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!
I am such a sucker for Thai take-out, particularly for red curry and coconut soup. But ordering take-out has been getting a bit costly so this homemade coconut curry soup comes in very handy, especially during the cold, winter months. And the leftovers taste a million times better too.
Best of all, it’s so easy to make and it doesn’t require ingredients that are hard to find. And if you’re not a fan of shrimp, you can easily swap that out for chicken, pork or even tofu for a vegetarian option.
Either way, you’ll be sure to skip your usual Thai take-out and indulge in this budget-friendly version instead.
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.
I personally love Mae Ploy (contains shrimp paste). Thai Kitchen is also great, and more readily available at most grocery stores.
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 (12-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
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.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
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!
This was great!!
I am making it again tonight, and I’m wondering, is it all right for it to sit for 2 hours? thanks, Marley:)
Yes.
DELICIOUS!! One question: Why do you recommend an Indian rice (basmati) instead of a Thai rice (jasmine)? Just curious as we always get jasmine when eating at a Thai restaurant and basmati when at an Indian restaurant….
You can use either/or!
Made this last night, was impressed with how quickly it came together! Added shredded carrots and green onions to the phase with the regular onion and bell pepper and it turned out fine.
I made this soup and it definitely was “damn delcious”… my fiance and kids (11 & 6) LOVED it! I did make a few additions based on our personal tastes, but this was sooooo good! Paired it with garlic naan bread my family literally couldn’t get enough. This will most likely become a staple in our household and for those who are inquiring on the spiciness of the dish… it is very mild… my 6 year old had no issues and he is usually the first one to complain about spice lol. Thank you so much for the recipe! 🙂
Can you use instant basmati rice instead?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
I used basmati rice and it cooked just fine with the way that the recipe is written.
I have Kikkoman Thai Red Curry Sauce, do you think that would work ok in place of curry paste?
The curry paste is far more concentrated than the red curry sauce so I do not think it’s an appropriate substitute. But as always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Can I substitute the coconut milk for regular milk?
Yes, but I find that the flavors really shine when coconut milk is used.
This is a sure hit for anything from dinner parties to a cozy night in. Very modifiable. I also roast the red peppers and add a touch of honey before serving. There is an amazing organic coconut cream paste I add too, because I don’t avoid coconut fat or avocado fat for anything. No one in my immediate family eats seafood, so I make this with chicken for the home crew, and shrimp for me and my guests. I also play with quantities quite a bit. I use more of pretty much everything except the broth for richness and thickness, making it more like a sauce than a soup. The base freezes well, too!