Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup (Print Version)

Creamy Thai-style soup with shrimp, coconut milk, and aromatic herbs in a spiced broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 12 oz large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

02 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (optional)
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz mushrooms, sliced
07 - 1 small red chili, sliced (optional)
08 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger or galangal, sliced

→ Broth

09 - 14 fl oz coconut milk
10 - 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

→ Seasonings

12 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Sliced green onions

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger or galangal, and chili for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Stir in Thai red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release its aromatic compounds.
03 - Pour in coconut milk and chicken or vegetable broth. Add kaffir lime leaves if desired. Bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes until just tender.
05 - Add shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, until pink and cooked through.
06 - Stir in fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lime juice, fish sauce, or sugar as needed.
07 - Remove lemongrass, ginger or galangal, and lime leaves.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The broth achieves that perfect balance between creamy richness and bright acidity that makes you want to drink it straight from the bowl.
  • Its remarkably forgiving if you need to substitute ingredients, yet still delivers that authentic Thai flavor profile that makes your taste buds dance.
02 -
  • The first time I made this soup I boiled it vigorously and ended up with curdled coconut milk, so keep that simmer gentle for a silky smooth texture.
  • Adding the fish sauce too early in cooking can create a slightly bitter undertone, which is why it goes in after the shrimp for the brightest flavor.
03 -
  • Keep a knob of galangal in your freezer and grate it directly into the pot while still frozen for authentic flavor without worrying about it spoiling.
  • When pressed for time, marinate the raw shrimp in a tablespoon of fish sauce while prepping other ingredients to infuse them with flavor before they even hit the broth.
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