Tom Kha Soup Recipe

This Thai soup is my FAVOURITE thing to order from our local Thai takeaway. A spicy soup, made with coconut milk, galangal (more on this later), lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, chillies and chicken. Im not kidding, it will blow your mind! It makes a fantastic lunch or starter, or you can serve it with a bowl of boiled rice for dinner. Take a spoonful of rice and dunk it in the soup. Bliss!

Theres a fantastic Thai restaurant up the road from me – which is where I was introduced to Tom Kha Gai. I wasnt hugely hungry, so I just ordered some soup. One that I hadnt tried before.

I decided to figure out how to make it at home. But just for those days when Im in a soup-making mood. I still love my local takeaway

Its a spicy Thai coconut soup with galangal and chicken. Tom = soup, Kah = galangal, Gai = chicken

Tom Kha is a creamy-spicy soup, made with coconut milk, whereas Tom Yum is a non-creamy, hot and sour soup, often containing prawns (shrimp).

Best Ever Tom Kha Gai – Thai Coconut Soup

This tom kha soup (Thai coconut soup) is absolutely perfect. Rich and creamy yet tangy and salty, this Thai soup is filling but light and positively bursting with flavor. The very best recipe I’ve ever made or tried. Whole30, paleo, and vegan options offered.

Prep: 15min

Total: 60min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 678 kcal, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 25 g, Fat 60 g, Saturated Fat 52 g, Cholesterol 51 mg, Sodium 1507 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 4 g, servingSize 1 serving, Trans Fat 0.01 g, unSaturated Fat 4 g

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• half of one onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
• half of one red jalapeno pepper (sliced; or 1-3 Thai chiles, halved)
• 3 ¼-inch slices galangal (or ginger)
• 1 lemongrass stalk (pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces)
• 2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste
• 4 cups chicken broth (see Notes if vegan or on Whole30)
• 4 cups canned full-fat coconut cream (unsweetened, or full-fat unsweetened coconut milk; see Notes)
• 2 medium chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces, see Notes for vegan/vegetarian or to use shrimp)
• 8 ounces white mushroom caps (sliced)
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut sugar (see Notes for Whole30 option)
• 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons fish sauce (plus more to taste, see Notes if on Whole30 or vegan)
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2-3 green onions (sliced thin)
• fresh cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Instruction:

1. In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onions are softened. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
2. Strain out the aromatics (the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and ginger) and discard. Add in coconut cream or milk, chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp), and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken breast pieces are just cooked through, then add fish sauce, coconut aminos (or coconut sugar), and lime juice, plus more of each to taste.
3. Cook 2 minutes, then ladle into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.

Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai coconut chicken soup)

Comforting Thai chicken soup enriched with coconut milk and infused with lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves.

Prep: 15min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 332 kcal, Sugar 2 g, Sodium 1426 mg, Fat 23 g, Saturated Fat 17 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Carbohydrate 8 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 25 g, Cholesterol 108 mg, unSaturated Fat 3 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken stock (unsalted, preferably homemade)
• 1 ½ cups coconut milk
• 1 tsp kosher salt (or half the amount of table salt)
• 1 lb chicken thigh, boneless skinless (bite-sized pieces (see note 1))
• 1 stalk lemongrass (bottom half only, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 12 thin slices galangal ((see note 2))
• 5 makrut lime leaves (roughly torn into big chunks, center stems removed)
• 3-4 Thai chilies (bruised or cut into large pieces)
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp finely chopped palm sugar, or granulated sugar
• 5.5 oz oyster mushrooms
• 2 ½ Tbsp lime juice
• chopped green onion and/or cilantro, for garnish
• Jasmine rice, for serving

Instruction:

1. Bring chicken stock to a boil, then add salt and chicken. Let simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is fork tender.
2. Add coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, chilies, about half of the fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse.
3. Add the mushrooms, bring back to a simmer, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Taste and add more fish sauce as needed. Turn off the heat and add 2 Tbsp of the lime juice, then taste and add more as needed. Top with green onions and/or cilantro.
5. Serve with jasmine rice as part of a larger Thai meal, or you can put rice in the soup and enjoy on its own. (Note: the herbs are for infusion only and are not meant to be eaten. Either remove them before serving or inform your guests.)
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Tom Kha Soup

A spicy soup, made with coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass, shiitake mushrooms, chillies and chicken. I’m not kidding, it will blow your mind!

Prep: 10min

Total: 25min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 337 kcal, Carbohydrate 12 g, Protein 22 g, Fat 24 g, Saturated Fat 15 g, Cholesterol 57 mg, Sodium 943 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 5 g, unSaturated Fat 8 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion (peeled and finely chopped)
• 3 cloves of garlic (peeled and minced)
• 2 tsp galangal paste (or a 2cm piece of galangal, peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 lemon grass stalk (tough outer leaves removed and inner stalk sliced finely (or 1 tsp lemongrass paste))
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 red chillies (sliced (I use milder fresno chillies, but you can replace with Thai chillies if you like it spicier))
• 10 shiitake mushrooms (sliced in half)
• 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
• 1 litre good quality chicken stock
• 400 ml 14oz can of coconut milk
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)
• 6 cooked chicken thigh fillets (shredded)
• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), mixed with 3 tbsp cold water, to form a paste/slurry
• Small bunch fresh coriander (roughly torn)
• 2 tsp chilli oil for drizzling
• 1 lime (sliced)

Instruction:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
3. Add the garlic, galangal paste, lemongrass, lime leaves, chillies, mushrooms and Thai curry paste. Cook for one minute, stirring often.
4. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and shredded chicken.
5. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the chicken is fully heated through. If you would like to thicken the soup at all, slowly pour in the cornflour/water slurry, whilst stirring.
6. Taste the soup and season with a little salt and pepper if needed.
7. Divide between bowls, then top with fresh coriander and drizzle with a little chilli oil. Top with slices of lime before serving.

Easy Tom Kha Soup | Thai Coconut Soup (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan Option)

This Tom Kha is a classic Thai coconut soup made easy! It’s paleo-friendly, whole30, and can easily be made vegan and vegetarian.

Prep: 10min

Total: 35min

Yield: 2

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 serving, calories 470, Fat 42.2g, Carbohydrate 23.1g, Fiber 4.1g, Protein 7.7g

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb ginger, grated
• 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (sub veggie broth for vegetarian)
• 2 cups coconut milk
• Juice of one lime
• 2 tsp fish sauce (omit or sub coconut aminos for vegetarian)
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• 3/4 tsp curry paste (season to taste, sub 3/4 tsp turmeric for AIP)
• 1 small stalk lemongrass, thick outer layers removed
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, to serve
• Lime wedges, to serve

Instruction:

1. Using a medium stock pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the carrots and shitake mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes or until lightly soft.
4. Pour in the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut aminos, lime juice, and seasonings (reserving the cilantro) and mix well to combine.
5. Bring to a low simmer and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
6. Serve topped with cilantro and additonal lime wedges to serve.

Authentic Tom Kha Gai Thai BEST EVER Coconut Chicken Soup

FAQ

What is the difference between Tom Yum soup and Tom Kha soup?

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