Inspired by Tom Yum hot and sour Thai Soup, this simplified vegan version uses easy-to-find ingredients and includes soy curls for meatiness and extra staying power (substitute tofu if you like). Made with ginger, garlic, lemongrass, mushrooms, and red curry paste, this spicy Thai soup is perfect when you crave your favorite Thai restaurant flavors at home.
There's a small Thai restaurant in my hometown called Thai Garden. One of my favorite food memories is of going there with my mom for take out. We would usually share an order of their spicy Tom Yum Pak soup and an entree.
Though I haven't had their soup in many years, I remember how incredibly flavorful it was, with just the right blend of umami, sour lemon juice, and it'll-cure-what-ails-you spiciness.
Why You'll Love It
While this spicy Tom Yum-inspired soup recipe isn't authentic, it does manage to capture the vibe. The main perks of this soup are that it
- uses accessible ingredients
- comes together in 30 minutes
- and is vegan, which is pretty much impossible to find in Thai restaurants
You might be familiar with a Tom Yum variation that includes coconut milk, and it's amazing, too! But for this recipe I wanted to stick to a more brothy hot and sour soup, rich with ginger, garlic and lemongrass, and perfect for the cold days ahead.
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Lately I've been cooking with soy curls more often and am really enjoying their versatility. Made from just one ingredient, whole, non-GMO soybeans. If you'd like to learn more about soy curls, don't miss this post: 23 Best Soy Curl Recipes Plus FAQs.
You can order soy curls on Amazon or order directly from the Butler Foods website. You might also be able to find them in smaller specialty markets, but buying online is the safest bet. They freeze well for extended storage, so I recommend buying a multi pack and keeping them on hand for a rainy day.
Options and Substitutions
This is already a pretty loose interpretation of Tom Yum, so if you find yourself wanting to make substitutions for some of the ingredients, go for it. The whole point of this recipe is to have accessible, super flavorful, spicy, warming Thai soup flavors at home whenever the mood strikes!
- Can't find fresh lemongrass at the store? No problem. Red curry paste contains lemongrass, so you're all set.
- Want to sub lemon for the lime? As I mentioned above, according to the menu at Thai Garden, they use lemon juice for the sour element in their soup. Either one works well.
- Want to sub chopped kale for the spinach, or leave out the greens altogether? Go for it.
- Want your soup to have EXTRA kick? Add diced Thai chiles to the sauté when you add the ginger and garlic.
- And for a cooling element, drizzle coconut milk, light or full-fat, into individual serving dishes, OR top each piping hot bowl with diced avocado!
If you try this Spicy Thai Soup recipe I would love to hear from you! Tag me on facebook or instagram with @myquietkitchen. And be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out. Enjoy!
You might also like:
- The Best Soy Curl Recipes
- 1-Pot Curry Black Lentil Soup
- Vegan Thai Larb
- BEST Vegan Chili Recipe
- Bok Choy Soup With Noodles
- Easy Instant Pot Lentil Curry
Recipe
Spicy Thai Soup With Soy Curls
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) bag Butler soy curls - Or sub 16 oz firm tofu, and skip the rehydration and cooking process. Add the tofu straight to the pot of soup while it simmers.
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, divided
- 2 to 3 cups water for rehydrating the soy curls
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, optional - For oil-free diets, use water or broth for sauteing.
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 5 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed with your palm and cut into 3 or 4 pieces, optional - It's also in red curry paste; omit if you can't find it.
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more for extra spicy)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
- 2 handfuls raw baby spinach, optional
- 2 to 3 tablespoons tamari (GF) or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon agave, maple syrup, or brown sugar
- 1 lime or lemon, zested and juiced
Optional Garnishes:
- fresh cilantro
- green onion, chopped
- 1 large avocado, diced
Instructions
Prepare the soy curls:
- Place soy curls in a large shallow bowl or container. Dissolve 1 tablespoon red curry paste in 2 cups of water, and pour over soy curls. Add more water if needed so that the soy curls are mostly covered. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain. Gently squeeze excess moisture from soy curls, and pat dry with a towel.
- Preheat a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil, if using, and cook the soy curls until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
Make the soup:
- Heat a stock pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil, if using, plus ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth, remaining 2 tablespoons red curry paste, mushrooms, bell pepper, spinach, tamari, agave, and lime zest. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the lime juice.
- Arrange soy curls in individual serving bowls, and ladle soup over top. Garnish and serve.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Kat says
This was really flavorful. Great idea. Added some snap peas.
SBS says
We first discovered Soy Curls with your delicious Red Lentil Curry recipe (which is a weekly regular on our menu plan) and after buying 12lbs of them I wanted to branch out. This is another delicious recipe that we will repeat regularly!
Judy says
This was so good!! Although I have used soy curls in other recipes, I did the tofu substitution for this one and it was simply outstanding. Will definitely be in my regular soup rotation!
Mary says
This soup was absolutely delicious. It was fun to use the soy curls for the first time; it added a nice "meaty" texture. This is going in my rotation for sure!
Trish Rose says
Delicious for dinner tonight! I'll be keeping this recipe handy to make again and again!
Suzanne says
Wonderful soup! We love Thai. Made it extra spicy per hubby request. It was a winner!
Lori says
Yum! Gotta love extra spicy. 😀 So happy you both enjoyed it, Suzanne. Thank you!
susan says
That look so delicious Thanks for this recipe..
Lori says
You're very welcome. Thanks for being here, Susan!