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!
Thai Tom Yum Soup
We're cooking up Tom Yum Soup in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends!
Authentic Tom Yum Soup 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 Goong Nam (the clear version of the soup) or Tom Yum Khon (a creamier version).
I love it for it's flavor and spiciness, but also because it is very easy to make. You can have a steaming bowl of Tom Yum Soup on the table in under 30 minutes, and that's great for busy people who don't want to compromise great flavor for something quick.
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
- 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 a paste or use green onion with lemon zest.
- Kaffir 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.
For Garnish/Finish
- Chopped fresh cilantro, fish sauce, chili oil, chili flakes
How to Make Tom Yum Soup - the Recipe Method
Make the Stock Soup Base. Add the chicken stock (or shrimp stock) to a large pot along with peppers, fish sauce, chili paste, chili oil, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, and kaffir lime leaves.
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.
Mushrooms. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes.
Shrimp. Add the lime juice and shrimp. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through.
Serve. Serve into bowls and top with chopped fresh cilantro, a drizzle of fish sauce and chili oil, and chili flakes (if desired).
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.
Make Your Own Shrimp Stock
If you want to take your Tom Yum Soup to the next level, consider making your own shrimp stock from scratch. It adds depth and authentic flavor that store-bought broth just can’t match. Here’s how to do it:
- Start with shell-on shrimp. Ideally, use shrimp with the heads still attached for maximum flavor. Peel the shrimp and set the meat aside for later.
- Add the shrimp shells and heads to a medium-sized pot. Pour in 4 cups of water with a few lightly smashed lemongrass stalks, several kaffir lime leaves, galangal slices or smashed ginger, 2-3 cloves garlic, a chopped shallot, and 3-4 Thai chilies.
- Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 10 minutes, or for 30-60 minutes for more flavor.
- Strain and use. Strain and use as the base for your Tom Yum Soup. You can also freeze it for later.
This extra step makes a big flavor difference and gives the Thai soup a truly authentic Thai restaurant quality. You will love it.
Serving 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.
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.
- Creamy Version. You can make more of a creamy version of Tom Yum Soup, called Tom Yum Nam Khon, by adding 1/2 cup evaporated milk or 1/2-1 cup coconut milk to the soup base before simmering.
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!
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
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
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).
Nutrition Information
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.