A family favorite, and one of Thailand’s most popular dishes, Tom Yum Soup is full of spicy, sour, and savory flavors. This easy recipe uses tom yum soup paste so you can easily make this delicious and addicting soup in no time!
When people think of Thai food, they might think of pad thai, or chicken satay. But for me, it’s always been tom yum soup! I love all the tangy, savory and spicy flavors of the unique soup.
So much so that I found a simple and easy way to make it in the comfort of my own kitchen. Follow along to learn more about this delicious Thai soup!
What’s Tom Yum Soup?
Tom yum soup is also known as Thai hot and sour soup is a very popular soup in Thai cuisine. It’s made with fragrant spices and herbs including lemongrass, onion, chili, galangal, and garlic. The soup also includes proteins such as shrimp, chicken or pork.
What ingredients do I need and how do I make easy tom yum soup recipe?
- Water
- Chicken Broth
- Tom Yum Paste
- Shrimp/Prawns or Chicken
- Mushrooms
- Lemongrass (or use kaffir lime leaves)
- Fresh Cilantro
Note – Lemongrass is not edible, so remove it before serving.
What’s tom yum paste and where can I purchase it?
Tom yum paste is sold around the world. It’s a great option because it already contains all the flavors and spices found in tom yum soup including Thai chili paste, so don’t add too much otherwise it will be very spicy.
You can find it at an Asian grocery store. I’ve also included a link for online purchase if you can’t find it locally.
Can I replace the shrimp with chicken in the tom yum?
You can add any type of protein you prefer including chicken, pork, or even tofu. Traditionally, it’s usually made with shrimp or chicken but feel free to use your preferred choice.
What kind of mushrooms should I use for this soup?
- White Bottom Mushroom
- Brown Cremini
- Button Mushrooms
- Oyster Mushrooms
Looking for a creamy version of tom yum soup?
We have just what you’re looking for here. Check out our other Creamy Coconut Tom Kha Gai Soup Thai soup recipe using coconut milk.
Any tips in preparing tom yum soup?
- Add some chopped tomatoes and lime juice for extra flavor.
- Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro or chopped green onions.
- Freeze leftovers in a single serving airtight container and reheat in the microwave.
Looking for other Asian soup recipes?
- Creamy Coconut Tom Kha Gai Soup
- Cream Corn Potage Soup
- Seafood Egg Drop Soup
- Japanese Asari Clam Miso Soup
- Full Collection of Asian Soup Recipes
Now, let’s get making this easy Tom Yum soup recipe!
- Prepping Time 5M
- Cook Time 5M
- Total Time 10M
- Net Carb/Serving ~4g
- Servings 3
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp Tom Yum Paste (amount will vary depending on the brand)
- 1 lbs Large Peeled Shrimp
- 1 Cup Sliced Common White Mushrooms
- 1 Stick Lemongrass
- 7-9 Stems Cilantro
Directions
1) Gather all the ingredients.
2) Prepare shrimp by deveining, peeling, and drying off any liquid with a paper towel.
3) Loosely chop cilantro, slice mushrooms, chop lemongrass into 2 inch sticks and set aside.
4) Add water, chicken broth and chopped lemongrass into a large stove top pot and bring to a soft boil over medium heat.
5) Once boiling, add sliced mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes.
6) Next add in shrimp and cook for 30-45 seconds or until shrimp turns pink. Note – if using chicken, cut into 1×1 inch cubes and cook for 3-5 minutes.
7) Place Tom Yum Paste inside a strainer and mix into the soup with chopsticks/spoon as shown below (if you don’t have a strainer, you can use a deep spoon). Note – the amount will vary depending on the brand, so taste and adjust to liking.
8) Finally sprinkle in chopped cilantro and enjoy the soup hot!
Hope you enjoy your homemade Tom Yum soup!
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Tom Yum Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp Tom Yum Paste amount will vary depending on the exact brand
- 1 lbs Large Peeled Shrimp
- 1 Cup Sliced Common White Mushrooms
- 1 Stick Lemongrass
- 7-9 Stems Cilantro
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Prepare shrimp by deveining, peeling, and drying off any liquid with a paper towel.
- Loosely chop cilantro, slice mushrooms, chop lemongrass into 2 inch sticks and set aside.
- Add water, chicken broth and chopped lemongrass into a large stove top pot and bring to a soft boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, add sliced mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Next add in shrimp and cook for 30-45 seconds or until shrimp turns pink. Note - if using chicken, cut into 1x1 inch cubes and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Place Tom Yum Paste inside a strainer and mix into the soup with chopsticks/spoon as shown below (if you don't have a strainer, you can use a deep spoon). Note - the amount will vary depending on the brand, so taste and adjust to liking.
- Finally sprinkle in chopped cilantro and enjoy the soup hot!
Video
Nutrition
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hello! i have been searching on-line for this Quoc Viet Foods Thai Tom Yum (that is shown in the picture for this Tom Yum Soup recipe–including the Amazon link you included) and have cannot find the exact picture as shown here. I even looked on line at the Asian on line marts and they do not have the one you show here. Why can’t this exact soup base be found?
Hi Gloria! You can pick up the one we use in the picture at Ranch 99. However, if you don’t live near a Ranch 99, you’re best bet would be the one we linked from Amazon.
Hello Thank you for this recipe. I’m looking forward to making it. I have two questions. I’ll be using Quoc Viet Foods Thai Tom Yum instead of the Tom Yum paste. It recommends 1 teaspoon per cup. Should I count the chicken broth with the water and add 3 teaspoons? Also, is it necessary to add the Quoc Viet Foods Thai Tom Yum with a strainer? (I’ve been using it with ramen noodles, and adding it directly to the liquid and noodles.)
Hey Gina – yup, it’s 1 tsp per cup of liquid, so you would need 3 tsp/1 tbsp. You don’t have to use a strainer for the paste, but we just found this way is the best to ensure paste is fully dissolved. Let us know if you have any other questions!
Is there a paste that is not so spicy, just flavorful?
Hi Issak – Not that I’m aware of, Tom Yum paste are all pretty spicy.