Tom Yum Soup is Thailand’s most iconic soup — a hot and sour bowl of magic, bursting with bold flavors like lemongrass, lime, chili, and fresh herbs. Whether you’re fighting a cold or just need something light but satisfying, Tom Yum has your back. This classic Thai dish is traditionally made with shrimp (Tom Yum Goong), but can also include chicken, tofu, or mushrooms for a vegetarian twist. It’s warm, spicy, tangy, and fragrant — and once you taste it, you’ll understand why it’s loved worldwide.
Quick Facts
Here’s a quick snapshot of the Tom Yum Soup recipe:
| Course | Soup |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Thai |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 20 minutes |
| Calories | 220 per serving |
Equipment Needed
You don’t need a fancy kitchen to make Tom Yum Soup, but having the right tools helps everything come together faster and easier. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Medium-sized pot or saucepan – To boil your soup base and ingredients evenly.
- Chopping board and sharp knife – For prepping herbs, veggies, and proteins.
- Soup ladle – For stirring and serving your soup.
- Strainer (optional) – Helpful if you want to remove the lemongrass or kaffir lime leaves before serving.
- Measuring spoons and cups – To get just the right balance of salty, sour, and spicy.
- Tongs or slotted spoon – Useful when handling shrimp or mushrooms.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need for a classic Tom Yum Goong (shrimp version). Adjust quantities for your taste or diet:
- 8 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 slices fresh galangal (or ginger as a substitute)
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 3–4 Thai bird’s eye chilies, crushed
- 250g (1/2 lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 cup mushrooms (straw mushrooms or button mushrooms, sliced)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili paste in soybean oil (Nam Prik Pao)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Juice of 2 limes (adjust to taste)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Optional: 1/4 cup coconut milk for a creamier version
Instructions
Here’s a simple, step-by-step method to make Tom Yum Soup at home:
- Prepare the broth: In a pot, bring the water or chicken broth to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and chilies. Let it simmer for 5–7 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- Add mushrooms: Toss in the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add shrimp: Drop in the shrimp and cook until pink and just firm, about 3–4 minutes.
- Flavor the soup: Stir in fish sauce, chili paste, and sugar. Mix well and taste.
- Finish with lime: Turn off the heat and add lime juice. Adjust salt, spice, and sourness as needed.
- Garnish: Serve hot with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
