This restaurant-worthy Thai coconut soup recipe is rich, velvety, and full of flavor.
What Is Thai Coconut Soup?
Thai coconut soup (or tom kha kai) is a soup that’s made with coconut milk and served hot. Though early versions of tom kha kai featured duck, chicken or shrimp are more common these days.
How to Make Thai Coconut Soup
You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below – but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make Thai coconut soup at home:
- Cook the ginger, curry paste, and lemongrass in oil.
- Stir in the broth, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer.
- Add the coconut milk and mushrooms. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are soft.
- Add the shrimp and cook until it’s no longer translucent.
- Stir in the lime juice, then season and garnish.
Recipe Tips
- You can use chicken instead of shrimp.
- If you can’t find lemongrass stalks, use a tablespoon of lemongrass paste.
How to Store Thai Coconut Soup
Store the leftover Thai coconut soup in an airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Can You Freeze Thai Coconut Soup?
We don’t recommend freezing Thai coconut soup, as the coconut milk likely will separate during the thawing process.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“To quote my husband, ‘This recipe is a keeper,’” says CP. “It is just as good as leftovers as it is fresh. I used 2 cups of chicken instead of shrimp and 1 Tbsp of lemongrass paste, as our grocery store was out of lemongrass.”
“I’ve made this several times and love it,” according to one Allrecipes community member. “This time I added chicken as my protein. Extremely flavorful.”
“Super easy and quick to make,” raves adolfox. “It was restaurant quality. Definitely one to keep in the rotation.”
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
