Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup (Printer-Friendly)

Creamy coconut and shrimp soup with Thai red curry, lemongrass, and aromatic herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 12 oz large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

02 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (optional)
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
06 - 3.5 oz mushrooms, sliced
07 - 1 small red chili, sliced (optional)
08 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger or galangal, sliced

→ Broth

09 - 14 fl oz coconut milk
10 - 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
11 - 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

→ Seasonings

12 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more to taste
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Garnish

15 - Fresh cilantro leaves
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Sliced green onions

# How to Cook:

01 - In a large pot over medium heat, add a splash of oil and sauté the onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger or galangal, and chili for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Stir in the red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release its aroma.
03 - Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth. Add kaffir lime leaves if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add the mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes until just tender.
05 - Add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, until pink and cooked through.
06 - Stir in fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more lime juice, fish sauce, or sugar as desired.
07 - Remove lemongrass, ginger or galangal, and lime leaves.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth achieves that perfect balance of spicy, sweet, tangy and savory that makes you want to drink it straight from the bowl when nobodys watching.
  • Most ingredients keep well in your pantry or freezer, making this an impressive emergency dinner option when you need comfort without a grocery run.
02 -
  • Never boil coconut milk vigorously or it may separate - keep it at a gentle simmer for the smoothest texture.
  • The soup actually tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld overnight in the refrigerator.
03 -
  • If you cant find fresh lemongrass, look for tubes of lemongrass paste in the produce section - its not quite the same but delivers a reasonable approximation of the flavor.
  • Freeze leftover curry paste in tablespoon portions using an ice cube tray for future soup emergencies.
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