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Easy Authentic Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)

Close-up of a white bowl filled with vibrant red tom yum soup featuring large shrimp and sliced mushrooms.
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Make restaurant-quality Tom Yum Goong at home. This recipe delivers the signature spicy, sour, and aromatic Thai flavor profile quickly.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, bruised, and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 inches galangal, thinly sliced
  • 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half
  • 1/2 cup straw mushrooms, halved (or button mushrooms)
  • 2–3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2–4 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1–3 Thai chilies, crushed (adjust to your heat preference)
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste in oil (Nam Prik Pao)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • 1/2 cup noodles (optional, for Tom Yum Noodle Soup)

Instructions

  1. Combine the broth, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves in a medium pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with the aromatics. This step builds the base flavor.
  3. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until they soften, about 3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the chili paste in oil and the crushed Thai chilies.
  5. Add the shrimp to the simmering broth. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat. Remove and discard the lemongrass pieces, galangal slices, and kaffir lime leaves.
  7. Stir in the fish sauce and fresh lime juice. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning, adding more lime for sourness or fish sauce for saltiness.
  8. If using noodles, cook them separately according to package directions, drain, and place them in serving bowls.
  9. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles (if using) or directly into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • For a creamy variation, stir in 1/4 cup of evaporated milk or coconut milk at the end, before adding the lime juice.
  • If you cannot find galangal, use fresh ginger as a substitute, though the flavor profile will change slightly.
  • To make this a Vegan Tom Yum Alternative, substitute the shrimp with firm tofu or extra mushrooms and use vegetable broth and soy sauce instead of fish sauce.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fooddexterity.com/easy-authentic-tom-yum-soup-recipe/