Perfumed with aromatic lemongrass and ginger, bright with fresh lime, and warmed by a touch of jalapeño heat, this is my version of classic Thai shrimp tom yum soup. It's beautiful in the bowl and even better on the spoon, and it comes together in under 30 minutes for a quick but healthy meal. Make it mild or make it spicy-either way, it's light, fresh, and seriously delicious.
When the days are chilly, gray, or just plain dreary, there's nothing like a bowl of something warm and fragrant. I first fell in love with this soup in culinary school, training with a Singaporean chef who taught me how simple ingredients-lemongrass, ginger, lime, chiles-can create incredible depth of flavor without feeling heavy. This version keeps all of that freshness and lightness, but is streamlined for home cooks: healthy, naturally gluten-free, and easy enough to make on a weeknight.
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Shrimp Tom Yum Soup Highlights
- Light but full of flavor - Bright lemongrass, ginger, lime, and a little chile heat give you big flavor.
- Quick and weeknight-friendly - Ready in about 30 minutes, so it fits into a busy day.
- Fresh and healthy - Naturally gluten-free, broth-based, and packed with lean protein and vegetables.
- Easy to customize - Make it mild or spicy and add extra veggies if you like-very forgiving and flexible.
If you enjoy these flavors, you might also like my lemongrass chicken recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Coconut oil - pairs well with Thai flavors, use cold pressed virgin coconut oil.
- Lemongrass - Perfumes the soup with bright, citrusy aroma.
- Garlic - Builds a savory backbone and deepens the flavor.
- Ginger - Grated fresh ginger adds warm, peppery zing and lifts the whole soup.
- Jalapeño - Seeded and finely chopped for gentle, adjustable heat.
- Broth - Chicken or vegetable broth, good-quality or homemade broth makes a big difference.
- Shrimp - Medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined, add lean protein. If frozen, thaw fully and pat dry.
- Mushrooms - Shiitakes, for umami depth and a tender, "meaty" texture.
- Roma tomatoes - Seeded and chopped small to add gentle acidity, sweetness, and color.
- Snow peas - Add fresh green crunch.
- Limes - Zested and juiced; perfumes the broth and provides the classic sour note of Tom Yum.
- Fish sauce - Optional but recommended for salty, savory Thai-style umami and depth.
- Cilantro - Chopped fresh leaves stirred in at the end for herbal brightness and color.
Please see the recipe card for measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- No shitake mushrooms - Use white or brown (cremini) mushrooms.
- Spicier - Use hotter peppers such as serrano or of course, Thai chilies.
- Milder soup - Use half a jalapeño (or skip it).
Chef's Tip - How to Work With Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a pale green stalk used a lot in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. It has an exotic, lemony scent with a hint of ginger, like nothing else. You'll usually find it in the produce section near the herbs, or in Asian markets. To use it, trim off the root end and any tough outer layers (if not pre-trimmed), then use the tender inner part. For this soup, the easiest method is to grate it on a Microplane so it almost melts into the broth-no fibrous pieces, just fragrant, citrusy flavor in every spoonful.
How to Make Shrimp Tom Yum Soup
- Sauté aromatics - Warm coconut oil in a pot, then gently cook the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño until fragrant.
- Simmer the broth - Add the chicken or vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, and let the flavors infuse for a few minutes.
- Add shrimp and veggies - Stir in the shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, and snow peas and cook just until the shrimp turn pink and the vegetables are tender.
- Finish the soup - Remove from the heat and add lime zest and juice, fish sauce (if using), and cilantro.
- Taste and serve - Adjust lime and heat to your liking, then ladle into bowls and serve with extra lime on the side.
Chef's Tip - Buying and Using Fish Sauce
If you've never cooked with fish sauce, it can be a little foreign to a Western palate. It smells a bit strong and "fishy" in the bottle, but in the soup it adds salty, savory umami and a deep, rounded flavor you can't quite get any other way. Start with a small splash, taste, and add more only if you like. Use a good-quality Vietnamese fish sauce (the best brand is Red Boat) made with just anchovies and salt, found in the Asian foods aisle.
Serving Tom Yum
Serve Shrimp Tom Yum Soup hot in low, wide bowls so you get a little of everything in each spoonful-broth, shrimp, mushrooms, and veggies. I like to garnish with extra cilantro and lime wedges at the table so everyone can adjust the sourness to their taste. For a more filling meal, serve it with a side of steamed jasmine rice or a simple green salad.
Storing and Re-Heating
This soup is best enjoyed freshly made because shrimp can easily overcook when reheated. If you do have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 1 day and reheat very gently over low heat just until the shrimp are warmed through-do not boil. I don't recommend freezing this soup, as the shrimp and vegetables lose their texture.
If you know ahead of time that you'll want leftovers, you can cook the broth and vegetables first, then add the shrimp only to the portions you're serving and keep the extra broth separate in the fridge. Add fresh shrimp and simmer just a few minutes when you reheat.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Frozen shrimp work well here-just thaw them completely in the refrigerator and pat them dry before adding to the soup. They'll cook quickly in the hot broth.
You can make the broth and vegetables a day ahead, then cool and refrigerate. For the best texture, add the shrimp and snow peas when you reheat the soup just before serving so they don't overcook.
If you don't want to use fish sauce, you can add a splash of tamari or coconut aminos for a gentler umami flavor, then adjust the salt to taste. The soup will still be delicious-just a little less "classic" in its Thai flavor profile.
If You Make This Soup
Please leave me a comment, I love hearing from you and how you enjoyed Tom Yum. Your comments help other readers too. Thanks for supporting my site!
📖 Recipe
Tom Yum Thai Soup With Shrimp
Equipment
- A large pot for the soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemongrass use a microplane
- 3-4 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and chopped fine
- 2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth 8 cups, preferably homemade
- 1 pound medium shrimp cleaned and deveined
- 8 ounces shitake mushrooms white or brown will work, thinly sliced
- 2 large Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped small
- 8 ounces snow peas quarter pound, sliced thin crosswise
- 2 limes zested and juiced
- 2-3 teaspoons fish sauce optional
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium pot over medium low heat. And add lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chili pepper. Cook until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn broth down to low (simmer) and add shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, and snow peas. Simmer until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are tender, just a few minutes. Add lime juice and zest, fish sauce and cilantro. Serve in low wide bowls.
Notes
- If you are heat sensitive use half the chili and serve some fresh to be added if you want more heat.
- If you are a chili head and love heat, buy fresh Thai chiles instead of jalapeños, but be careful!
- To make this a heartier soup, add cooked brown rice or udon noodles in the bottom of the bowl and pour broth, shrimp and vegetables over the top.
Nutrition
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