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Authentic Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)

Close-up of a steaming bowl of authentic tom yum soup featuring large shrimp, sliced mushrooms, and fresh cilantro.
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Make restaurant-quality Tom Yum Goong at home. This recipe delivers the classic Thai balance of spicy, sour, and savory flavors using aromatic herbs like lemongrass and galangal in under 35 minutes.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
  • 1 inch galangal, sliced
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn
  • 4–6 Thai bird’s eye chilies, crushed (adjust to your spice preference)
  • 1/2 cup straw mushrooms, halved (or substitute button mushrooms)
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce for variation)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon chili paste in oil (Nam Prik Pao)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Aromatic Broth: In a medium pot, combine the broth, bruised lemongrass, sliced galangal, and torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
  2. Strain the Broth: Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot or back into the original pot, discarding the solids (lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves).
  3. Simmer Ingredients: Return the strained broth to a simmer. Add the crushed chilies and mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add Shrimp: Add the peeled shrimp to the simmering broth. Cook until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook.
  5. Season the Soup: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fish sauce, fresh lime juice, sugar, and chili paste in oil. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more lime for sourness or fish sauce for saltiness.
  6. Serve Immediately: Ladle the hot and sour soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh chopped cilantro.

Notes

  • For a creamy version (Tom Yum Nam Khon), stir in 1/4 cup of evaporated milk or full-fat coconut milk after removing the pot from the heat.
  • To make Vegan Tom Yum Soup, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth, use vegan fish sauce or extra salt, and use tofu or extra mushrooms instead of shrimp.
  • If you cannot find galangal, use an equal amount of fresh ginger, though the flavor will change slightly.
  • For an easy weeknight soup, prepare the broth base ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Nutrition

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