Tom Yum Soup (Printable)

A vibrant, aromatic Thai soup with lemongrass, lime, chiles, and fresh herbs. Perfectly balanced sour, spicy, salty, and savory flavors in every bowl.

# What You Need:

→ Broth Base

01 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
02 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
04 - 3 slices galangal or ginger
05 - 2 Thai birds eye chiles, sliced

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

06 - 7 oz mushrooms, sliced
07 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
08 - 1 small onion, sliced
09 - 3 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Protein

10 - 10 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined or tofu

→ Seasonings and Finish

11 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 teaspoon sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon chili paste nam prik pao, optional
15 - Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - Lime wedges to serve

# Directions:

01 - In a medium pot, bring the stock to a gentle boil. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, chiles, garlic, and onion. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to infuse thoroughly.
02 - Add mushrooms and tomatoes to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until mushrooms become tender.
03 - Add shrimp or tofu and simmer just until shrimp turn pink and cook through, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste if using. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt, sourness, and heat to your preference.
05 - Remove from heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The flavor develops as you taste it, warming your chest and clearing your sinuses in the best way.
  • Ready in under 40 minutes, which means you can have restaurant-quality soup on a weeknight without the takeout expense.
  • Naturally gluten-free and easily adaptable, so it works whether you're cooking for pescatarians, vegetarians, or anyone who just wants something that tastes alive.
02 -
  • Don't skip the 10-minute infusion time—that's when all the aromatic ingredients actually transfer their flavor into the broth instead of just floating in it.
  • Taste before you serve because every broth is different, and the balance between salty, sour, and spicy is deeply personal; what tastes perfect to one person needs adjusting for another.
03 -
  • Toast your lime wedges lightly in a dry pan before serving—the heat brings out their juice and makes the flavor pop when you squeeze them into the soup.
  • If you can't find kaffir lime leaves, don't skip them entirely; instead, add the zest of one lime to the broth and it gets you partway there.
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