Tom Yum Soup (Spicy Thai Soup with Shrimp)

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings4 servings

It’s worth the extra time and energy to seek out lemongrass for its subtle nuanced citrus flavor. You can typically find it in Asian grocery stores. But if you can’t find lemongrass, you can substitute lemon slices.

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Ingredients

For the soup:

• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 stalks lemongrass (see Recipe Note)
• 6 cups water or shrimp stock
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Thai (bird’s eye) chiles, sliced, or more to taste
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons soy or fish sauce, plus more to taste

To serve:

• Cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges

Method

1. Prepare the shrimp and lemongrass:If not already cleaned, peel and devein shrimp. (Shells can be used to make shrimp stock to use in this recipe instead of water.)How to Peel and Devein ShrimpREAD MORE:To prepare the lemongrass, cut off about 1 inch of the bottoms and 5 inches or so of the pointy tops. It should be about a foot long after you trim it. Peel off the tough outer layers until you reach the yellowish tender core.Gently smash the lemongrass with the back of a knife, and tie each stalk into a knot to expose the various layers.Aaron HutchersonAaron Hutcherson
2. Make the soup:Fill a medium pot with 6 cups water or shrimp stock. Add the lemongrass to the pot and cover. Place the pot over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the garlic, chiles, lime zest, mushrooms, ginger, sugar, and soy sauce (or fish sauce). Cook for 3 minutes.Aaron HutchersonAaron Hutcherson
3. Cook the shrimp and adjust the seasoning:Add the shrimp to the pot and cook until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes. Add the lime juice.Taste the soup and add more chiles, lime juice, and/or soy sauce as desired to adjust the spice, acidity, and saltiness, respectively.Aaron Hutcherson
4. Serve the soup:Divide the soup among bowls and serve with cilantro leaves, more sliced chiles, and lime wedges.Did you love this recipe? Let us know with a rating and review!