Tom yum soup with Noodles is one of my favorite things to order at Thai restaurants. It is sour, hot, creamy, and packed with shrimp and vegetables. This recipe has coconut milk and a spicy lemongrass broth that in my opinion is one of the best soups ever.
Why this Shrimp Thai Soup Recipe is Amazing: It's a complete meal in cozy bowl of soup - tender rice noodles, plump shellfish, and veggies all in a tasty Asian-inspired broth.
This recipe is a great appetizer/first course, lunch, or dinner. It is just as good (or even better) than restaurant take-out. Making it homemade means you can DIY it up with your favorite vegetables or any protein.
Tom Yum soup is also a healthy, low-calorie, protein-packed, & gluten-free recipe. Serve it with my recipe for Thai Curry Chicken Meatballs or a bowl of Asian Peanut Coleslaw for a soup & salad duo that's to die for. Ok, now we cook!
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Ingredients for Tom Yum Soup with Noodles
Tom Yum soup is a seafood soup in a rich flavorful broth with many aromatics and creamy coconut milk. The vegetables in this recipe include shiitake mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Shrimp - medium peeled, tail-off, & deveined (either raw or precooked/frozen)
- Lemongrass - the pungent herb is a classic flavor for soups and other Thai dishes
- Better than Bouillon - or bouillon cubes or chicken broth/stock
- Thai Red Garlic Chili - flavorful spicy condiment
- Shiitake Mushrooms - sliced fresh mushrooms
- Cherry Tomatoes - cut in quarters but will holds up great in soup and a classic ingredient for this soup
- Coconut Milk - full fat canned
- Fish Sauce - the umami salty traditional condiment
- Lime Juice - fresh is best or bottled
- Cilantro - fresh herb leaves for garnish
- Rice Noodles - thin flat noodles (or ramen)
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Homemade Tom Yum Noodle Soup
In this recipe, the chicken broth is flavored with salty fish sauce, citrusy lemongrass, sour fresh lime juice, spicy red chile garlic, and creamy coconut milk for a punch of flavor that gets every taste bud perfectly.
Here are the easy steps for making Tom Yum Soup from Scratch:
- Make the Broth
- Add Vegetables & Cook Noodles
- Add Shrimp & Noodles
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Make the Broth
Begin the Tom Yum soup broth by adding the water and Better-than-Bouillon to a large stockpot. Mix and bring to a boil. While that is coming to a boil slice the lemongrass into medium-thick slices.
Once it is at a boil, turn to medium-high heat and add fish sauce, lime juice, & coconut milk plus the sliced lemongrass and red chile-garlic sauce. Stir to combine and let it heat up and flavor the broth.
Make sure the tomatoes are cut in half or quarters (depending on how big they are). Also slice the mushrooms about ¼" thick. Both should be bite-size.
2 - Add the Vegetables & Cook Noodles
Keep the soup on medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
Then turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Start making the noodles. Cook per the package instructions. Mine cooked for 3 minutes in boiling water, then I drained and rinsed it slightly.
These are quick-cooking and sticky noodles compared to regular wheat pasta that you may be used to. For help on the best way to boil rice noodles check out HOW TO COOK RICE NOODLES SO THEY DONT STICK TOGETHER.
1 - Add Shrimp and Noodles
Now add the raw or precooked shrimp to the soup. If you are using raw shrimp, cook them in the soup over medium heat for 5 minutes. They will plump up and turn pink when they are ready.
If you are using pre-cooked shrimp, warm for just 2-3 minutes. Once the shrimp is ready, turn the heat down to low to keep it warm while serving.
Once the noodles are ready you can either add them to soup pot directly or place in serving bowls and ladle the soup over them.
Serving, Storing, & Reheating
Serve immediately while hot and fresh. Top with a squirt of lime juice and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro leaves. Add more chili sauce if you want it extra spicy - my favorite. ENJOY!
I find that shrimp is not the best for reheating but if you do have extra, store in the fridge & reheat later.Store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. (non-dairy soups freeze well). Reheat on the stove or microwave until desired temperature.
What to Serve with Tom Yum Soup : This is a great fall or winter soup but is also amazing in summer or spring with seasonal produce. It goes well with Asian main dishes whether Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, or Korean.
Try pairing this with Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad or Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - do NOT overcook the shrimp or noodles otherwise they will be tough, rubbery, or mushy
- Can't find rice noodles, substitute with ramen or udon
- Other mushrooms work too, try white button, brown or cremini or dry porcinis
- Make it a combination soup by adding small diced raw chicken along with raw shrimp.
- Mild or Kid-Friendly version - omit the chili sauce
- Can't find lemongrass, try one of these substitutes for lemongrass.
RECIPE NOTE: this recipe was originally published November 2021. It has been updated to include calorie and nutritional information, substitutions, pairing recipes, helpful tips, additional photos, concise steps, and serving ideas for republishing in 2025.
Tom Yum Soup with Noodles
Ingredients
- 4 Teaspoons Better than Bouillon plus 4 cups water or 4 bouillon cubes or 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 stalk lemongrass about 3-4" long sliced into large rings as shown above
- 2 Tablespoons Thai red garlic chile paste
- 1.5 Cups shiitake mushrooms washed and sliced
- 2 Cups Medium-sized Shrimp (about 30 total) peeled shrimp, deveined and tail-off (can be precooked or raw)
- ¾ Cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- ⅓ cup cilantro leaves
- 4 ounces rice noodles or ramen, uncooked
Instructions
- In a medium-large pot, add the bouillon and water. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and stir to dissolve.4 Teaspoons Better than Bouillon plus 4 cups water
- Once the broth is boiling, add the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, sliced lemongrass and Thai red garlic chili paste, stir.1 stalk lemongrass about 3-4" long, 2 Tablespoons Thai red garlic chile paste, 1 can coconut milk, 2 Tablespoons fish sauce, 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Slice the mushrooms and quarter the cherry tomatoes. Be sure they are in bite-sized pieces.1.5 Cups shiitake mushrooms, ¾ Cup cherry tomatoes
- Keep the soup on medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes. Then turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
- Just before the soup with the mushrooms and tomatoes is done cooking for a total of 15 minutes, start making the noodles. Cook per the package instructions, drain, and then rinse. Set aside.4 ounces rice noodles or ramen, uncooked
- Now add the raw or precooked shrimp to the soup. If you are using raw shrimp, cook them in the soup over medium heat for 5 minutes. They will plump up and turn pink when they are ready. If you are using pre-cooked shrimp, warm for just 2-3 minutes. Once the shrimp is ready, turn the heat down to low to keep it warm while serving.2 Cups Medium-sized Shrimp (about 30 total)
- If everyone wants noodles, add them to the soup pot now and stir to combine. If only a few people want noodles, add them to individual soup bowls and then ladle the soup on top.
- Top with cilantro. Add additional lime juice, fish sauce, or hot sauce to your liking.⅓ cup cilantro leaves
- You can store leftover Tom Yum soup in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. I recommend storing it with the noodles separately.
Notes
- Store for up to 3 days in the fridge or a month in the freezer.
- Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until desired temperature.
- Do NOT overcook the shrimp or noodles (will be mushy, chewy, or tough)
- Add as much red thai chili garlic sauce as desired for the heat level you like - this is medium-spiced as written. Add more for extra spicy or half as much for mild.
Nutrition
More Broth-Based Soups
If you love soups without cream, try these similar recipes.
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Brenda says
I cannot stop sipping the broth on this. The whole soup is fabulous but the broth is for sure my favorite part. We do not have a nearby Thai restaurant so I make a lot of it at home and this soup hits to spot.
Thuy says
This was easy to follow and my first time making it. I like things spicy so I added twice the red chili paste and it was wonderful. I will make this again many times.
Angela says
I am glad you enjoyed it and turned up the heat level to your liking. My husband likes it spicy too and stirs some in when he serves his bowl.
RJ says
This is my favorite soup to order from the Thai place next to my work. When they closed in the pandemic I had to learn to make it myself. I keep forgetting to write a review but I have probably made this 10 times in the last year and it is so good.
Angela says
It is so good and I am glad you agree!