Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup (Print View)

Creamy coconut and shrimp in aromatic broth with red curry and fresh herbs

# What You’ll 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 fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
14 - 1 teaspoon sugar

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

01 - Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger or galangal, and chili for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
02 - Stir in Thai red curry paste and cook for 1 minute to release its aromatic compounds.
03 - Pour in coconut milk and chicken broth. Add kaffir lime leaves if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes until just tender.
05 - Add 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 kaffir lime leaves.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The coconut milk makes it naturally creamy without any dairy, so it feels indulgent and clean at the same time.
  • You get that perfect sweet-spicy-salty balance that makes you reach for another spoonful before you've even finished chewing.
02 -
  • Don't add the shrimp until the very end—they cook so fast that if your broth isn't perfectly seasoned first, you'll be too busy watching them to adjust flavors.
  • The aroma that hits when you add curry paste to hot oil is a signal that everything's working, but if it smells burnt rather than fragrant, lower your heat immediately.
03 -
  • If you can't find kaffir lime leaves or galangal, don't panic—this soup is forgiving, but if you can find even one of them, it elevates everything noticeably, so it's worth a trip to an Asian market.
  • Cold coconut milk separates into cream and liquid, and that thick cream at the top is gold for richness—stir it in well rather than discarding it.
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