Vegan Tom Yum Soup I Tom Kha style with coconut milk

This Vegan Tom Yum Soup recipe is Tom Kha style, lightly cooked with coconut milk. Compared to the clear version of Tom Yum Soup or Nam Sai, coconut milk thickens the soup and lifts the taste to a richer consistency. It is worth an extra calorie for every sip.

Cook this vegan tom yum soup with me!

Why you’ll love this vegan tom yum soup recipe

• It’s easy to make and takes only 15 minutes.
• It is tasty and, at the same time, packed with nutrition and plant-based protein.
• No red tom yum paste and no condiments.
• It is a complete dish itself that keeps you feeling full for a long time.
• It is hot, sour and tasty at the same time.

This recipe is heavier on mushrooms. I add two types of mushrooms that are often used in traditional tom yum recipes which is shimeji and straw mushrooms. Tom Yum without mushrooms is really missing something. I suggest not to miss adding mushrooms, but add your favorite ones if you can’t find these two. Oyster mushroom is another option you might want to add.

Ingredients, notes and substitutions

Herbal substitute

Galangal: Galangal is one of the essential ingredients for tom yum that cannot be substituted by other ingredients. Try to find it in the Asian market, or opt for a powdered version instead

Galangal is often confused with ginger due to its similar look and shape. But they are not the same, and they taste different. Only use ginger as the last resort when you cannot find galangal anywhere; at least you can benefit from the anti-inflammatory benefits. Try to reduce the amount to half as it will change the taste of the tom yum.

Lemongrass: Another herb that makes tom yum soup aromatic, lemongrass infuses the oil and essence into the soup. Therefore, you won’t be ingesting the lemongrass. So use the fresh ones and bruise them instead of cutting them small so removing them from the pot will be easier before you serve.

If the paste is the only one you have, that is alright. Use 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste to substitute 2 fresh lemongrass.

Kaffir leaves – Kaffir leaves, or makrut lime leaves, add an intense citrusy aroma to tom yum soup. They are used to infuse the aroma to the soup and, therefore, are not for eating, although they are edible. Tearing the leaves before you add them to the pot helps to release the aroma better. 

Kaffir leaves might be available in Indian or Asian markets. If you cannot find them, use bay leaves instead. It won’t hit a similar level of intense aroma as kaffir leaves, but it might add subtle flavor, and it may contain anti-inflammatory and helps with digestion.

Coriander root: When buying coriander to make tom yum soup, choose the ones with roots. A root from coriander leaves holds a flavorful herbal taste for Thai soup. It is also used for medicinal purposes in Thailand due to the beneficial chemical compound for the human body. Wash the roots to remove the debris before you add them to the broth, and keep the leaves for the garnishing.

If you are not a fan of coriander and wish to substitute them, use celery instead. It will work wonders and be a great addition to your vegetables.

How to make vegan tom yum soup

1. Make the broth.

i. Add oil to a pot and add garlic. Stir until fragrant for about a minute or two under low heat and add chili flakes. Stir for another 4-5 seconds or until the chili flakes make a small bubbles.

ii. Add vegetable broth, water, and season with palm sugar and salt.

iii. Add herbal ingredients and leave it to boil for 5 minutes under high heat. Cover the pot to retain the moist.

2. Cook the vegetables

i. Add mushrooms and baby corn to the pot and boil for another 5 minutes or until tender.

ii. Add tomato, tofu, and coconut milk and cook for another 3 minutes.

3. Garnish

i. Turn off the heat, add lime juice, and stir to mix.

ii. Garnish with coriander and serve while it is still warm.

Recipe variation

If you prefer the clear version of Tom Yum you may skip the coconut milk. And if tofu is not your favorite, you can add other vegetables of your choice, like any below.

Other vegetables you can add to Tom Yum Soup

• Cauliflower
• Carrot
• Celeri
• Oyster mushrooms
• Bak Choy
• Zucchini
• Brussels sprouts

How to add protein to vegan tom yum soup?

You can add more plant-based protein to the soup such as tofu like my recipe here. Tofu such as silken tofu and hard tofu are the best plant-based protein to add to Tom Yum soup. Tofu can absorb flavor from tom yum soup, making it tastier. Other source of plant-based that are high in protein to add to Tom yum are:

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Edamame

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🥣 Did you try this recipe? Let me know your thoughts in the comment below.