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Authentic Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup)

Close-up of a steaming white bowl filled with vibrant orange and red tom yum soup, featuring large shrimp and sliced mushrooms.
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Create the iconic, vibrant flavor of Thailand with this easy Tom Yum Goong recipe. This hot and sour shrimp soup balances savory, spicy, and tangy notes using fresh, aromatic herbs for a restaurant-quality experience at home.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups Chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
  • 4 inches galangal, sliced
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
  • 2–3 Thai chilies, crushed (adjust to your spice preference)
  • 1/2 cup straw mushrooms, halved
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chili paste in oil (Nam Prik Pao)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine the broth, bruised lemongrass, sliced galangal, torn kaffir lime leaves, and crushed chilies in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let the broth infuse for 15 minutes to draw out the essential oils from the herbs. This step builds the authentic Thai flavor base.
  3. Strain the broth to remove the solids (lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chilies). Return the clear, aromatic broth to the pot and bring it back to a gentle simmer.
  4. Add the mushrooms and shrimp to the simmering broth. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and opaque. Do not overcook the shrimp.
  5. Stir in the fish sauce, fresh lime juice, sugar, and chili paste in oil. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning—add more lime juice for sourness, fish sauce for saltiness, or sugar for balance.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat immediately after seasoning. Ladle the Tom Yum Goong into bowls.
  7. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro before serving.

Notes

  • For a creamier Tom Yum Goong, add 1/4 cup of evaporated milk or coconut milk along with the fish sauce in Step 5.
  • If you cannot find galangal, use fresh ginger as a substitute, though the flavor profile will shift slightly.
  • To make this a Chicken Tom Yum Soup, substitute the shrimp with 1 pound of thinly sliced chicken breast and simmer until cooked through before adding the final seasonings.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.unfoldrecipes.com/tom-yum-soup-authentic-thai-shrimp-recipe/