Easy Tom Yum Soup

This famous Thai recipe is known for its fiery spice and bold flavors. In this recipe we show you how to make an Easy Tom Yum Soup at home using readily available ingredients that you can find in your local grocery store. The amount of flavor packed into this Soup is phenomenal, and it’s amazing just how simple this dish is to create. The whole dish can be made in under 25 minutes, including prep time. It’s a great appetizer or lunch option when you’re looking for a warm, delicious meal. Add some Rice or Bread as a side dish and you’ve got a tasty dinner to enjoy

Yes, Tom Yum Soup is Spicy. Yes, you should make yours Spicy too

If you’re on this article, then you already have some interest in making Tom Yum Soup. So, you should know that this is a spicy dish. Which is great! The heat in this Soup is what defines it, and perhaps why it is so beloved and famous. It’s not an overwhelming heat, but the heat is prominent in the Soup. There are no short cuts here, if you’re making Tom Yum Soup at home then it needs to be spicy!

The heat in our Easy Tom Yum Soup comes from the addition of fresh Red Chilis. Cut them up finely and keep those seeds and add them to the Soup. Along with the Chilis, the traditional way to add more spice to the dish is by using Thai Chili Paste

You should be able to find Thai Chili Paste in the Asian section of your grocery store. You can really use any kind of Chili Paste or Chili Sauce as a substitute. We ended up using Sambal for our recipe and it came out great

When adding spice to the Soup we recommend adding little bits at a time and taste as you go. It’s always easier to add more spice to a dish than to try and dull out a dish that’s too spicy. The right heat level for Tom Yum Soup is a present, but not overwhelming heat

The key to a great Tom Yum Soup lies in the Broth

This is a Soup after all, so all the flavor lies in the broth. For our Easy Tom Yum Soup we are using Chicken Stock as the base, and to that we add aromatics of Lemongrass, Ginger, and Chili. These aromatics sit in the stock that is running at a simmer on the stovetop for about 10 minutes to infuse their flavors

It’s amazing what just 10 minutes of infusing can do the Chicken Stock. The powerful flavors of Lemongrass and Ginger are so prominent in the broth, and you’ll think that it’s taken hours or even days to get that level of flavor!

Of course, we recommend using homemade Chicken Stock when making this dish. You can use one of several of our Chicken Stock recipes located here, which will elevate and transform your Soup. Chicken Stock is the traditional ingredient to make Tom Yum Soup, but you can also use Vegetable or even Shrimp Stock in your version at home

Once the Broth is ready, it’s time to add some Vegetables and Protein

After 10 minutes of infusing, it’s time to add some Veggies and Protein to our Easy Tom Yum Soup. We recommend using Shrimp as the protein. It’s a traditional ingredient in the dish and takes very little time to cook. This is great, because you can add the Shrimp into the Soup at the same time as your Vegetables and they’ll cook at the same time. The Shrimp is a great gauge on the doneness of the dish too, as you can tell by how it looks whether its completely cooked or not. Once the Shrimp turns a beautiful pink color, it’s done. Depending on the size of your Shrimp this will take about 5 – 7 minutes. Just keep your eye on them when they’re cooking to avoid overcooking them

You can also use Chicken or even Beef in the Soup. While not as traditional, it’s going to still taste great. I would recommend cutting them into thin slices so they cook quickly so you can follow the same times outlined in the recipe below where we use Shrimp

Along with the Shrimp, add Oyster Mushrooms and Tomatoes to the Soup

More traditional ingredients that are added to Tom Yum Soup are the combination of Oyster Mushrooms and Tomatoes. I find Tomatoes a little weird in the soup to be honest, but they do add a lovely flavor and texture to the dish. Cherry Tomatoes work great, because you can add them whole and they’ll burst in the mouth when eaten, which is always fun!

Oyster Mushrooms are the perfect addition to our Easy Tom Yum Soup. They have a beautiful, meaty quality and absorb all the wonderful flavor of the broth when they are poached in the liquid. You can use any kind of Mushroom you like, but we highly recommend Oyster Mushrooms

Finishing the Soup, more classic Thai ingredients are added

Once your Shrimp is cooked the Soup is ready to come off the heat, but it’s not done yet! The final touches to this spicy Soup are a generous amount of Fish Sauce, Lime Juice, and Sugar. This classic pairing of flavors is very common in Thai cuisine, and gives the Soup its hallmark sweet and sour flavors

Don’t be shy when adding these ingredients either and always taste as you go. You want a beautiful balance of Sweet and Sour, but each flavor should be powerfully prominent in the dish. Once done, you’re ready to serve! Add some Cilantro to the bowl and it’s ready to enjoy

Adding Coconut Milk to the Soup will turn it into another classic Thai Soup known as ‘Tom Kha Gai’

You can also add Coconut Milk to the dish for a creamier, more luscious Soup

While traditional Tom Yum Soup does not include Coconut Milk, it is a popular addition to the Soup in many recipes. Adding about 200ml of Coconut Milk to the Soup will give it a creamier, more luscious flavor. For our recipe we’re not including Coconut Milk, and keeping our Easy Tom Yum Soup very traditional

Adding Coconut Milk to a Thai-style soup like this will turn it more into a traditional Tom Kha Gai. This dish is very similar, with a flavored Broth filled with spices, aromatics, and Seafood. If you want to cook a Tom Kha Gai (which we highly recommend trying!) then check out our dedicated recipe here

Easy Tom Yum Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ Yellow Onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. Peanut / Vegetable Oil
• 4 cups of Chicken Stock (recipe here)
• 2 Lemongrass Stalks, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp. Ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 Red Chilis, sliced
• 2 tbsp. Thai Chili Sauce / Sambal
• 1 ½ lbs. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 ½ cups Oyster Mushrooms
• 1 cup of Cherry Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. Fish Sauce
• Juice of 3 Limes
• 1 tbsp. Palm Sugar (can also use White Sugar)
• A few sprigs of Cilantro
  
  

Instructions

1. Heat the Oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the Onions and sauté until they begin to slightly caramelize
2. Pour in the Chicken Broth and bring to a boil, then drop the heat to a simmer. Bash the Lemongrass with a blunt object or back of the knife to release its aromas, then add to the pot along with Ginger, Chilis, and Chili Sauce. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes
3. Add the Shrimp, Mushrooms, and Cherry Tomatoes and continue to simmer until the Shrimp are cooked (they’ll turn a bright pink color). This should take about 5 – 6 minutes
4. Add Fish Sauce, Lime Juice, Sugar and then taste the broth for seasoning. Mix well then remove the slices of Ginger and Lemon Grass
5. Pour Soup into individual bowls and top with a few sprigs of Cilantro before serving
   
   

Recipe Notes

• Another traditional ingredient is adding 3 – 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves to the Broth when you add the Lemongrass and Ginger
• A popular finishing addition to Tom Yum Soup is Coconut Milk. This will give it a creamier texture
  
  

For a spicy kick of flavor there is no better dish than our Easy Tom Yum Soup recipe. It packs a punch of flavor and is equally sweet and sour as it is spicy. The mix of these flavors makes for a wonderful bowl of food that’s perfect to enjoy for lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer

If you enjoy this recipe then you must check out these other amazing appetizers of ours:

• Tuna Carpaccio with Lemon and Soy
• Pan Con Tomate
• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
• Homemade Tempura Vegetables
  
  

Happy Cooking!