Thai Tom Yum Soup with Shrimp – Homemade Version Recipe
Tom Yum is one of the most famous Thai soups – sour and spicy, fragrant with lemongrass and lime. In Thailand it’s eaten at any time of day, often as a quick meal in a street-side eatery. In this version we use ingredients available in Europe but keep the characteristic flavor – a perfect bowl for a cooler evening instead of regular chicken broth.
Tom Yum is one of the most recognizable Thai soups, served everywhere from street stalls to elegant restaurants. In Thailand it’s often served very spicy, with an extra spoonful of nam prik pao chili paste.
This Tom Yum keeps the classic street‑food character thanks to lemongrass, lime leaves and hot chili, but is based on a broth that’s easy to cook at home. Simple tricks, like adding the lime at the end and cooking the shrimp briefly, keep the soup tasting fresh instead of like an overcooked stew. The home version is also less fatty than many restaurant ones.
Why this version works
- You first build the herb aroma directly in the broth, so even a simple chicken stock takes on a distinctly Thai character.
- Lime juice added after taking the soup off the heat keeps its fresh, citrusy taste instead of turning into a dull, overcooked sourness.
- Briefly cooking the shrimp in an already seasoned broth lets them absorb the flavor while staying springy.
- Optional coconut milk softens the heat without killing the soup’s citrusy profile.
Chef's tips
It’s easiest to overdo the chili – add half at the start, then add the rest in small amounts after tasting, once the soup has cooled slightly. Watch the shrimp: they should be pink, opaque and curled into a “C” shape, not tight little rings. If you’re using dried kaffir lime leaves, put them into the cold broth and heat them up together – they’ll release more aroma than if you throw them into boiling liquid.
How to serve
Serve Tom Yum in large bowls with a small bowl of jasmine rice on the side – you can add spoonfuls of rice to the soup when it gets too spicy. It’s perfect as a main course for an evening with friends, with a small plate of fresh cucumber and lime wedges to nibble on between bites.
Watch out for
- Don’t boil the soup for long after adding the lime juice – the flavor will turn flat and slightly bitter.
- Adding the coconut milk too early and boiling it hard can cause it to curdle and separate.
- Don’t peel the lemongrass stalks too aggressively – most of the aroma is in the tougher outer layers.
Substitutions
- You can replace galangal with fresh ginger and add a bit of lime zest for a more citrusy aroma.
- Kaffir lime leaves can be swapped for lime zest and a splash of lime juice, though the aroma will be more delicate.
- Shrimp can be replaced with thinly sliced fillets of white fish, simmered in the broth for 3–4 minutes.
Ingredients
- raw shrimp - 300 g
- chicken or vegetable stock - 1 l
- lemongrass (stalks) - 2 pieces
- kaffir lime leaves - 4 pieces
- galangal or fresh ginger - 20 g
- mushrooms (button mushrooms or oyster mushrooms) - 150 g
- cherry tomatoes - 8 pieces
- fresh red chili pepper - 1 pieces
- fish sauce rybny - 3 tablespoon
- lime juice - 3 tablespoon
- sugar trzcinowy lub biały - 1 teaspoon
- coconut milk kokosowe (opcjonalnie, dla łagodniejszej wersji) - 100 ml
- shallot or small onion - 2 pieces
- fresh coriander - 2 tablespoon
Preparation
- Lightly crush the lemongrass with the handle of a knife until the stalk cracks, then cut it into pieces about 4 cm long. Slice the chili lengthwise, remove the seeds for a milder version and cut into thin strips – your cutting board should smell intensely aromatic.
- Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan. Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, slices of galangal or ginger, and the peeled shallots cut into quarters.
- Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the broth is clearly fragrant with citrus and ginger and the onion is soft and translucent. The liquid should reduce slightly but not boil vigorously.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and whole or halved cherry tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms soften but stay springy and the tomato skins start to crack and release their juices into the broth.
- Add the fish sauce, sugar and chili. Stir and taste – the broth should be distinctly salty, slightly sweet and spicy, but not yet clearly sour; the flavor may seem a bit “flat” at this stage and that’s normal.
- Add the cleaned shrimp. Cook for 2–3 minutes over medium heat, until they turn pink and completely opaque. As soon as they curl into a “C” shape and are no longer glassy and raw, they’re done.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add the lime juice and, if you want a milder soup, pour in the coconut milk. Gently stir; the soup should take on a slightly milky cloudiness.
- Taste the soup – the flavor should be salty, sour, slightly sweet and spicy all at once; if needed, add a little more lime juice or fish sauce. Don’t keep heating it for long so you don’t dull the acidity.
- Before serving, fish out the larger pieces of lemongrass, galangal and the lime leaves, as they are tough and not meant to be eaten. Serve the Tom Yum very hot, sprinkled with chopped cilantro and extra slices of chili.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I most often cook this Tom Yum on Monday evenings after the gym – it warms you up better than a blanket and tea combined. I always set aside a jar for the next day’s lunch at work, because on the second day the flavor of the herbs becomes even more concentrated.
