Tom Yum Noodle Soup

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This Tom Yum Noodle Soup is a quick and easy Thai soup with a medley of sweet, savory, sour and spicy flavors. It can be easily customized and takes just 30 minutes to prepare!

You guys are going to love this hot and sour Thai noodle soup! We’ve been eating it almost non-stop lately, and I’m not one bit mad about it!

This is one of the easiest, flavor-packed soups you will ever make. While the ingredient list includes some specialty items that you might not have in your pantry or fridge, I promise it’s worth the trip to the market! 

The base of this noodle soup is a fish broth that comes together quickly but tastes like it has been simmering for hours (like the broth in this prawn laksa). This is thanks to flavor-packed ingredients like lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and Thai chilis.

To make it a full meal, this Thai soup also includes one pound of shrimp and it’s served with noodles. 

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works
• What is tom yum soup?
• Ingredients
• Step by step instructions
• Expert tips
• Common questions
• Storage and reheating
• More Thai inspired recipes
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

It’s a spicy and tangy noodle soup that’s full of slurpy goodness! OR...if you're not feeling soup, check out these stir fry tom yum noodles.

If you love Thai food as much as we do, you’ll also want to try this Thai basil pork and easy Thai shrimp curry, or for similar flavors and a healthier take, this chicken quinoa soup.

Why this recipe works

1. The flavor base of the broth can be easily customized to make it more or less spicy, sweet, salty or sour.
2. The broth can easily be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer, so it’s great for meal prep. 
3. The recipe takes a shortcut by using peeled shrimp and you don’t need to worry about using the shrimp shells to make the broth from scratch.
4. You can change it up and make it a creamy soup by stirring in some coconut milk or evaporated milk.

What is tom yum soup?

Tom yum soup is a popular Thai soup that’s usually made with shrimp and has a broth base that’s flavored with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, Thai chilis, lime juice and fish sauce. This medley of ingredients creates a flavor profile that’s sweet, salty, sour and spicy.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, check out the recipe card at the end of this post. 

You’ll need one pound of shrimp for this recipe. Since this is a time saving recipe, I recommend buying shrimp that are already peeled and deveined. 

I used frozen shrimp but you can also use fresh. If you only have shrimp with the shell-on, just peel and devein them first. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to peel and devein shrimp. 

For the noodles you can use rice or egg noodles. Just make sure they’re cooked according to the package instructions before they’re added to the soup. (You can cook the noodles at the same time as you’re making the broth).

The broth includes 2 stalks of lemongrass, with the tough outside and top half removed. 

Lemongrass is a herb that usually grows in tropical climates and is often used in Southeast Asian cooking. It will add a pungent, lemony flavor to the broth. You can find fresh lemongrass at most grocery stores or Asian markets. If you can’t find it, you can use lemongrass paste. 

For a tangy, citrusy taste, the recipe calls for 7 kaffir lime leaves. These are the leaves from a kaffir lime tree that are commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking. You’ll be able to find them at Asian markets, or even your local grocery store. If you can’t find any, try using bay leaves and lime zest as a substitute.

To boost the flavor of the soup, you’ll add a ¼ cup of nam prik pao. This is a sweet and slightly spicy Thai roasted chili paste. In a pinch, you can use sambal oelek as a substitute, which is another type of chili paste. 

Just 3 tablespoons of fish sauce are added to the broth for a salty, umami flavor. Fish sauce is made from anchovies fermented in salt. While the smell can sometimes be strong, the flavor is incredibly delicious!

To enhance the sweetness of the broth, 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar is used. Feel free to use brown sugar, granulated sugar or palm sugar instead.

Mushrooms are also a common element in tom yum soup. We’re using a can of straw mushrooms but you can substitute with sliced white mushrooms. 

Step by step instructions

Use the back of a knife to bruise the lemongrass and chop it in 2-3" pieces.

Use the back of a knife to bruise the kaffir lime leaves. If using dried leaves, skip this step.

Saute the lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves and nam prik pao over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the water, coconut sugar, fish sauce, MSG (optional) and lime juice.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

**Strain the kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass out at this time if you prefer. They can be tough.

Add the mushrooms and tomatoes.

Add additional salt (or MSG) to taste, if desired.

Remove from heat, add shrimp, cover and let sit for 5-10 minutes, until the shrimp has turned pink.

Serve over noodles with chopped cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice. 

Expert tips

1. For a spicier soup, just add more chili paste.
2. If the soup is too sour or tangy for you, add a little more sugar. And, if it’s too sweet or salty, you can add more lime juice.
3. I used frozen shrimp but defrosted them before adding them to the soup. You can do this by leaving them in the fridge overnight or running cold water over them in a colander.
4. You can also use fresh shrimp. If they're shelled, just peel and devein them first.
5. You can also use prawns in place of shrimp in this recipe.
6. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp in the soup as they will get tough.
7. The lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves are added to the broth for flavor. Since they tend to be tough, I recommend straining the broth to remove them.
8. For a creamy texture, stir in some coconut milk or evaporated milk at the end.
9. If you have leftovers, store the broth and noodles separately. If combined, the noodles will soak up the broth and get mushy.
10. You can leave out the noodles and serve this soup with sticky rice instead.

Common questions

Storage and reheating

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge (separate from the noodles) for up to 3 days.

To reheat, just warm on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. Be careful not to reheat for too long as the shrimp will overcook and get tough. You can always remove the shrimp, reheat them separately and then add them back to the soup.

To freeze, let the soup cool completely in the fridge. Place in a freezer safe container (or individually sized containers) and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving. I don’t recommend freezing cooked noodles as they may get mushy once defrosted and reheated.  

More Thai inspired recipes

• Spicy Thai Pumpkin Curry
• Chicken Pad Thai Egg Rolls
• Coconut Jasmine Rice
• Thai BBQ Pork Spare Ribs
• Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad

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