Thai Coconut Soup
Thai Coconut Soup also known as “Tom Kha” is a super flavorful soup made with red curry paste, coconut milk, vegetables, and shrimp. This thai coconut curry soup is bursting with flavor! This will be your new favorite soup! Vegetarian and vegan options included below!
Do you love Thai food? Then you’ve got to try my Easy Thai Salmon and my Homemade Pad Thai!
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Thai Coconut Soup
I love anything with curry in it — soup, noodles, chicken, vegetables … you name it. If it’s got curry in it, I want it!
This Thai Coconut Soup Recipe is inspired by the coconut curry soup I love to order at a local Thai restaurant. This sweet and spicy soup has a combination of  fragrant, spicy red curry paste mixed with the sweet coconut milk.
And the best part? This thai soup with coconut milk can be made in less than 30 minutes start to finish. Everything is cooked in the same pan making for an easy clean up and super flavorful soup.
Ingredients For Thai Coconut Soup
To get started on the thai coconut shrimp soup you will need a few of my favorite kitchen staples, including:
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Or another light-tasting oil like avocado oil or grape seed oil.
- Shrimp: I used 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined. Fresh and wild-caught is always best, but you can use frozen, of course. Opt for smaller shrimp, if you like.
- Veggies: I used carrots and shitake mushrooms, but this recipe is great for cleaning out the fridge; so feel free to use what you have on-hand!
- Aromatics: The garlic and ginger pack a ton of flavor into this coconut curry soup. You could also use lemongrass and/or kaffir lime leaves, if you like.
- Red Curry Paste: Always opt for the brand that says, “Made in Thailand,” for the best curry flavors. This is our favorite curry paste!
- Chicken Broth: I like using low-sodium broth so I can better control the amount of salt in my soups.
- Coconut Milk: Use the solid and liquid parts of full-fate coconut milk. This is what makes the soup super creamy (while remaining dairy-free).
- Fish Sauce: You can’t have a proper coconut curry soup without this staple Thai ingredient!
- Garnishes: I love to top this Thai shrimp curry soup with sliced green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, fresh-squeezed lime juice, and a good squeeze of sriracha.
How To Make Thai Coconut Soup
- Sauté the Shrimp: Add some 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.
- Cook Your 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.
- 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.
- 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!
How To Make This Curry Soup Your Own
Other than the easy ingredients list and quick cooking time, I also love how customizable this Thai shrimp soup can be.
- No carrots or mushrooms? Swap the out for whatever veggies you have in your fridge! Bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, or squash would be delicious.
- Not a shrimp fan? Substitute chicken or another seafood like salmon or mussels.
- Or make it vegetarian- and vegan-friendly by using veggie broth instead of chicken broth and a plant-based protein like tofu in place of the meat. (Or simply add more veggies!)
- And if you’re not a red curry fan, you could also use yellow curry paste or green curry paste in place of it in this coconut curry soup recipe.
Serve this soup as is or over a bowl of white, jasmine rice, brown rice, or rice noodles for a quick lunch or dinner. Garnish each plate with cilantro and serve with extra lime and Sriracha on the side. However you serve it, you’re sure to enjoy!
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
- Store leftover Thai coconut soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooled soup in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat by allowing frozen soup to thaw in the fridge, then warming chilled soup in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through and bubbling around the edges. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp.
More Thai-Inspired Recipes To Try
Thai Coconut Soup
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.
