Easy Tom Kha Soup | Thai Coconut Soup (Paleo, Vegetarian)
This Tom Kha is a classic Thai coconut soup made easy! It’s paleo-friendly, whole30, and can easily be made vegan and vegetarian.
Why you’ll Love This Tom Kha Soup
I love soup season, especially with Asian-inspired soups! I have recipes for classics like hot & sour soup and egg roll soup, as well as Asian-inspired chicken noodle soup. Tom Kha soup is a delicious Thai classic, that’s essentially a coconut soup. It’s made with broth, coconut milk, vegetables, seasonings like curry paste, and often a protein like chicken or shrimp. I love the chicken soup version of this soup, Tom Kha Gai, but you can easily make this soup with or without a protein! Here’s why you’re going to love it…
- Vegetarian version of the classic! This recipe is totally vegetarian and easily made vegan, however, it can easily be modified to add protein if desired as well!
- Fits any dietary needs! This tom kha recipe is paleo-friendly, Whole30, vegetarian, and gluten and soy-free.
The Ingredients for Tom Kha Soup
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Broth & coconut milk. Canned coconut milk is best for this recipe. I like to use Native Forest “Simple” coconut milk.
- Shitake mushrooms.
- Shredded carrots
- Onion, ginger, garlic, curry paste and lemongrass.
| Ingredient | What it does | Potential swap |
| Coconut milk | Adds creaminess and coconut flavor | You could try another milk like oat or dairy milk |
| Chicken broth | Adds flavor and liquidity | Veggie broth to keep it vegetarian |
| Shitake Mushrooms | Flavor and texture | You can use other varieties of mushrooms, but shiitake mushrooms are best! |
| Shredded carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, curry paste, and lemongrass | This adds the flavor | To keep it nightshade-free, swap curry paste for turmeric, or leave it out altogether for a more coconut flavored soup. |
| Fish sauce | Adds umami flavor | Omit or sub coconut aminos for vegetarian. |
| Coconut aminos | This is the soy sauce substitute in the recipe! | You can also use a low sodium tamari. |
| Coconut oil | Fat for sauting | Another cooking fat would work |
How to make this Easy Tom Kha Soup
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
- Cook the vegetables: Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and shitake mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes or until slightly soft.
- Add the liquids and seasonings: Pour in the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut aminos, lime juice, and seasonings (reserving the cilantro) and mix well to combine. Bring to a low simmer and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove the lemongrass.
- Serve: topped with cilantro and additional lime wedges to serve.
“Healthy” is always subjective, but considering this recipe is packed with vegetables, we think it’s pretty healthy!
This recipe is a vegan/vegetarian soup, but to keep it that way, make sure to use a vegetable broth and omit the fish sauce! I like to use chicken broth, but veggie broth works just fine.
Chicken is the classic pairing to this recipe, but you can also use shrimp! All you have to do is precook the chicken until cooked through, and re-add it back to the soup as it simmers for flavor. To add shrimp, you can cook the shrimp while the soup simmers.
Yes! I have a totally AIP version with chicken in my cookbook, but you can also make this version nightshade-free by omitting the curry paste. It will change the color of the soup, but it will still have lots of flavor!
Other Gluten-Free Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try…
If you tried these Easy Tom Kha Soup or any other recipe on my blog please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Easy Tom Kha Soup | Thai Coconut Soup (Paleo, Whole30, Vegan Option)
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb ginger, grated
- 2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth, sub veggie broth for vegetarian
- 2 cups coconut milk
- Juice of one lime
- 2 tsp fish sauce, omit or sub coconut aminos for vegetarian
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- ¾ tsp curry paste, season to taste, sub 3/4 tsp turmeric for AIP
- 1 small stalk lemongrass, thick outer layers removed
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, omit for AIP
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, to serve
- Lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Using a medium stock pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the carrots and shitake mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes or until lightly soft.
- Pour in the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut aminos, lime juice, and seasonings (reserving the cilantro) and mix well to combine.
- Bring to a low simmer and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve topped with cilantro and additonal lime wedges to serve.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2018 and was updated in 2021. Recipe by Michelle, Unbound Wellness. Photos by Eat Love Eats
Does this freeze okay? How long do you think it’ll keep in the fridge? 🙂
Yes, you should be able to freeze it!
When you taste the soup while it’s simmering to check the seasonings turns into eating the soup out of the pot. This is delicious! Thank you for this amazing and easy recipe!
Thank you so much!!
This was surprisingly super close in flavor to my local Thai place! Made it will shrimp and will be doing again! Thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you Kaitlin! So glad it was a hit 🙂
Hi! How much lemongrass paste would I use? My local store doesn’t carry fresh lemongrass, but has the paste in tubes. Can’t wait to make this! Thank you!
Gail B
The lemongrass paste should have a conversion on it that I would recommend because I am not super familiar with lemongrass paste.
Really enjoyed this soup! Added chicken and doubled the curry paste. Can’t wait to make it with shrimp!
Thank you!!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I make one batch of it yesterday and then a double batch of it today because it was so delicious!
Tammy B
Thank you!!