Tom Yum Soup

A hot-and-sour Thai soup with tofu, vegetables, and rice vermicelli.

At a Glance

  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Cuisine: Thai
  • Serves: 2
  • Flavor: Tangy • Spicy • Aromatic
  • Shop: Asian grocery Store

Ingredients

Pantry Basics

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 serving thin rice noodles or glass noodles

Grocery Run

  • 3 tbsp vegetarian Tom Yum paste
  • ½ medium onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2-inch piece ginger
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1–2 celery stalks, optional
  • ⅓ block firm tofu, optional
  • Small handful Thai basil, optional

Choose any 3 Vegetables

  • Baby corn, ½ small can
  • Bok choy, 1 large or 2 baby
  • Bell pepper, ½ medium
  • Snow peas, about 10, use whole pod
  • Broccoli, 1 cup

Directions

  • Prepare — Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, thinly slice the ginger and celery, halve the tomatoes, and cube the tofu if using. Chop your chosen vegetables. If using bok choy, separate the stems from the leaves.
  • Sauté the Aromatics — Heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, ginger, and celery for 2–3 minutes until softened.
  • Build the Broth — Add 1 cup vegetable broth and 2 cups water. Stir in the Tom Yum paste until dissolved and bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Cook the Fillings — Add tomatoes, tofu, and firmer vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes. Add quick-cooking vegetables and bok choy leaves and cook another 3–5 minutes, until tender.
  • Serve — Divide the rice vermicelli between two bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles and garnish with Thai basil, if using.

Kitchen Tip

Alternatively, ladle the soup over jasmine rice for a comforting bowl, or enjoy it with warm parotta. Frozen parotta is available at most Asian grocery stores.