Easy Tom Kha Soup Recipe

Tom Kha Soup, a quintessential dish in Thai cuisine, combines creamy coconut milk with vibrant, zesty flavors. A perfect balance of savory, sweet, sour, and spicy, this comforting soup has won hearts worldwide. It’s like a hug in a bowl-warm, soothing, and just the right amount of boldness to excite your taste buds. Whether you’re a seasoned fan of Thai food or a newcomer looking for something new, Tom Kha is a dish that never disappoints.

This soup is traditionally made with chicken, though you can easily adapt it for various dietary preferences. The aromatic broth, infused with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves, serves as the perfect base, while the coconut milk adds that rich, silky texture. The beauty of this soup is its versatility. You can adjust the flavors based on your personal taste-craving a little more heat? Add extra chili. Want to bring out the sourness? A squeeze of lime will do wonders.

If you’ve been to a Thai restaurant, you’ve probably seen Tom Kha on the menu and wondered how to recreate it at home. It’s surprisingly simple to make with just a few key ingredients. With a bit of prep and some basic cooking techniques, you can have this aromatic soup ready in under an hour.

Here’s a simplified recipe to get you started:

Ingredients Needed

1 lb (450g) chicken breast or thighs (or tofu for a vegetarian option), thinly sliced
4 cups coconut milk (full-fat for the best richness)
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 stalks lemongrass, cut into pieces and smashed
4-6 slices galangal (if unavailable, ginger is an acceptable substitute)
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
2-3 Thai bird’s eye chilies, smashed (adjust based on your spice tolerance)
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1 cup mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, or button)
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegetarian version)
1 tablespoon sugar
Juice of 1 lime (or more to taste)
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Optional: Thai chili paste or red curry paste for added flavor

Cooking Instructions

Prepare The Broth Base

Start by bringing the chicken broth and coconut milk to a gentle simmer in a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s heated through, add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and smashed chilies. Let these aromatic ingredients infuse the broth for about 10-15 minutes. The fragrance of the lemongrass and lime leaves will fill your kitchen-it’s like you’ve just transported yourself to Thailand!
Cook The Chicken

Add the sliced chicken breast or thighs to the simmering broth and cook until the chicken is just tender-usually 5-7 minutes. If you’re using tofu, add it in the same step.
Add Vegetables

Once the chicken is cooked, add in the mushrooms and sliced onions. Let them cook for another 3-5 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape.
Season The Soup

Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Taste as you go-this is where you can adjust the saltiness, sweetness, and sourness of the soup. If you want more spice, this is a good time to add extra chilies or a touch of Thai chili paste.
Final Touches

Once everything is well-combined and the soup has a good balance of flavors, remove the pot from the heat. Discard the lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves. These are there to flavor the broth but aren’t meant to be eaten.
Serve

Ladle the hot soup into bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and chili paste on the side for extra flair. A bowl of steamed jasmine rice pairs perfectly with this soup, absorbing all the incredible broth.

Ingredient Insights

To truly understand Tom Kha’s magic, let’s break down some of the key ingredients that make this dish stand out:

Coconut Milk

The base of this soup is coconut milk, which lends a rich and velvety texture. It provides that tropical sweetness that balances the sharper, zestier notes from the other ingredients. Coconut milk also works as a great dairy-free substitute for cream, making this soup accessible for those with lactose intolerance.
Lemongrass

This herb is a superstar in Thai cooking. Its citrusy, slightly floral aroma infuses the broth with an uplifting freshness. It’s also packed with natural oils that add depth to the flavor profile of the soup.
Galangal

Often compared to ginger, galangal has a more piney, peppery flavor with hints of citrus. It’s essential in Tom Kha for adding a fragrant, earthy bite. If you can’t find galangal, ginger is a good substitute, but it’ll be slightly different in flavor.
Kaffir Lime Leaves

These aromatic leaves are like the ’lime zest’ of Thai cuisine. They have a deep, intense citrus flavor that pairs perfectly with the creamy coconut milk. When torn and simmered, they release their oils, infusing the broth with a refreshing, slightly bitter lime flavor.
Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is the backbone of many Thai dishes, providing a salty, umami-rich flavor. Don’t be intimidated by its strong aroma-it dissolves beautifully into the soup, rounding out the other flavors. If you’re vegetarian, opt for soy sauce or tamari as a substitute.
Bird’s Eye Chilies

These small but mighty chilies are fiery and lend a good kick to the soup. You can control the spice level by adjusting the number of chilies you use or opting to remove the seeds.

Expert Tips

Balance The Flavors

Thai cooking is all about balance. If your soup tastes too sour, add a bit more sugar. If it’s too sweet, a splash more fish sauce or lime juice will help bring it into harmony.
Use Fresh Ingredients

If you can, try to get fresh lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. They make a huge difference in the depth and brightness of the flavor. If you can’t find them locally, many Asian grocery stores have them, or you can find dried versions that work in a pinch.
Make It Spicy (or Not)

If you love spice, leave the seeds in the chilies or even toss in a bit of red curry paste. If you want to tone down the heat, remove the chilies after they’ve imparted their flavor to the broth.
Don’t Overcook The Chicken

Chicken breasts cook quickly, and you don’t want them to become tough. Once they’re cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), remove the pot from the heat. Overcooking can lead to dry, stringy meat, which you definitely want to avoid in a soup.
Customize Your Protein

This recipe is versatile! You can swap out the chicken for shrimp, tofu, or even beef, depending on your preference. Each protein will bring its own flavor to the soup, so adjust your cooking times accordingly.

Recipe Variations

Vegetarian Tom Kha

For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with tofu or mushrooms and use vegetable broth instead of chicken. The creamy coconut base still shines through, and you’ll have a hearty, satisfying dish that’s perfect for plant-based diets.
Tom Kha Gai With Shrimp

Swap out the chicken for shrimp, and you’ll have a Tom Kha Gai (chicken) version with seafood. Shrimp cooks very quickly, so add it toward the end of the cooking process, right after you’ve added the mushrooms and onions.
Tom Kha With Noodles

For a more filling option, you can add cooked rice noodles or egg noodles to your soup. This turns your Tom Kha into a heartier, more meal-like dish.

Final Words

Tom Kha Soup is an aromatic symphony of flavors, combining the richness of coconut milk, the zing of lemongrass, and the heat of bird’s eye chilies. With its complex flavors and fragrant ingredients, it’s one of those dishes that feels like it transports you straight to Thailand with every spoonful. And while the traditional recipe is beloved by many, it’s also incredibly adaptable. Whether you want to make it spicier, vegetarian, or with a different protein, there’s room to make this soup your own.

Easy Tom Kha Soup Recipe