Description
A vibrant and creamy Thai Coconut Soup featuring tender tofu, fresh mushrooms, and aromatic herbs in a rich coconut milk broth, served with rice. This comforting and flavorful dish blends lemongrass, ginger, and roasted red chili paste to create an authentic Thai experience that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (3-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced thin
- 3 stalks lemongrass, ends trimmed, outer layer peeled, cut into chunks
- 1–2 tablespoons roasted red chili paste
- 5–6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- About 20 ounces full fat coconut milk (around 1.5 cans, preferably Aroy-D brand)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- Juice and zest of 1-2 limes, to taste
- Salt, about 1 teaspoon or to taste
Vegetables and Protein
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into small cubes
Garnishes and Serving
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Chili oil, for serving
- Rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Aromatics: Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, sliced ginger, and lemongrass chunks; sauté gently for 3-5 minutes until softened and fragrant without browning the garlic. If garlic starts browning, reduce heat or briefly remove from heat to prevent bitterness.
- Add Chili Paste and Vegetables: Stir in the roasted red chili paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes to release its flavors. Add the sliced mushrooms and red bell pepper (or any additional desired vegetables). Cook for another 3-5 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften and sweat.
- Add Tofu and Broth: Incorporate the cubed tofu and pour in the vegetable or chicken broth. Bring everything to a simmer and cook gently for 10-15 minutes to meld flavors and cook the tofu through.
- Finish the Soup: Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice and zest, and salt. Remove the lemongrass chunks. Add fresh cilantro and taste the soup, adjusting seasoning with more fish sauce, lime, or salt as desired.
- Serve: To serve, spoon the soup into bowls partially filled with rice, allowing the flavorful broth to mingle with the rice. Garnish each bowl with extra cilantro and a drizzle of chili oil for added heat and aroma. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Be careful to not burn the garlic when sautéing; burnt garlic will make the soup bitter.
- The lemongrass pieces are for flavor infusion and should be removed before serving.
- Adjust the amount of chili paste and chili oil based on your preferred spice level.
- Extra vegetables such as baby corn, snap peas, or bok choy can be added for variety.
- For a vegetarian or vegan version, use vegetable broth and replace fish sauce with soy sauce or a vegan fish sauce substitute.
- If you prefer a lighter soup, reduce the coconut milk quantity or use light coconut milk.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering, Sautéing
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 350g soup with 1/2 cup rice)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Thai coconut soup, tofu soup, coconut milk soup, vegetarian Thai recipe, lemongrass soup, spicy Thai soup, mushroom tofu soup
