Spicy Tom Yum Soup (Printable Page)

A vibrant Thai broth infused with shrimp, lemongrass, lime, and chili for a fresh, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Broth Base

01 - 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
02 - 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
04 - 3 slices fresh galangal (or ginger as substitute)
05 - 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, sliced (adjust to taste)

→ Main Ingredients

06 - 9 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
07 - 5 oz white mushrooms, sliced
08 - 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
09 - 1 small onion, sliced
10 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more to taste
12 - 1 teaspoon sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon chili paste (nam prik pao), optional
14 - Salt to taste

→ Garnishes

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Sliced green onions
17 - Extra lime wedges

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring stock to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chilies. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to extract flavors.
02 - Add mushrooms, tomatoes, and sliced onion to the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables soften.
03 - Incorporate shrimp into the broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque.
04 - Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili paste if using. Adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, or salt according to taste.
05 - Remove from heat and optionally discard lemongrass and galangal slices. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, so you can have restaurant-quality soup on a weeknight without the guilt of takeout.
  • The heat and acid balance is so satisfying that one bowl somehow feels like both a meal and a small adventure.
  • Lemongrass and lime make your whole kitchen smell like you've traveled somewhere warm and good.
02 -
  • Fish sauce is not optional if you want authentic tom yum—I learned this the hard way when I tried to skip it thinking my guests wouldn't like it, and the soup just tasted sad and incomplete.
  • Don't let the broth boil hard; a gentle simmer keeps everything tender and lets the flavors meld instead of harsh.
03 -
  • Smash your lemongrass and galangal with the side of your knife before dropping them in—it sounds like a small thing, but it doubles the flavor you get into the broth.
  • Keep your lime juice fresh and add it in stages rather than all at once, so you can taste your way to the right balance instead of overshooting.
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