Thai Coconut Soup, also known as Tom Kha, is a creamy, flavorful Thai coconut curry soup made with coconut milk, red curry paste, vegetables, and tender shrimp. It comes together quickly and has the perfect balance of rich coconut flavor, warm spice, and savory goodness. You can easily make it vegetarian or vegan, too!

If you love Thai food, be sure to try my Easy Thai Salmon and my Homemade Pad Thai!

Thai coconut soup in a white bowl with a spoon.
Kelley Simmons Kelley’s Tips

How to Make the Best Thai Coconut Soup

  • Don’t overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cook quickly, so remove them from the pot as soon as they’re pink and opaque. They’ll warm back up when added to the soup at the end.
  • Adjust the curry paste to taste. Red curry paste can vary in heat, so start with the amount listed and add more if you want a spicier soup or less for a more mild soup.
  • Taste before adding more salt. Fish sauce adds plenty of savory, salty flavor, so give the soup a taste before seasoning.
Kelley
Ladling out a curry soup with mushrooms from a pot.

Ingredients for Thai Coconut Soup

  • Shrimp: Large, peeled and deveined shrimp work best. Fresh, wild-caught shrimp are great when available, but frozen shrimp work well too. You can also use smaller shrimp—just reduce the cooking time as needed.
  • Veggies: Carrots and shiitake mushrooms add great flavor and texture. This soup is also perfect for using up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. Bell peppers, broccoli, or spinach would all be delicious.
  • Aromatics: Fresh garlic and ginger add tons of flavor to the broth. For even more Thai-inspired flavor, add lemongrass and/or makrut lime leaves (also known as kaffir lime leaves).
  • Red curry paste: This is where a lot of the soup’s flavor comes from! For the best flavor, look for a curry paste labeled “Made in Thailand.” Add more or less depending on your preferred spice level.
  • Chicken broth: I prefer low-sodium chicken broth so you have more control over the saltiness of the finished soup. Vegetable broth is an easy substitute.
  • Coconut milk: Use full-fat coconut milk and add both the thick coconut cream and liquid from the can. It creates a rich, creamy broth while keeping the soup naturally dairy-free.
  • Fish sauce: A little goes a long way! Fish sauce adds salty, savory depth and plenty of umami flavor to the broth.
  • Garnishes: Don’t skip the toppings! Finish each bowl with sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and sriracha for extra heat.

How to Make Thai Coconut Soup

  • Sauté the shrimp: Add olive oil to a large pot. Sauté shrimp over medium heat until they are fully cooked (should take about 3 to 4 minutes). Take shrimp out of pot, and set aside.
Shrimp cooking in a pot with tongs.
  1. Cook veggies and aromatics: Add more olive oil to the same large pot. Once hot and shiny, add the carrots, and cook for 3 minutes. Add in garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute, until fragrant.
sauteed carrots, onions, garlic and ginger
  1. Make the soup: Stir in curry paste, broth and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and mushrooms, and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Add in the cooked shrimp, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine.
adding cooked shrimp, mushrooms. broth and coconut milk to pot
  1. Serve: Ladle this soup up immediately after stirring in the last ingredients. Garnish each plate with additional cilantro, and serve with Sriracha on the side, if desired. This is also yummy over rice or noodles!
thai coconut soup finished in large pot with cilantro

Make This with Chicken Instead!

Not a shrimp fan? Swap the shrimp for rotisserie chicken or use my instant pot shredded chicken recipe for shredded chicken in under 20 minutes!

spoon dipped in thai coconut soup with fresh herbs on top
thai coconut soup with shredded chicken

Thai Coconut Soup FAQ

What vegetables can I add to Thai coconut soup?

This soup is very flexible. Bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas, spinach, bok choy and zucchini would all work well. Add quick-cooking vegetables toward the end so they don’t become too soft.

How spicy is Thai coconut soup?

The heat will depend largely on the red curry paste you use. Start with less if you’re sensitive to spice, then add more to taste. You can also serve sriracha or chili oil on the side for anyone who wants more heat.

Can I freeze Thai coconut soup?

You can freeze the coconut curry broth, but I would leave out the shrimp and add freshly cooked shrimp after reheating. The texture of previously cooked shrimp can become rubbery after freezing and reheating.

What to Serve with Thai Coconut Soup

Tom Kha Kai Soup in white bowl

More Thai Recipes to Try

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    Thai coconut soup in a white bowl with carrots, mushroom and shrimp.
    Recipe

    Thai Coconut Soup

    4.75 from 4 votes
    Thai Coconut Soup is a quick and flavorful Thai-inspired soup made with creamy coconut milk, red curry paste, vegetables, and tender shrimp.
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Serves 4
    Rate Print

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 16 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
    • 2 medium carrots, sliced thin
    • 1/2 medium onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tsp ginger, minced
    • 1 tbsp red curry paste
    • 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
    • 1 tsp fish sauce
    • 3/4 cup coconut milk
    • 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
    • 2 tbsp lime juice
    • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

    Instructions

    • Cook shrimp: Add 1 tablespoon oil to a large pot. Sauté shrimp over medium high heat until they are fully cooked (should take about 4-5 minutes). Remove shrimp from the pot and set aside.
    • Cook vegetables: Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pot. Add in carrots and onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables start to get tender. Add in garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute.
    • Simmer broth: Stir in curry paste, broth and fish sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
    • Stir in coconut milk and mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add the cooked shrimp back to the pot along with the lime juice and cilantro. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Don’t overcook the shrimp. Shrimp cook quickly, so remove them from the pot as soon as they’re pink and opaque. They’ll warm back up when added to the soup at the end.
    • Adjust the curry paste to taste. Red curry paste can vary in heat, so start with the amount listed and add more if you want a spicier soup.
    • Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest soup. Light coconut milk will work, but the soup won’t be quite as rich.
    • Taste before adding more salt. Fish sauce adds plenty of savory, salty flavor, so give the soup a taste before seasoning.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 12gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 454mgPotassium: 644mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5730IUVitamin C: 8.3mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 2.9mg
    Thai coconut soup in a white bowl with carrots, mushroom and shrimp.

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