Easy Thai Shrimp Soup
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Skip the take-out and try making this at home – it’s unbelievably easy and 10000x tastier and healthier!
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reasons to make easy thai shrimp soup
- Takeout favorite
- Budget-friendly
- Uses easy-to-find ingredients
- Cold weather comfort food
- Leftovers taste even better
- Super flexible recipe (and can be made vegetarian friendly)
what is red curry paste and where can i find it
Commonly used in Thai dishes, red curry paste is made from a blend of red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, Thai ginger and various spices.
Red curry paste is typically used for stir-fry, soups or mixed with coconut milk for curry. It is readily available in most grocery store chains, particularly the Thai Kitchen brand, and online, with some brands containing shellfish (shrimp paste).
tips and tricks for success
- Know your shrimp size. Shrimp size is calculated on number of shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger your shrimp. There are about 40-50 medium shrimp per pound.
- Buy frozen shrimp. For superior quality and freshness, using frozen shrimp is ideal (but avoid the bags with freezer burn), opting for a quick thaw under cold running water.
- Use your favorite protein. This recipe will work well with chicken thighs, chicken breasts, shrimp or tofu.
- Use full fat coconut milk. Although lite coconut milk can certainly be used, full fat coconut milk will yield a much more rich and creamy broth.
- Mix it up. Swap the red curry paste for green, add in more veggies (cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms or bok choy) or use rice noodles in place of rice.
- Stir in more stock with leftovers. When reheating leftovers, stir in more stock as needed as the rice will continue to soak up the broth.
what to serve with thai shrimp soup
Easy Thai Shrimp Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
You can thaw frozen shrimp overnight, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the day before. For a quick thaw, you can run them under cold water until completely thawed, about 5-10 minutes. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible to remove any excess moisture.
Yes! Chicken is a great swap for the shrimp, and you can sub chicken stock for the vegetable stock as well.
We personally love Mae Ploy (contains shrimp paste). Thai Kitchen is also great with mild heat, and more readily available at most grocery stores.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days.
We do not recommend freezing this as coconut milk tends to separate when frozen.
Easy Thai Shrimp Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 1 1 /2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
- Add onion and bell pepper to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in red curry paste, garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in coconut milk and vegetable stock; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in rice, shrimp, lime juice and cilantro.
- Serve immediately.
Video
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Made this today, and it was delicious! I used a 12 oz. can of coconut milk. I see the grocery sells in the dairy sevtion in 1/2 gallons. Is this the same as the canned coconut milk?
No, those are two different kinds!
I made this last night for company and it was a hit! So delicious and easy. I put in more ginger than the recipe requires because I love ginger. Also, I added lemon grass because I also love lemon grass. I will make this recipe again and again. It’s a new favorite. Thank you.
sounds yummy!
I really like your blog. I follow you from Italy.
I would suggest you to include photos for each cooking step in order to make recipes even more easier.
Hi Stefano – there is actually a step-by-step video right above the recipe! That’s better than step-by-step photos, right? 🙂
Wow! This easy thai shrimp soup recipe is incredible! I’m seriously so inspired right now. I need to add 2 tomatoes to recipe and it would be perfect. Thx for sharing!
So great to hear Bella! Thank you 🙂
Could I use rice noodles instead of basmati?
Yes, absolutely!
I have been looking for ways to use shrimp paste.Can it be used in this recipe and if so, how much would I use? Thanks.
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Whew!! I think too much ginger!!! So spicy hot! I used cauliflower rice as substitute for rice to cut carbs tremendously.i love spicy food but it’s a bit overwhelming…hoping I can eat it. I need to go blow my nose now….lol
We tried this last night and it was fantastic! Will be making again. I made a few short cuts- like sautéing the veggies first, adding liquids and adding the shrimp the last 3 minutes it was simmering. My kids and husband loved this too, and I’ve already shared the recipe. Thank you for a great site and great recipes.
How many cups does this recipe make?
About 4-5 cups.
I have been a fanfor such a long time and FINALLY made something, best shrimp soup EVA!!! thank you.
Made this for lunch today and I have lots left to bring to work. Great recipe. Just added extra tablespoon of curry paste. Thank you.
I’ve made this several times now and I absolutely love it. I add extra garlic, ginger, and curry paste. I also add carrots and zucchini and a couple drops of Sriracha to my bowl. Amazing! Such an easy recipe and so many ways to customize it
Made this tonight, yum!! I didn’t have the proper rice, but plain white rice tasted fabulous!! Thank you, for another great recipe!!
Honestly this is one of my favorite soups of all time since I discovered your recipe last year.. Currently I’m on a diet and a budget so last night when I made it I subbed chicken for shrimp and cauliflower rice for regular rice but dang the flavors in this soup are so good it’s still 100% addictive. Thank you for sharing!!
This is the best recipe. So easy and delicious! I used homemade fish stock (I work in a small seafood shop), lots of ginger, and added carrots and mushrooms. Soooo good on a chilly and windy day. Thank you for sharing!
I just made this, and I absolutely loved it!!! The only thing that I did differently was that I boiled the shells of the shrimp with the stock for about a minute. That way I could get the amazing flavor they have. Other than that, everything else was as the recipe called for. Will definitely be making this again!
May I substitute chicken broth for vegetable stock?
Yes. Taste may vary, but you can absolutely substitute it.
Made this tonight with some changes because I just can’t leave things alone. It was fantastic as I made it and I’m certain it would have been great as written as well.
In case anyone was interested I ended up adding a couple splashes of fish sauce (maybe 1 tbsp)
3 kaffir lime leaves
and 1 tbsp of palm sugar
Really tasty soup thanks for the recipe!
Making this lovely soup for dinner this week! Question… instead of serving egg rolls as the side, what would you suggest?? Is there a certain bread that would be good with it? Looking for ideas! TY!
Crusty bread or even dinner rolls would be great accompaniment!
I never leave a comment on a recipe but this soup warranted a rave review. I had everything to make the recipe but sadly, only to make half. HUGE MISTAKE! I should have gone to the store to enable me to make a full batch. It is unbelievably easy and has big flavor. I would encourage anyone looking for a simple and unique soup to give this one a try. It is absolutely delicious!
I added mushrooms, Thai basil, and lemongrass. I omitted cilantro (I like cilantro but I wanted to use Thai basil because I love it). I used brown basmati rice.
It was delicious! I think next time I’d add more Thai basil, more fresh ginger, more lemongrass, and more fresh lime juice. I really love a stronger flavor profile. I might use sea scallops instead of shrimp. Yummy!