Spicy, lemon-y, fresh, and zesty – this Vegetarian Tom Kha Soup is a flavor bomb ❤️🔥 It’s got mushrooms, carrots, aromatics, and coconut milk that add oodles of flavor and texture!
When I tell you that you will want this Veg Thai Coconut Soup every other day, you better believe that I am serious!
It’s got everything you want from a cozy winter soup – warming flavors, a silky smooth texture, and an aroma that’s both comforting and invigorating.
Traditionally Tom Kha Soup or Tom Kha Gai as it’s also known, is made with chicken. But here’s a vegetarian version that’s just as delicious. The result is a rich and aromatic vegetarian Tom Kha Soup that’s brimming with flavor and texture.
I usually make this for dinner at least once a week during winters or when one of us is sick. Because these warming flavors are SO delicious yet comforting!
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Veg Tom Kha Soup Ingredients
This Veg Thai Coconut Soup calls for a mix of pantry staple and special ingredients. You’ll find most ingredients online or at a gourmet food store with a Thai section.
Mushrooms: I have used a mix of shiitake and button mushroms for lots of flavor and texture. You can use just button mushrooms if you prefer.
Carrots: For texture and flavor
Coconut milk: Both fresh and canned works here. Use thick coconut milk to achieve that velvety smooth texture
Aromatics: Galangal, kaffir lime, and lemongrass add a beautiful fresh flavor and aroma to this recipe.
Thai red chillies: These are spicier than regular chillies, so a little goes a long way to achieve that spicy kick. Can swap with regular green chillies.
Seasoning: We add salt, sugar (just a little bit to balance out the flavors), fish sauce, and light soy sauce for lots of flavor and umami.
Richa’s Top Tips
- You may replace ginger and lemon zest for galangal and kaffir lime respectively. It might change the flavor of this soup, but the soup will still be delicious.
- This soup is spicy, so feel free to adjust the amount of red chillies to suit your tolerance.
- I have light soy sauce in this recipe as I prefer the milder flavor and color for this recipe. However, you can use dark soy sauce too.
- To make this vegetarian tom kha soup recipe vegan and gluten free, omit fish sauce and swap soy sauce for tamari.
- Once you add coconut milk, always cook the soup on low heat as you don’t want it to split.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tom kha and tom yum are both Thai soups. But tom kha has a coconut milk base while tom yum has a tomato base.
Absolutely! Feel free to add chicken or prawns to make this soup protein-rich and more wholesome. Remember to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Yes, why not! Green beans, broccoli, corn, are all veggies that would taste great in this veg Thai coconut soup.
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Simply reheat on the stovetop or microwave when you are ready to eat.
Oh 100%! This vegetarian tom kha soup recipe is super freezer friendly. Transfer everything to a freezer safe container or bag once completely cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.
I first had this soup in Bangkok many years ago, and it’s been a staple on our winter dinner menu ever since. It’s just all kinds of cozy!
If you love soups and are looking for more inspiration, make sure to check out my soup series here.
If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment below. Don’t forget to send pictures of your recreations over on my IG @myfoodstory.
Watch the Tom Kha Recipe Video
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Soak shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup of hot water for 30 minutes.
4 shiitake mushrooms, 3 cups water
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Drain the water & chop them very fine.
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Add the shiitake mushrooms along with the remaining 2 cups of water and all the ingredients except lemon juice, fish sauce and soya sauce to a pot and bring to a boil.
1 cup mushrooms, 1 cup thick coconut milk, ½ teaspoon salt, 4 bottom stalks of lemongrass, 2 inches of galangal or ginger, 20 kafir lime leaves or ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon sugar
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Simmer for 12-15 minutes on low heat.
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Just before serving, add lemon juice, fish sauce & soya sauce, give a good mix & serve.
Juice of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 2 teaspoons light soya sauce
- You may use canned or fresh coconut milk and it will work equally well.
- Shiitake mushrooms gives this soup a good flavour & texture, but you may skip it if you do not prefer to use.
Calories: 162kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 714mg, Potassium: 328mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 2mg
