Tom Yum Soup Recipe
When it comes to great Thai soups, Tom Yum is not only among the most popular, but it also happens to be one of the most flavorful. As those who have tried it know, the soup is known for its deliciously sweet and sour broth base that comes to life, thanks to a variety of ingredients like chili pepper, palm sugar, and red curry paste. Shrimp is the main protein in the recipe, and it pairs so well with the sweet and sour broth, ensuring you get a burst of flavor with every bite you take.
Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating came up with this tasty soup recipe that checks all the boxes. "This delicious soup is packed with strong and authentic Thai flavors. It's surprisingly easy to make, and super nutritious too," Brookes raves. "The broth has all the delicious Thai flavors of garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and lime with a good kick from the chili too." Keep reading to find out how to make this delicious Thai soup.
Gather the ingredients for Tom Yum soup
To make this soup, you will need to load up on groceries. Be sure to get chicken broth, a stalk of lemongrass, garlic cloves, makrut lime leaves, grated fresh ginger, mild red chili pepper, Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, palm sugar (or light brown sugar), shiitake mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, frozen raw shrimp, fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice lime, and green onions for serving.
Once you have those items, you can make this tasty Tom Yum soup recipe.
Simmer the soup
Every great soup starts with a killer broth, and that's definitely the case with this flavorful Tom Yum soup. To begin, add the chicken broth to a large pot, and bring it to a boil.
Once the liquid starts to boil, add the crushed lemongrass, crushed garlic, lime leaves, grated ginger, and diced red chili. Stir, and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Then, add the curry paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Give the mixture a few good stirs, and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
Add the veggies and shrimp
At this time, add the halved shiitake mushrooms, and halved tomatoes. Let the soup simmer for another 3 minutes.
Last but not least, add the shrimp to the soup. Again, you'll want to let the soup continue to simmer for about 2 minutes so the shrimp cooks through. You can tell the shrimp is done when it turns from translucent to a pale pink. "When adding the shrimp at the end, be careful not to overcook them, or they may become tough and rubbery," Brookes warns. Once cooked, turn the heat off, and stir in the lime juice.
Garnish and serve the soup
Ladle the soup into bowls, and add fresh cilantro on top. Not only does the cilantro make the soup look nice, but it also adds great flavor. You can also top with chopped green onions if you'd like. "For an extra kick, you can simply add more chili to the dish, or go for a hotter variety of chili," Brookes suggests for spice lovers.
This soup makes a great starter or main course, and Brookes provides a few of her favorite serving suggestions. "It's great served with noodles, a side of rice, or spring rolls," she shares.
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 stalk lemongrass, lightly crushed
- 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 2 makrut lime leaves
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 fresh mild red chili pepper, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
- 3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced in half
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- Chopped green onions, for serving
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the lemongrass, garlic, lime leaves, ginger, and chili. Stir, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the mushrooms and tomatoes, and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp, and simmer for another 2 minutes, until just cooked through and pink in color.
- Turn off the heat, and stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls, and top with fresh cilantro and chopped green onions, if desired.
| Calories per Serving | 372 |
| Total Fat | 8.7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 155.7 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 39.9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.8 g |
| Total Sugars | 16.0 g |
| Sodium | 2,073.0 mg |
| Protein | 36.0 g |
