Thai Shrimp Soup

The ingredient list for Thai shrimp soup might have you dialing your favorite takeout restaurant, but you’d be making a mistake. This easy soup is ready quickly, and tastes best when hot and freshly made. In three rapid stages, you boil the broth and seasonings, add shrimp and edamame, and then add coconut milk and everything else. The result is a savory soup with creamy broth, crunchy vegetables and tender shrimp that feel light on the tongue but are unexpectedly filling.

Thai shrimp soup’s key flavors come from several essential Thai ingredients, including fish sauce, coconut milk, lemongrass and curry paste. These ingredients all keep well in the refrigerator, pantry or freezer. Once you’ve tracked them down at your local grocery store or Asian market, you’re all set to make an array of Thai recipes that are better than takeout.

Thai Shrimp Soup Ingredients

ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME

• Onion: When sauteed in olive oil, onions become tender and sweet. Any type of onion will do, whether white, yellow or even red.
• Broth: Chicken broth has a relatively strong flavor, so this Thai shrimp soup recipe cuts it with water to avoid overpowering the briny shrimp. For pescatarians, use shrimp stock or a light vegetable broth to enhance the shellfish flavor. Whichever you choose, buy or make a low-sodium version to keep the soup from tasting too salty.
• Seasonings: Brown sugar, fresh gingerroot, lemongrass and either fish sauce or soy sauce add distinctive notes to this soup, so they’re worth tracking down. Gingerroot and lemongrass freeze well, so you can keep some on hand. Once opened, fish sauce and soy sauce stay freshest in the fridge.
• Curry: Red curry paste in the broth and a little curry powder at the end add heat and flavor to shrimp coconut Thai soup. Every jar contains a different blend of ingredients, so shop around to find the one you like best—or make your own. In general, red curry paste has more hot chiles than yellow curry paste, which is colored by turmeric, and green curry paste, which is enriched with herbs.
• Shrimp: Large shrimp (25-30 per pound) float beautifully in the broth and let you enjoy big bites of their briny sweetness. Uncooked shrimp are best for this soup; they absorb some of the broth’s flavor as they turn pink and fork-tender.
• Edamame: Frozen, shelled edamame are young green soybeans removed from their pods. They’re increasingly popular and easy to find in the frozen foods section.
• Light coconut milk: Coconut milk adds more body and richness than it does flavor to Thai curry shrimp soup, but the flavor it does have gently sweetens the broth. Light coconut milk has less fat than regular coconut milk.
• Baby corn: Baby corn is just an immature ear of corn, harvested by hand before pollination—cob and all. It’s delicate, so you’ll often find it preserved in cans or jars.
• Bamboo shoots: Crisp, slightly sweet bamboo shoots usually come in a can, preserved in water and sometimes citric acid. The preservative can make them taste salty, so rinse and drain the shoots well. Asian markets may also sell fresh or frozen bamboo shoots in jars or vacuum-sealed packets.
• Fresh herbs: Basil and cilantro are prominent in many Thai dishes. For maximum flavor, always add fresh herbs at the end of the cooking time.
• Lime: A double dose of lime juice and zest puts the citrus front and center. One fresh lime provides enough juice and zest for this shrimp Thai soup, but taste it before serving. You may want to add additional zest or use lime slices as garnish.

Directions

Step 1: Season the broth

In a Dutch oven, saute the onion in the olive oil until it’s tender. Add the broth, water, brown sugar, gingerroot, fish sauce, curry paste and lemongrass. Bring the broth to a boil.

Step 2: Cook the shrimp

Reduce the heat, then carefully stir in the shrimp and edamame. Cook, uncovered, for five to six minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.

Editor’s Tip: Shrimp are ready when they turn pink, opaque and curl into a C shape. Rather than setting a timer, watch for these signs to avoid overcooking the shrimp.

Step 3: Finish the soup

Add the coconut milk, baby corn, bamboo shoots, basil, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and curry powder. Cook just until they’re heated through. Discard the lemongrass before serving the soup.

ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME

Thai Shrimp Soup Variations

• Marinate the shrimp: Infuse the shrimp directly with the Thai seasonings. Before you start, mix the water, brown sugar, minced ginger, fish sauce and curry paste. Pour the mixture over the shrimp, toss evenly to coat them, and refrigerate them in the marinade for 30 minutes. Strain the marinade off the shrimp and add it to the broth with the lemongrass. Let the mixture come to a rolling boil before you move on.
• Add more vegetables: Saute diced carrot, celery, or green pepper with the onion to build a more aromatic base. Add frozen or precooked chopped vegetables, like sugar snap peas, broccoli, bok choy and water chestnuts, along with the edamame.
• Make it thicker: Light coconut milk is watered down to reduce its fat content, so choose a full-fat can for a thicker soup. Coconut cream has even less water and more fat, making it closer to the thickness of whipped cream. To thicken the soup slightly without adding fat, stir 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour into the onion. Once softened, cook it briefly so the flour and oil make a roux.
• Change the spiciness: Increase the amount of curry paste, curry powder or both for more heat in this soup. Other essential Thai ingredients like bird’s eye chiles can also be added to dial up the heat. For a milder soup, replace the curry paste with tomato paste. Serve lime wedges alongside the soup for a squeeze of fresh flavor.

How to Store Thai Shrimp Soup

Store leftover Thai shrimp soup in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Divide the Dutch oven contents into several containers to cool it quickly and thoroughly before refrigerating. The solid ingredients—especially the delicate shrimp—have the best texture when the soup is freshly made. If you plan on having leftovers, cook just enough shrimp to add to the evening’s meal and cook more when you reheat the soup.

How long does Thai shrimp soup last?

Thai shrimp soup lasts for up to four days in the refrigerator. The baby corn and herbs, in particular, will soften as it sits, but the broth will become more flavorful. For the tastiest leftovers, season the broth, stir in the coconut milk and pull out just as much soup as you’ll eat that night. Then, finish it with the shrimp, edamame and the rest of the ingredients. When you reheat the leftover broth, stir in the remaining shrimp, vegetables and herbs.

Can you freeze Thai shrimp soup?

Coconut milk handles freezing and thawing better than dairy-based soups, so go ahead and freeze Thai shrimp soup in freezer-safe containers for up to three months. Let the soup thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it, and quickly whisk the broth as it returns to a simmer for the best texture. You may notice a difference in the shrimp, especially if they were frozen when raw; if that’s an issue, freeze just the seasoned broth.

How do you reheat Thai shrimp soup?

Reheat Thai shrimp soup in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat until it simmers. Add more fresh herbs, lime juice, and perhaps another dash of curry powder for a bright burst of flavor in the reheated soup.

Thai Shrimp Soup Tips

ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME

What’s the best way to clean shrimp?

Thaw uncooked shrimp overnight in the fridge, and then clean them by removing the head and legs (if still attached), followed by the body and tail shell. If you’re lucky enough to have live shrimp for this Thai curry shrimp soup, clean them in the same way. Our guide on how to clean shrimp shows the whole process, step by step, and gives tips for choosing shrimp for juicy shrimp recipes.

What can you serve with Thai shrimp soup?

With shellfish- and vegetable-packed spoonfuls of savory broth, Thai shrimp soup is a fine one-bowl meal. To make it even more filling, serve it over long noodles—homemade udon noodles are particularly delicious. For a more traditional approach, serve this Thai soup with rice. Prepare Thai basil chicken or a Thai vegetable medley for a family-style spread. Pork satay and crisp marinated cucumbers, like Taiwanese Din Tai Fung chilled cucumber salad, add fun and refreshing finger foods into the mix.