Vegan Tom Yum Soup I Tom Kha style with coconut milk

This Thai Vegan Tom Yum Soup recipe is Tom Kha style, which means lightly cooked with coconut milk. Compared to a clear version of Tom Yum Soup, known as Tom Yum Nam Sai, this creamy version is denser with rich flavor.

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.
• Packed with plant-based protein and other vegetables to keep you full.
• Rich in flavor and creamy without heavily processed tom yum paste and condiments.
• It is a complete dish, but you can eat it alongside rice or noodles.

This recipe is loaded with mushrooms, a great source of anti-inflammatory properties. I use Shimeji and straw mushrooms, which are typically used in traditional Tom Yum recipes. Oyster mushroom is one of the varieties to add.

To me, Tom Yum without mushrooms can’t really be called Tom Yum. I suggest not to miss these ingredients (unless you’re allergic to them), but feel free to swap them for your favorite ones if you can’t find these two.

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. If you do, reduce the amount to half because it will significantly alter the taste.

Lemongrass: Lemongrass is used to infuse the oil and essence into the soup. Therefore, this ingredient is not to be ingested but only for the aroma. Use the fresh ones and bruise them instead of slicing them. This will make it easy to remove them before serving.

If the paste is the only one you have, use 1/2 a tbsp of lemongrass paste to substitute 2 fresh lemongrass.

Kaffir leaves – Kaffir leaves, or makrut lime leaves, add a citrusy aroma to tom yum soup. They are used to infuse the aroma as well and, therefore, are not for eating. Tear the leaves before you add them to the broth to release the aroma.

You can find this ingredient in Indian or Asian markets. If you cannot find them, use bay leaves instead. It won’t hit a similar level of aroma as kaffir leaves, but it might add subtle flavor.

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 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 leaves instead.

How to make this vegan Tom Yum soup

The cooking begins with creating the base of the broth. Once they are simmered and nicely infused with herbs, the vegetables and protein are then added to the broth to cook until soften. The other soft ingredients, such as tomato, silken tofu, and coconut milk, are added later because they need less time to cook. The finishing includes adding lime juice and coriander as a garnish.

1. Building the base of the broth.

• In a medium-sized pot, heat olive oil over low heat. Add garlic and stir for a few seconds or until fragrant. add chili flakes and continue to stir for another 4-5 seconds or until the chili flakes create small bubbles.
  
  
  

• Add the liquid ingredients (vegetable broth and water) and the seasoning (palm sugar and salt).
  
  

• Toss in all the herbal ingredients and leave it to boil for 5 minutes over high heat. Cover the pot to retain the moisture.
  
  

2. Adding vegetables & protein to cook

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

• Add cherry tomatoes, silken tofu, and coconut milk and cook for another 3 minutes over medium to low heat. Aim for a gentle simmer instead of boiling because coconut milk can curdle or split.
  
  
  
  
  

3. Garnish

• Turn off the heat, add lime juice, and stir gently to spread the tanginess.
  
  

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

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?

Feel free to add other plant-based protein to the soup, such as tofu, like my recipe here. Tofu, such as silken tofu and hard tofu, is the best plant-based protein to add to Tom Yum soup. Tofu can absorb the aromatic flavor from tom yum soup, making it more interesting to eat. Other sources 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.