the outer layers of the lemongrass, cut it in half and pound it to bruise it so it releases its aroma.
- Remove the shrimp tails for easier slurping!
- Heads up – fish sauce does not smell good! Do not let that stop you from making this famous Thai soup or any Asian recipe.
- You can refrigerate Tom Yum soup in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, simmer gently in a pot. If using a microwave, remove the shrimp, before heating. Add the shrimp to the hot soup to prevent overcooking.
Check these other amazing Thai recipes
- Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
- Pad Thai
- Thai Red Curry Chicken
- Jasmine Rice with Ginger and Lemongrass
- Larb Salad
- Thai Basil Chicken
- Mango Sticky Rice
Check out these other Favorites from Lemon Blossoms
Follow me on social media for more recipe ideas & inspiration! Pinterest Facebook Instagram My Newsletter
Tom Yum Soup Recipe (Hot and Sour Soup)
Ingredients
- 2 quarts chicken or seafood stock
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, sliced in 2 inch pieces
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 red chiles (whole or sliced) (see notes)
- 6 tablespoons fish sauce
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 – 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 (15-ounces) can straw mushrooms
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined with tails on or off
- A handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
To Make the Thai Broth
- In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil over medium heat. Add the lemongrass, lime leaves, ginger and red chile peppers and lower the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot an simmer for 20 minutes.
To Make the Soup
- Uncover the pot and add the fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and red curry paste to the broth. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and the shrimp and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the shrimp is cooked through. Turn the heat off and add the cilantro. Serve (see notes).
Video
Chef’s Tips
- When making the Thai broth, I usually add the chiles whole so I can control the heat level better.
- The lemongrass and lime leaves are not to be eaten. You can remove them before serving if you wish.
- Red Curry paste is spicy. If you are not familiar with it, add 1 tablespoon and taste. You can add more if desire.
- Make the broth extra flavorful by making your own shrimp or prawn broth. Buy shrimp or prawns whole with heads and shells attached. Remove the head, peel the shrimp and reserve the shrimp meat. Make the broth as written with the addition of the shrimp/prawn heads and shells. Strain the broth before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Remove some of the outer layers of the lemongrass, cut it in half and pound it to bruise it so it releases its aroma.
Nutrition
Lauren says
Just wondering if the nutritional info listed is pet serving (which is what I’m assuming) or for the whole recipe? Looking forward to making it either way! Thanks!
Kathy says
Hi Lauren, It is per service!
Vintonne says
This soup was great making it again this week, Found galangal and the kaffir lime leaves. It was amazing. My family loved it.
Kathy says
So happy to hear! Thank you. It’s one of our favorites.
Pam says
I found your recipe about a year ago and saved it… it’s my favorite Tom Yum recipe and I make it frequently… the taste is so authentic. Thank you for posting this recipe!!!!
Kathy says
Thank you Pam! I’m so glad you are enjoying this soup. I appreciate the feedback.
Jamie Ferguson says
Now this recipe is on point. So satisfying on a cold day.
Ingredients were fairly easy to get except for the lemon grass and straw mushrooms. Substituted shiitakes instead, and I live in a very rural spot in Northern Ontario.
It was quick to prep
Quick to cook
Very little mess.
Tasted awesome.
Hint – 6 TBS of lime juice = 3 very well squeezed limes. Lol.
Had to use dried ingredients, fresh could not be found. Let things simmer just a little longer.
Bravo for giving us this one
Kathy says
Thank you Jamie! I am glad you were able to find almost all the ingredients. Here in the states we can buy lemongrass paste in tubes. They are sold by the produce department but are to be kept refrigerated. they are pretty good. Thanks for the feedback and the tips! xo
Violet Sugar says
Awesome recipe! Was curious, however, do you use red curry paste because of its higher availability as opposed to Nam Prik Pao (Roasted Chilli Paste)? I personally CAN get Nam Prik Pao, and I have red curry paste as well, I believe the norm in most Thai Tom Yum soups is the roasted chilli paste..? Just curious! Love your site just discovered it!
All the best in 2021!
Kathy says
Hi! Happy 2021! I use red curry paste mostly. Thank you!
Kathy says
Have you actually tried the soup Did you actually read the post?
Ming Yao says
This is the best most authentic tasting recipe I lived in Thailand for 6 months so I know how is supposed to taste. Exellent!
Aia Aparri says
I love this recipe! Easy to prepare and cook! Super!
Caroline Truitt says
My husband and I really enjoyed this recipe! Tasted better than the lemongrass soup at our local Thai restaurant. I didn’t have lime leaves so I used freshly squeezed lime juice. I also was short a red Chile pepper so I used probably 6 thai peppers. My hands are still burning from slicing them haha. I’ll try to find you on Pinterest I’m always looking for recipes
Kathy says
Thank you Caroline! Those little chiles can be so spicy! You may want to wear gloves next time. I am so glad you and your husband liked the soup. Lime juice or a little bit of lime zest should do the trick when you don’t have lime leaves. Sometimes I can’t find them either.
Linda C Bollinger says
Can you purchase all the Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal dried and still have it taste good. I am looking
at stores and can’t find these fresh and I found them on Amazon. So just wondering if you have a list of brands or where to
buy the ingredients.
Kathy says
I haven’t use dried but I am sure it would be fine.
Rick says
Absolutely authentic and delicious! I highly recommend you take the tine to find galangal. While ginger and galangal are in the same family, they do NOT taste the same. Anyway, this is an amazing recipe that easy to make. I have added it to my list of all-time favorites.
Kathy says
Rick, thanks for your kind words. I am so glad you enjoyed the soup. It is one of our favorites.
You are absolutely right, galangal tastes different than ginger and it’s a wonderful ingredient. We moved to the south and I can never get it here 🙁
Thanks again!
Clayton Coker says
Having just returned from working a month in Bangkok, I think this recipe is the most authentic i have seen available on the internet. The street vendors with their roll around carts start with a pot of broth and a pot of boiling hot water. They have a cooking basket on the end of a long bamboo handle, typically throw in a hand full of glass noodles, add the chicken (gai), or pork (moo) , along with whatever you choose, green onions, garlic, chicken liver, etc, immerse the basket in the boiling water bath for half a minute, pour it in a bowl, ladle the broth over the contents and the customer is free to add at no extra cost mung beans, cilantro, chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro,the standard quartet of each style of chili, dried, sliced, stewed, floating slices in vinegar, along with each vendor’s own specialty concoctions using special parts of the chicken or pork along with their own blend of spices., and all for the amazing cost of Baht 40 which is a little over a dollar. What a deal. Or you can go to a restaurant and get a similar dish for $5/$8.
Kathy says
Hi Clayton, thank you so much for sharing, I cannot wait to visit Thailand! You transported me for a few minutes and I am thankful for that. Thanks for the feedback. We love this soup and make it quite often at home. We also add a few other ingredients once in a while. Thanks gain!