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Authentic Creamy and Clear Tom Yum Soup (Shrimp Focused)

A close-up shot of a white bowl filled with vibrant, creamy tom yum soup, featuring large shrimp and fresh cilantro.
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Make this authentic Thai Tom Yum Soup at home. You will learn to balance the essential spicy and sour flavors in both the clear and creamy broth styles, featuring succulent shrimp.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth (for clear style) or 5 cups Broth + 1 cup Coconut Milk (for creamy style)
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, cut into 2-inch pieces, lightly bruised
  • 4 slices galangal (about 1/2 inch thick)
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
  • 4–6 Thai bird’s eye chilies, lightly crushed (adjust to your heat preference)
  • 1/2 cup straw mushrooms or button mushrooms, halved
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao)
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • 1/4 cup green onions, chopped, for garnish
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the aromatics: In a large pot, combine the broth (and coconut milk, if making creamy style), lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Simmer the broth: Let the broth gently simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors from the herbs.
  3. Add chilies and mushrooms: Add the crushed chilies and mushrooms to the pot. Simmer for another 3 minutes until the mushrooms soften slightly.
  4. Cook the shrimp: Add the shrimp to the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook.
  5. Season the soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and Thai chili paste. If you prefer a slightly sweeter balance, add the optional sugar. Taste and adjust the sourness (lime) or saltiness (fish sauce) as needed.
  6. Serve immediately: Remove and discard the lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves before serving, or leave them in for presentation. Ladle the Tom Yum soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and green onions.

Notes

  • For a Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup, substitute the shrimp with firm tofu or mixed vegetables like carrots and baby corn. Replace fish sauce with soy sauce or vegetarian fish sauce.
  • For a Chicken Tom Yum (Tom Yum Gai), use 1 pound of sliced chicken breast instead of shrimp. Add the chicken when you add the mushrooms and simmer until cooked through before seasoning.
  • To make the broth clear, omit the coconut milk entirely. For a creamy version, add the coconut milk after the broth has simmered with the aromatics, just before adding the shrimp.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://juliameal.com/authentic-tom-yum-soup-recipe/