Tom yum noodle soup is light, flavorsome, fragrant, and delicious. A traditional Thai favorite, you can now enjoy it in your home in under 40 minutes!
Thai cuisine is tasty, aromatic, and full of delicate flavors that tingle my tastebuds. And it’s not just me… Several years ago there was a huge worldwide, online survey that ranked the world’s top 50 dishes, and food from Thailand took out 4 of the Top 10 places. But do you know what came in 4th place? Tom yum soup! Famous all over the world over for the fabulous combination of sour, spicy, sweet & salty flavors.
Thai cuisine focuses on fresh food (which I love!), and packing a fabulous nutritional punch (which I also love!) – so it’s a win-win in my book. I’m always trying to get my family to eat more vegetables, so whenever I find a recipe that is (a) easy, (b) quick, and (c) healthy, I know I’m going to love it. Check out the ingredients in Tom Yum soup:
People seem to either really love or really dislike cilantro (coriander). Personally, I love it, but my husband can’t stand it, and one of my kids can’t stand it. My suggestion is to always check with your family/ friends/ guests before serving it in a meal or even as a garnish.
And that’s all there is! You can add in more vegetables, or replace some of the above with vegetables more to your liking, so I’ll give you a list of options under the ‘variations’ heading beneath the recipe card.
It’s also really simple to make. I had (wrongly!) assumed that it might be time consuming and complex, but it’s really not. Have a look:
Directions
- In a large soup pot, combine the lemon grass pieces, stock cubes, galangal slices, kaffir lime leaves, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, button mushrooms, and chillies with the water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer – covered – for 30 minutes.
- Add peeled shrimp (prawns) and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
- Add fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
- If you prefer a stronger citrus flavor, add more lime juice.
- If you prefer a sweeter flavor, add more fish sauce.
- You can eat the soup as is, or your can add some steamed rice or jasmine rice into the soup bowl as you are serving it to make a more hearty meal.
This soup just could not be any easier! You get all those delicious flavors and nutrients from the vegetables and herbs while they’re simmering away in the pot – leaving you with a free 30 minutes to do… whatever you like! A bubble bath, curl up with a book, play with your kids, chat to your partner, catch up on some gardening… Perfect!
Variations
There are various ways you can personalize this recipe to make it suit yours and your family’s taste preferences. Check out some of my ideas below:
- The soup just as it is is delicious and perfect as an appetizer or light meal. However, if you’d prefer a more hearty meal, add 1 cup of steamed rice to each bowl before serving. I like jasmine rice, but whatever you have in your pantry will be fine.
- Add 1 small can drained bamboo shoots before simmering.
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels, added just before simmering, is delicious.
- Add some roughly chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves to the pot before simmering. (Just check with your family/ friends first because people seem to either absolutely love cilantro, or they absolutely can’t stand it!)
- Include some green vegetables like baby spinach, bok choy, sliced green beans etc at the same time as the shrimp (prawns).
- Stir through 1 small tin coconut milk to create a richer flavor.
I’d love to hear how you go making this tom yum noodle soup recipe. If you have any feedback at all, please let me know in the comments section below.
Until next time…
Love & tasty Thai flavors, Bella X
Tom Yum Noodle Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 4 sticks lemon grass, cut into 1 inch (3 cm) lengths
- 4 cubes chicken stock
- 8 slices galangal
- 4 leaves kaffir lime
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 button mushrooms, halved
- 6 spring onions
- 8 small red chillies
- 1 pound shrimp (prawns) (approx 500 grams)
- fish sauce, to taste
- 4 limes juice only
- 6 cups water
- cilantro (coriander), to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, combine lemon grass, stock cubes, galangal slices, lime leaves, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and chillies with the water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer โ covered โ for 30 minutes.
- Add peeled shrimp (prawns) and simmer for a further 2 minutes.
- Add fish sauce and lime juice to taste*.
- Serve immediately while hot.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh cilantro (coriander) IF you like it.
Pasta Salad
Light and delicate but full of flavor – yum!