Tom Kha Soup
This creamy, spicy coconut soup is my go-to appetizer at any Thai restaurant—and for good reason. In Thailand, Tom Kha is the ultimate comfort food. It’s rich, flavorful, and surprisingly quick to make at home. Just don’t skip the key aromatics: lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves. A trip to your local Asian market is absolutely worth it!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soups
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 7-ounce package extra firm or super firm tofu, cubed
- 1 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk
- 1 stalks of lemongrass, bottom half only, lightly smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 12 thin slices galangal
- 5 makrut lime leaves, twisted to bruise and torn into big chunks
- 1-3 Thai chilies, cut into large pieces (for a milder soup, I recommend ½ of a Thai chili)
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 6-8 ounces shitake mushrooms or any mushroom you prefer
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 3 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Bring the vegetable broth to a boil and reduce the heat to medium/low. Place the aromatic ingredients —lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves — into the infuser tea basket (or wrap them in a cheese cloth or coffee filter) and add them to the simmering broth. Be sure to bruise and tear the lime leaves and also bruise and tap the bottom half of the lemongrass stalks; this will help deliver the best flavor.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except the green onions and cilantro) to the pot and continue to simmer over a medium/low heat.
- Serve topped with green onions and cilantro. If desired, serve soup with a scoop of rice for a heartier meal.
Notes
Soups
Asian
Find it online: https://plantpurecommunities.org/soups/tom-kha-soup/