I am a total fan of soup. But I must say that Thai soups hit a different level! The earthy and robust flavors of Thai-style soups are a grand feast for the palate. Also, because soup recipes are super easy and make for one of the most delicious and filling, yet healthy meals. One of my favorites from Thai cuisine is this tom yum soup. It is a sour and spicy soup and my recipe is a vegetarian version made with vegetables like carrots, french beans and button mushrooms.
What is tom yum soup?
Tum yum soup, alternatively known as tom yum, is one of the most popular soups in Thai food culture. It is absolutely delicious.
I mean a dish must be delicious if it has the word ‘yum’ in the name. right? Well, jokes aside, here’s the literal meaning of this dish’s name:
tom – This Thai word means ‘the process of boiling’.
Yam or yam – This Thai word means ‘mixed’.
So, quite clearly, put together, the name explains why this dish is a soup. Because it’s usually a hot and sour variation of soup that’s basically made by simmering ingredients together in a flavorful broth.
A classic Thai tom yum soup will also contain a spicy paste called ‘nam prik pao’. This particular paste has a smoky touch and contains shallots, garlic and roasted peppers. The bright orange color of the soup is also mainly due to this Thai chili spice.
There are many variations of tom yum soup in Thailand, each with the addition of different main ingredients, although the base remains the same.
Some also contain coconut milk. Another excellent preparation is tom kha soup, which is basically a Thai-style coconut soup.
This is about tom yum soup
Although a traditional tom yum soup is usually non-vegetarian. My recipe is a vegetarian and vegan version of this classic and popular soup. I added mushrooms and some vegetables to it.
In this tom yum soup recipe I used Thai ingredients like galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and Thai chilies. Now I know these ingredients are not easily available in India. So I’ve mentioned their options in the notes section of the recipe card below.
However, keep in mind that making with alternative ingredients will change the soup’s flavor greatly. Galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves are highly aromatic ingredients and their aroma profiles differ from each other.
Now for the mushrooms, I used white button mushrooms because that’s the only mushroom I could find here. You can even use shiitake, oyster or portobello mushrooms or even dried different mushrooms.
When we go out to eat at an Asian restaurant, Veg Tom Yum Soup is one of the soups I order. It is a healthy soup and excellent for colds and coughs.
I started making this soup a few months ago after referring to a few cookbooks and YouTube videos. Sometimes I make Thai curry and get Thai herbs and spices from the market. So while these Thai herbs and spices remain, I make Thai noodles, Thai stir fries and Thai soups.
Vegetarian tom yum soup is best served hot, especially during monsoons or cold weather. You can even have it as a starter for a Thai meal.
Step by step guide
How to make Tom Yum Soup
preparation Vegetables, herbs
1. First wash 200 grams of mushrooms well in water. Then slice them. Also dice 1 small carrot, 5 to 6 French beans, 1 to 2 shallots or pearl onions, and mince 2 to 3 cloves of garlic.
2. Then wash the lemongrass stalks and remove the outer first layer or two. These layers are hard and solid layers. Skip them or you can add them to your tea or any veg stock you make.
3. Break the inner stem lightly with a knife and then slice the lemongrass. Note that if you don’t have lemongrass stalks, you can use 1 long lemongrass leaf. Just tie it around itself and then add it to the soup.
4. Peel and thinly slice 1.5 inch galangal. Galangal is rough and not easy to slice, so some pressure is required while slicing.
5. Take 6 small Thai chilies and crush each one lightly. Thai chilies can be added as little or as much as you like.
6. Now cut them diagonally into big pieces.
Fry spices, vegetables, mushrooms
7. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add 2 tablespoons chopped shallot and ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic.
8. Fry for a minute on low to medium flame.
9. Add vegetables and mushrooms. You can add mixed veggies of your choice to the soup, but add mushrooms as they add a nice flavor and texture to the soup.
10. Mix well and fry for one minute.
Add water
11. Then add 3 cups of water. You can use homemade vegetable stock.
12. Now add chopped lemongrass stalks, galangal and Thai chilies.
13. Grate 3 to 4 kaffir lime leaves and add them.
14. Season with salt to taste and mix well. Add less salt as we will add soy sauce later.
Cook tom yum soup
15. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low to medium heat till the vegetables are done.
16. Check vegetables at intervals while cooking.
17. Cook until the vegetables are tender and cooked well.
18. Then add half a teaspoon of sugar. You can even use palm sugar or jaggery or coconut sugar.
19. Add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Mix very well and simmer the tom yum soup for one minute.
20. Switch off the flame and then add 2 tbsp of lemon juice. For a less sour taste, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
21. Finally, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of coriander leaves (cilantro leaves). Stir and check the seasoning. You can add more salt, lemon juice or soy sauce or sugar if needed.
When serving the tom yum soup, be sure to remove the lemongrass stalks, cayenne pepper, kaffir lime leaves and galangal. They cannot be chewed because they are hard and dense. So they should not be finely sliced or chopped.
22. Serve Thai Tom Yum Soup hot.
If you are looking for more Soup recipe Then check:
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Tom Yum Soup
This delicious Thai Tom Yum Soup is a spicy and sour soup made with mixed vegetables.
Q. Time 10 minutes
cooking time 20 minutes
total time 30 minutes
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
preparation
First, wash and slice or chop whole vegetables. Also, peel and finely chop the garlic.
Then wash the lemon grass stalks and remove the outer first layer or two. These layers are hard and solid layers. Skip them or you can add them to your tea or any veg stock you make.
Lightly mash with a knife and then slice the lemon grass. Note that if you don’t have lemon grass stalks, you can use 1 long lemon grass leaf. Just tie it around itself and then add it to the soup.
Peel and thinly slice 1.5 inch galangal. Galangal is rough and not easy to slice, so some pressure is required while slicing.
Take 6 small Thai chilies and lightly crush each one. Thai chilies can be added as little or as much as you like.
Now cut the chilies diagonally into large pieces.
Making tom yum soup
Heat oil in a pan. Add 2 tablespoons chopped shallot and ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic.
Fry for a minute on low to medium flame.
Add chopped vegetables and chopped mushrooms. You can add mix veggies of your choice to the soup.
Mix well and fry for a minute.
Then add 3 cups of water. You can use homemade vegetable stock.
Now add chopped lemon grass stalks, galangal and Thai chilies.
Grate 3 to 4 kaffir lime leaves and add them.
Mix well with salt as required. Add less salt as we will add soy sauce later.
Cooking Tom Yum Soup
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low to medium heat until the vegetables are done.
Check the vegetables at intervals while they cook.
Cook till the vegetables are cooked well.
Then add half a teaspoon of sugar. You can even use palm sugar or jaggery or coconut sugar.
Add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.
Mix very well and simmer the tom yum soup for one minute.
Switch off the flame and then add 2 tbsp lemon juice. For a less sour taste, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Finally add 2 to 3 tbsp coriander leaves. Stir and check the seasoning. You can add more salt, lemon juice or soy sauce or sugar if needed.
Remove the lemon grass stalks, red pepper, kaffir lime leaves and galangal when serving Thai tom yum soup. They cannot be chewed because they are hard and dense. So they should not be finely sliced or chopped.
Serve the tom yum soup hot.
- Galangal – Ginger (in the recipe, add 1 inch of ginger)
- Kaffir lime leaves – lime zest or lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon or 1 lime)
- Lemon grass stalks – Lemon zest (Zest from 1 lemon)
- Small Thai red chilies – medium hot to hot green chilies or fresh red chilies (add 1 or 2)
nutrients
Tom Yum Soup
No. per job
calories 64 Calories from fat are 27
% Daily Value*
thick 3g5%
1 gram of saturated fat6%
Sodium 128 mg6%
potassium 327 mg9%
carbohydrates 8 grams3%
2 grams of fiber8%
4 grams of sugar4%
protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 2528IU51%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1 mg67%
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 1 mg59%
Vitamin B3 (niacin) 3 mg15%
Vitamin B6 1 mg50%
Vitamin B12 1µg17%
Vitamin C 22 mg27%
Vitamin D 1µg7%
Vitamin E 1 mg7%
Vitamin K 5 µg5%
calcium 8 mg1%
Vitamin B9 (folate) 24 µg6%
iron 1 mg6%
magnesium 13 mg3%
Phosphorus 67 mg7%
zinc 1 mg7%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This tom yum soup post was republished and updated in January 2023 from the archives, first published in July 2017.
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