EASY Tom Yum Soup Recipe

This easy tom yum soup recipe is one of my favorite soups to make! All of the flavorful aromatics like ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste warm up your body and your taste buds. It is the perfect soup recipe to make for when you want to feel like you’re doing something good for yourself. Like on a chilly day, or when you feel down. If you’re ready to get cooking, simply hit the “jump to recipe” button above. Or scroll through to learn more about this easy tom yum soup recipe.

What Is Tom Yum Soup?

Tom Yum soup is a delicious and popular Thai soup known for its bold and tangy flavors. It’s typically made with a flavorful broth (usually chicken or shrimp), lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal (a ginger-like root), fish sauce, and chili peppers. The key elements that make it stand out are the sour and spicy taste, which is balanced with some sweetness.

You can find different variations of Tom Yum, like Tom Yum Goong (with shrimp) or Tom Yum Gai (with chicken). It often includes ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, and sometimes tofu or seafood like whole prawns. It’s served hot and is perfect for warming up on a chilly day or if you just love a zesty kick in your soup.

What Part Of Thailand Is Tom Yum Soup From?

Tom Yum soup originates from central Thailand. It’s a classic Thai street food and restaurant staple enjoyed throughout Thailand and around the world.

While it’s widely enjoyed across the country of Thailand, you’ll often find some regional variations in the recipe. For instance, in Bangkok and the central region, Tom Yum soup is typically made with a clear broth and ingredients like shrimp or chicken. In southern Thailand, you might find a version with a creamier broth due to the use of coconut milk. I sometimes like to add coconut milk to mine when I make it at home.

So, when you’re in Thailand, you can savor Tom Yum soup in various forms. It’s definitely a must-try dish if you’re exploring Thai cuisine! And when you’re at home, here is an easy tom yum soup recipe to satsify your Thai food cravings.

What Does Tom Yum Mean In Thai?

“Tom Yum” is a Thai phrase that roughly translates to “boiling spicy” or “spicy soup.” “Tom” means to boil, and “Yum” refers to a Thai salad characterized by its spicy and sour flavors. So, when you put it all together, “Tom Yum” signifies a hot and spicy soup with a tangy, sour taste, which is the defining characteristic of this delicious Thai soup. It’s a perfect description of the bold and zesty flavors you’ll find in Tom Yum soup!

Thai Ingredients To Make Tom Yum Soup

Here’s a list of key ingredients in Thai cuisine and are essential for making Tom Yum soup and many other Thai dishes. Let me give you a bit more detail about each of them:

Galangal (Kha)

• What is it? Galangal looks similar to ginger but has a distinct flavor. It’s commonly used in Thai cooking and has a citrusy, piney, and slightly peppery taste.
• How it’s used? Galangal is often sliced or finely chopped and added to soups, curries, and stir-fries to infuse a unique flavor. In Tom Yum soup, it provides a fragrant and aromatic element to the broth.

Lemongrass (Takhrai)

• What is it? Lemongrass is a tall, slender grass with a lemony fragrance and flavor. It’s a common herb in Southeast Asian cuisine.
• How it’s used? In Tom Yum soup, lemongrass is typically smashed to release its essential oils and flavor, then added to the broth for its citrusy aroma. It’s often used in a similar way in various Thai dishes to add a fresh, zesty kick.

Makrut Lime Leaves (Bai Makrut)

• What are they? Makrut lime leaves are dark green, double leaves that come from the kaffir lime tree. They have a unique, aromatic citrus flavor. They’re also sometimes called kaffir limes, but since the word kaffir can be used as a slur in some countries, it is more common to see it as makrut lime today.
• How they’re used? Makrut lime leaves are torn or finely sliced and added to Thai dishes, including Tom Yum soup, to infuse a bright and refreshing citrus aroma. They are often used in both the broth and as a garnish.

Thai Chili Peppers (Prik Kee Noo)

• What are they? Thai chili peppers are small, slender chili peppers known for their fiery heat. 
• How they’re used? Thai chili peppers are added to dishes, like this easy Tom Yum soup recipe, to provide Thai food’s signature spiciness. But, you can adjust the amount of chilies based on your heat tolerance. Crushing the peppers releases more heat, while leaving them whole imparts a milder flavor.

These ingredients are what give this easy Tom Yum soup recipe its distinctive and vibrant taste. When combined, they create a harmonious blend of flavors that’s simultaneously spicy, sour, aromatic, and refreshing.

If you can’t find these Thai ingredients at your local grocery, you can use a Thai red curry paste as a subsitute. Thai red curry paste typically includes all these ingredients and is easily found for sale online.

Tom Yum Soup Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make this tom yum soup recipe. We’ve included substitutions for any ingredients that might be difficult to find.

• green onions
• small button or crimini mushrooms
• galangal (or ginger as a substitute)
• Thai red chili paste
• lemongrass (or  lemongrass paste as substitute)
• canola oil 
• chicken broth
• boneless chicken breast or thigh
• kaffir lime leaves
• fresh Thai chili peppers (or your favorite pepper to adjust to your spice preference)
• fish sauce
• limes
• Cilantro

How To Make Tom Yum Soup (Step-By-Step)

We make the following recipe with chicken since Pete has a shellfish allergy, but you could certainly easily modify this for shrimp. I’ve included notes in the recipe card below for how to do so.

Chop and remove roots from green onions. Coursely chop white part of green onion and set at aside. Then cut the green part into 1/2 inch pieces to use later for garnish.

Trim the base of the mushroom stalks, rinse in cold water, and dry them on a paper towel. Cut mushrooms into quarters.

Carefully chop the lemongrass into 2 inch pieces and crush with a meat tenderizer to release some of the oils. If you can’t find lemongrass, most large grocery chains also now sell lemongrass paste. You’ll need one tablespoon of lemongrass paste if you are useing is as a substitue.

Using a carrot peeler, remove the skin off the galangal (or ginger as a substitute).

Bring a soup pot to medium heat and add oil. Saute onions for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then mince the ginger over the soup pot, adding about 1 tablespoon. (If using lemongrass paste, add that in at this time).

Then add the curry paste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes while stirring, until the spices are fragrant and slightly toasted.

Next, add the chicken and cook until browned on the outside. 

Carefully add broth, chopped mushrooms, lime leaves, and lemongrass stalks. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook until chicken is done. Approximately 10-12 minutes.

Remove the lime leaf and lemon grass stalks. And add chopped green onions, fish sauce, and chilis. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and finish by squeezing lime juice on top of each bowl of soup (approximately one lime wedge each)

Serve topped with fresh cilantro and enjoy!