Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Tom Yum Kha Soup Recipe

Name: Tom Yum Kha Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 20 oz whole shrimps (with heads and shells); 3 stalks lemongrass (minced, use 3 tablespoons lemongrass paste from a tube if stalks are hard to find); 4 each thai bird's eye chilies (smashed, Serrano chiles can be substituted, or just use red pepper flakes for heat); 6 each garlic cloves (smashed); 10 each kaffir lime leaves (torn); 1 piece galangal (sliced, you can use fresh ginger as a substitute however it will yield a different flavor); 1 cup low sodium chicken broth; 5 cups water; 1 each medium onion (cut into wedges ½ inch thick); 8 oz oyster mushrooms (sliced); 2 each tomatoes (cut into wedges); 2 tsp sugar; 6 tbsp fish sauce; 5 tbsp lime juice; ½ cup fresh coriander/cilantro leaves (for garnish); 3 tbsp thai roasted chili pste; ⅔ cup coconut milk

Lime and coconut give this shrimp soup a bright, creamy finish with plenty of aromatic warmth. Mushrooms and tomatoes sit around the tender shrimp, catching the savory broth. A hot bowl with cilantro scattered over it is a pleasure to enjoy while the herbs are fresh.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 35 min
Original yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 17 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…

Main courseSoupsAsianThaiSeafoodPrep: 15 minutes or lessTotal: 31–60 minutesSoups & stews

Recipe categories & planning details

Meal type: Main course
Primary protein: Seafood
Cuisine: Asian · Thai
Preparation & total time: Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
Dish type: Soups · Soups & stews

A few quick notes

1. Save shells for broth

Separate the shrimp meat from heads and shells, keeping the shells and heads for the first simmer.

2. Strain the aromatics

Pour the simmered broth through a fine strainer, keeping the liquid and removing the solids before vegetables go in.

3. Add coconut near the end

Stir coconut milk in with the final seasonings after the shrimp become pink and opaque.

Get to know the ingredients

Shrimp

Start with whole shrimp with heads and shells so the broth and final shrimp meat come from the same batch.

Lemongrass

Minced stalks flavor the broth, with the specified paste alternative available if stalks are difficult to find.

Galangal

Use sliced galangal, or the allowed fresh ginger alternative knowing that it changes the soup's flavor.

The last little job

Cilantro over hot soup

Ladle the finished soup into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander or cilantro leaves before serving hot.

A little more help as you go

Balance the finish

Adjust lime for tang, fish sauce for saltiness or chili paste for heat according to taste.

Tomatoes after mushrooms

Simmer onion and mushrooms in the strained broth first, then briefly cook the tomato wedges before shrimp.

A few questions you might have

Can Serrano chiles replace bird's eye chiles?

Yes, Serrano chiles or red pepper flakes are alternatives for supplying heat to the broth.

When does the fish sauce go in?

Stir it in after the shrimp cook, together with sugar, chili paste, coconut milk and lime.

Do the shrimp shells stay in the soup?

Strain them out with the first broth's aromatics before adding vegetables and the reserved shrimp meat.

How do I check the shrimp?

They should turn pink and opaque during their short simmer before the final seasonings are added.

Should the garlic be finely minced?

Use smashed garlic cloves in the first broth, which is strained before the soup is finished.

Any more cooking tips?

Tips To Get That Perfect Thai Flavor A few simple tweaks can turn a good soup into an unforgettable one. Here’s how to make your Tom Yum Kha taste just right: Don’t Rush The Broth: Let the shrimp shells, lemongrass, and galangal simmer slowly to release all their flavor. Balance The Flavors: Adjust to taste — add more lime for tang, fish sauce for salt, or chili paste for heat. Add Coconut Milk Gently: Stir it in at the end to keep the soup creamy and smooth. Serve Fresh: The herbs and shrimp are at their best right after cooking — that’s when the magic happens.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: cafedelites.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

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