Tom Yum Soup (Printable)

A vibrant Thai soup with lemongrass, lime, and chiles. Balanced sour, spicy, and savory flavors in 35 minutes.

# Components:

→ Broth Base

01 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
02 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
04 - 3 slices galangal or ginger
05 - 2 Thai bird's eye chiles, sliced

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

06 - 7 ounces mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
08 - 1 small onion, sliced
09 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Protein

10 - 10 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined, or tofu

→ Seasonings and Finish

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon chili paste, optional
15 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - Lime wedges for serving

# Method:

01 - In a medium pot, bring stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chiles, garlic, and onion. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to infuse.
02 - Add mushrooms and tomatoes to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender.
03 - Add shrimp or tofu and simmer until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste if using. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt, sourness, and heat as desired.
05 - Remove from heat. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under 40 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so it works for almost any table.
  • The flavors actually improve your mood because they're that bold and bright.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the shrimp—pull it off heat the second it turns pink, not when it feels firm, or you'll end up with tiny rubber bullets.
  • Taste constantly because Tom Yum is all about balance, and your preference for salt, sour, and heat might not match someone else's.
03 -
  • Smash your aromatics instead of chopping them to release more essential oils into the broth—this changes everything.
  • Keep the heat moderate once everything is in the pot, since a rolling boil can make the broth taste thin and lose its nuance.
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