Tom Yum Recipe (Spicy Creamy Thai Shrimp Soup)
This takeout-worthy, one-pot Tom Yum Soup comes together in 30 minutes and delivers a bright and spicy Thai broth that's easily customizable.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons neutral-flavored cooking oil
- 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, torn by hand
- 4 ounces enoki mushrooms, stem cluster removed
- 4 ounces stemmed shiitake mushrooms, julienned
- 10 small shallots, peeled
- 5 cups shrimp stock
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 pieces lemon grass, smashed and cut into 2-inch-long pieces
- 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
- 20 cilantro stems, cut into 1/2” inch pieces
- 2 lime leaves
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 serrano chile, ground using a mortar and pestle
- 2 tablespoons Thai chilli paste
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 ½ pounds 16/20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Juice of 2 limes, about 3 tablespoons of juice
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add 4 tablespoons of cooking oil and heat over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke.
- Next, add the mushrooms, season them lightly with salt, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
- Then add in the shallots and saute for a further 3 to 4 minutes to also brown them.
- Then, deglaze with the shrimp stock and add the chicken stock, lemongrass, ginger, cilantro stems, lime leaves, fish sauce, Thai chili paste, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Then, over low to medium heat, add the shrimp and cook just until they’re cooked through. They should be in a loose C shape.
- Once they’re cooked, finish with the evaporated milk, ground serrano chile, lime juice, and cilantro leaves. Adjust the heat level by adding more chiles.
- Serve with rice and omelette on the side.
Notes
Making great tom yum goong is all about hitting that perfect balance of slightly spicy, tangy, and salty flavors. The way to do this? Taste and adjust as you go. While the soup is simmering, I’m usually tasting it and adding more evaporated milk or stock to tone down the heat, fish sauce if it’s too sour, or lime juice or a splash of water to balance the saltiness.
Bring out the flavor: I like my tom yum to be super aromatic, which is why I always smash the lemongrass to release its oils and fold the lime leaves in half and tear them along the center vein to unlock their full aroma.
Perfect shrimp: When poaching the shrimp in the soup, I keep the heat low and remove the soup from the heat as soon as they turn opaque and curl into a loose “C” shape.
Too spicy? Reduce the spice by removing the seeds and membranes from the serrano before grinding it.
If you like heat, grind the whole serrano pepper, seeds and all. You can also garnish your bowl of soup with a drizzle of sriracha, chili garlic sauce, or chili crisp.
Clear tom yum: You can omit the evaporated milk and Thai chili paste to make classic tom yum nam sai (the clearer, brothier version).
Make-ahead: If I want to get a head start on this soup, I’ll make the broth and refrigerate it for 3 days or freeze it for 3 months before serving. This makes it quick and easy to reheat and combine with freshly cooked shrimp.
How to Store: Leftover tom yum shrimp soup will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge. I usually store the broth and shrimp separately if I plan to save the leftovers.
How to Reheat: I prefer to warm up tom yum on the stovetop until it’s just heated through. Add a squeeze of lime and a splash of fish sauce right before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 37gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 203mgSodium: 1264mgPotassium: 1198mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 673IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 309mgIron: 3mg