With the flavors of Thai chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and more, Tom Yum Soup is a popular hot and sour soup from Thailand that is loaded with herbs and spices and lots of shrimp simmered in a flavorful broth. Make it at home with this recipe. So easy to make!
We're cooking up Homemade Tom Yum Soup in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends!
This is a dish I've been making for nearly 30 years, ever since I fell in love with vibrant Thai cuisine. This dish is a must for spicy food lovers, especially when you make it at home with my homemade shrimp stock.
What is Tom Yum Soup?
Authentic Tom Yum Soup (Tom Yum Goong) is a well known hot and sour soup from Thailand made with lots of spices and herbs, and plenty of spicy chili peppers. It is usually made with shrimp, though pork is also a popular option.
It is essentially a broth soup, the broth simmered with ingredients like smashed Thai peppers, kaffir lime, lemongrass and more. You may also see it called Tom Yam.
Tom Yum Soup Two Ways - Clear or Creamy
There are two popular versions of this iconic dish: Tom Yum Goong Nam Sai, a clear and intensely flavorful broth, and Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon, a creamier, richer version made with evaporated milk or coconut milk.
This recipe shows you how to make both versions so you can make your favorite style at home in under 30 minutes.
Featured Reader Comment
"AMAAAAZING!!!! Thank goodness I found your recipe! I had two quarts of homemade shrimp stock, and no clue what to do with all of it! ... My husband took one whiff of the soup and nearly swooned. He declared it better than any restaurant version, so thank you, Mike!!!" - Jazz
Let's talk about how we make Tom Yum Soup, shall we?
Tom Yum Soup Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is the list of ingredients along with recommended substitutions to help you achieve recipe success.
- Chicken Stock. Or use shrimp stock. See the recipe tips and notes section below on how to make your own shrimp stock.
- Thai Chili Peppers. Or use any spicy pepper available to you.
- Fish Sauce.
- Nam Prik Pao (Thai Chili Paste). Sub in other chili pastes as needed.
- Chili Oil. Sub in vegetable oil or make your own chili oil.
- Lemongrass. Fresh is great, but sub in lemongrass paste or use green onion with lemon zest.
- Kaffir Lime Leaves (Makrut Lime Leaves). Sub with cilantro and lime zest.
- Garlic.
- Galangal. Sub in ginger, though it lacks the citrusy notes. Add lime zest to account for this.
- Straw Mushrooms. Sub in other mushrooms to your preference.
- Shrimp.
- Lime Juice.
- Evaporated Milk. The authentic way to make the creamy version. Use coconut milk as a substitution, though the coconut flavor will come through.
- For Garnish/Finish. Chopped fresh cilantro, fish sauce, chili oil, chili flakes
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Chili Peppers. Use Thai peppers for this recipe if you can, though will achieve excellent results with other chili peppers. Go with heat levels of your choice, like spicy jalapeno, fiery serrano peppers or cayenne, or even extra hot peppers like habaneros, 7 pot peppers or ghost peppers for some real heat.
- Other Ingredients. You can use other flavors to your preference. I have seen this recipe made with soy sauce, bay leaves, cherry tomatoes to finish, sugar or brown sugar, honey and more.
- Make Your Own Shrimp Stock. Boost your Tom Yum with homemade shrimp stock: simmer shrimp shells (and heads), lemongrass, kaffir lime, galangal, garlic, shallot, and chilies in water. Strain and use. This extra step makes a big flavor difference and gives the Thai soup a truly authentic Thai restaurant quality.
How to Make Tom Yum Soup - the Recipe Overview
Bring your chicken or shrimp stock to a boil with the peppers, fish sauce, chili paste, chili oil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, and galangal.
Simmer to infuse the flavors, then strain if you prefer a clearer broth.
Add the mushrooms and cook briefly, then stir in the shrimp and lime juice and simmer just until the shrimp are cooked through.
Serve hot, topped with fresh cilantro, extra fish sauce, chili oil, and a sprinkle of chili flakes if you like more heat.
Boom! Done! Tom Yum Soup is ready to serve. It looks wonderful, doesn't it? I love to include extra peppers and seasonings in mine, as I do love it spicy, as you know.
Creamy Tom Yum Soup (Tom Yum Nam Khon)
You can make the creamy version by adding 1/2 cup evaporated milk or 1/2-1 cup coconut milk to the soup base when you add the shrimp and lime juice.
I'd love to hear which you prefer!
Serving Thai Tom Yum Soup
Tom Yum Soup is great on it's own as a starter or light meal. However, you can easily turn it into a more substantial meal.
Serve it with steamed jasmine rice to soak up the rich, flavorful broth, or stir in cooked rice noodles.
Add your favorite vegetables like boy choy or baby corn for extra nutrition and flavor. You can also add in extra shrimp or other proteins, like chicken or tofu.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this amazing Tom Yum Soup recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Tom Yum Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock or use shrimp stock
- 4 Thai chili peppers or use any spicy pepper available to you - see recipe notes
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons Thai chili paste nam prik pao
- 1 tablespoon chili oil
- 3 lemongrass stalks chopped and smashed
- 3 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped galangal
- 15 ounces straw mushrooms I used canned, drained, but you can use fresh
- 12 medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- Juice from 1 small lime
- For Garnish/Finish: Chopped fresh cilantro fish sauce, chili oil, chili flakes
For Creamy Tom Yum Soup (Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or use 1/2-1 cup coconut milk)
Instructions
- Add the chicken stock (or shrimp stock) to a large pot along with the peppers, fish sauce, chili paste, chili oil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, garlic and galangal. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. You can simmer longer if you'd like to develop more flavor. Strain, if desired.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and lime juice. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through.
- Serve into bowls and top with chopped fresh cilantro, a drizzle of fish sauce and chili oil, and chili flakes (if desired).
Creamy Tom Yum Soup (Tom Yum Goong Nam Khon)
- When you add the shrimp and lime juice (step 3), add the condensed milk.
Nutrition Information
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftover Tom Yum Soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can warm it gently in a pot on the stove top over medium-low heat to enjoy again.
Note that texture can be affected with leftover shrimp.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/9/25 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on3/1/21.
Beppe says
If you made a chicken version how much chicken would you use? White or dark meat? Steamed first?
Mike Hultquist says
Beppe, I would use 8 ounces white mean chicken, steamed first. It will work nicely with dark meat, though, or a mix, but I believe the steamed white meat chicken would compliment the dish nicely. I hope you enjoy it.
Lai says
this was super delicious!!! I added yellow peppers. Didn't have galangal, so I used ginger.
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it, Lai. Thanks for sharing!
Sharon says
This was absolutely delicious! I had to sub a couple things, but I will be making this again and again! Thanks for the recipe!!
Mike H. says
Happy to hear it, Sharon. Enjoy!
Judy Fungchoo says
OMG !!! Makes my soul sing! Thank you! I did not have access to shrimp heads in the Midwest market so used the chicken broth. Nor did I have the galangal root did use ginger as suggested. I ordered the lime leaves on line. I doubled recipe plus put more shrimp in it and added some bean sprouts. Just threw in chopped cilantro. Freaking fabulous! Thanks again!
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!!! Glad you enjoyed it, Judy! Thank you very much for sharing. I appreciate it. =)
Jazz says
AMAAAAZING!!!! Thank goodness I found your recipe! I had two quarts of homemade shrimp stock, and no clue what to do with all of it! (We eat a lot of shrimp and I save all the shells in the freezer.)
I didn't have any lime leaves, so I used ground dried lime; no fresh galangal, but I had dried galangal (known as shar/sand ginger in Chinese cookjng); and frozen chopped lemongrass. Talk about pantry cooking, lol. Because I used dried ingredients, I let the broth simmer overnight.
Anyway, once you have all the ingredients, this soup is super easy to pull together. It is delish both with and without the coconut milk. We just added coconut milk in our individual bowls, so I could freeze the extra broth. My husband took one whiff of the soup and nearly swooned. He declared it better than any restaurant version, so thank you, Mike!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding, Jazz! Yes, so good with homemade shrimp stock! I love that. I freeze batches as well. Super happy you both enjoyed it!
Gay McDonald says
I really like your take on this traditional recipe. I make my own nam prik pao, and I love to use it in various recipes. I have saved a few of your recipes to use. I am a volunteer at a program for older folks, and I make a weekly "morning tea" that includes a lot of allergy issues! My folks just love to try something new, and are into healthy food in a big way. Thanks for sharing your "obsession" - habanero in sweet chili sauces full of tropical fruits is my favorite mix! Pineapple, passionfruit, mango, papaya, and more.
Stay safe and well!
Gay
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Gay! I love that you make your own nam prik pao. Very nice.
DON GREGORY says
ABSOLUTEY THE BEST
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! I love this soup. So good.