Bring the heart-warming taste of Thai cuisine straight into your kitchen with this tom kha soup recipe. Made with creamy coconut milk, fragrant lemongrass, and spicy chilies, this soup has a unique blend of flavors that tantalize your taste buds with each spoonful. Give it a try to fill your dinner nights with a whole lot of comfort and flavors.
The Difference Between Tom Kha and Tom Yum
Tom Kha and Tom Yum are two of the most popular Thai soups. They have many similarities but also some distinct differences. While both soups are made with a spicy, fragrant broth, they differ in their ingredients and flavors. Tom Kha is made with coconut milk and galangal as the base, while Tom Yum is made with lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Additionally, Tom Kha has a milder and creamier flavor than its spicier counterpart Tom Yum.
Is Tom Kha Soup Healthy?
You may be wondering if this recipe is healthy, the answer is yes.
Even though this soup has a cream base, we made sure to keep the dairy ingredients within acceptable limits—just enough to create that delectable thickness while still sticking to our nutrition guidelines. With only half a cup of coconut milk and two tablespoons of heavy cream, this soup’s calories are kept at 477 per serving, and saturated fat is limited to only 8 g.
Additionally, we made sure this soup has a balanced nutrition profile by adding meat and veggies. The chicken offers a decent amount of proteins—around 26.5 g. Meanwhile, lemongrass, tomatoes, and mushrooms provide vitamins and minerals that may have anti-inflammatory effects, promote lower cholesterol, and help combat various chronic diseases.
So, yes, our tom kha soup recipe is healthy.
Main Ingredients
Here's what we use for our tom kha soup recipe:
- Chicken: The main source of protein for today’s recipe is boneless, skinless chicken breast. It’s always our go-to choice because it’s super lean and low in fat.
- Vegetables: We add some fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions to the soup for extra textures and flavors.
- Chicken broth: This soup base gives it that hearty, warming touch that’s just enough to highlight the remaining ingredients’ flavors without overwhelming them.
- Dairy products: As mentioned above, we use heavy cream and coconut milk to give the soup that classic milky, creamy base.
- Aromatics: We use garlic, shallot, lemongrass, and galangal, which are often used in a lot of Thai dishes to achieve that irresistible and signature aromatic undertone.
- Seasonings: Thai food is known to be spicy and intense, so in addition to salt and black pepper, we add a pinch of chili powder to amp the flavors up a bit.
- Fish sauce: Don’t let the horrid smell put you off. Once added to the broth, this ingredient brings a savory and umami flavor that will deepen the broth and make the soup a lot more irresistible.
- Cooked rice: Staying true to the spirit of Asian comfort food, our rich and flavorful soup will be served with a steaming side of white rice.
Can I Make This Soup in the Instant Pot
Yes, you can. Any soup that you make on the stovetop can be made in the Instant Pot.
Substitutions
What if you don't have all the ingredients or just want to switch things up a bit? No worries! There are plenty of substitutions you can make to create a delicious Tom Kha soup without missing any key flavors. Here are a few substitutions to make:
- Proteins
Although the main source of protein for this tom kha soup recipe is chicken, you can use shrimp and other seafood if you prefer. In fact, you can even boil and then simmer the shrimp heads in water to make a flavorful broth for this soup. If you want to forego meat altogether, tofu is an excellent choice.
- Vegetables
There are so many vegetables you can chuck into this soup to enrich its taste and texture. We recommend sturdy ones like bell peppers, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, etc. that won’t go completely mushy when simmered.
- Aromatic ingredients
If you can’t find lemongrass and galangal, you can replace them with lemongrass paste and galangal paste. They have similar flavor notes with subtle differences that won’t heavily affect the dish’s overall taste.
Ginger is a frequent alternative for galangal in many recipes, however, using it for this soup might alter the dish’s key flavors so we don’t really recommend it.
- Side serves
Rice is our go-to for Asian dishes, but feel free to use rice vermicelli, egg noodles, ramen noodles, rice noodles, or glass noodles. Each variety comes with a distinct taste and texture that you’ll have some fun trying out.
Storing and Reheating
Storing
If you have leftover tom kha soup, allow it to cool for about 30 minutes then transfer it to airtight containers, seal the lids tightly, and put the soup in the fridge. Once refrigerated, it should last for up to five days.
Another preservation method we like to use is freezing. You can transfer it to Ziploc bags or airtight containers, and store everything in the freezer. Your frozen soup should last up to 3 months.
Reheating
- Heat it up in the microwave: Transfer the soup to a microwave-safe container and microwave it for 2 to 5 minutes until thoroughly heated.
- Simmer the soup on the stovetop: Simmer your soup in a pot for about 5 minutes over medium heat while gently stirring until its texture is as desired.
If you have frozen soup, allow it to cool in the refrigerator overnight or defrost it in the microwave before reheating.
What to Serve with Tom Kha Soup
A typical Southeast Asian dinner often includes a main dish served with rice and a vegetable side dish. For a full Thai meal experience, we recommend serving this tom kha soup with our Thai mango salad.
Once you’ve finished with the main course, have a glass of lime water to freshen up your palate and round up today’s wholesome meal.
And if the Thai food craving still persists, don’t hesitate to try a few of our other favorite Thai dishes, such as Thai Basil Chicken, Thai Beef Salad, and Thai Chicken Curry (which you can make with an Instant Pot).
How to make Tom Kha Soup
Want to try new soups with unique, exquisite flavors that are still easy to make? Look no further than this tom kha soup recipe that comes together with ease and promises a whole lot of wonder for all your weeknight dinners.
- cook TIME 25 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Main dish
- CUISINE Thai
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 477 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz skinless boneless chicken breast
- 8 oz brown button mushrooms (sliced)
- 4 oz tomato (sliced into wedges)
- 2 oz onion (sliced)
- 2 tbsp garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tbsp shallot (coarsely diced)
- 1 oz lemongrass (sliced)
- 0.5 oz galangal (sliced, peeled)
- 2 lime leaves
- 0.5 oz red jalapeño (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (roughly chopped)
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 3 cups cooked medium-grain rice (from 1/2 cups uncooked)
INSTRUCTIONS
Sauté the aromatics: Add 2 tbsp canola oil to a medium pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp diced shallot, 1 oz sliced lemongrass, and 0.5 oz sliced galangal. Stir quickly for 2 minutes.
Sauté the mushrooms: Add 8 oz brown button mushrooms to the pot. Cook and stir for 3 minutes until golden brown.
Add the chicken: Add 12 oz chicken breast to the pot and stir briefly to break up the pieces.
Continue to add 1 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth, 1/2 cup coconut milk, and 2 tbsp heavy cream. Gently stir to combine.
Add the seasonings: Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tbsp lime juice, 2 lime leaves, 1/4 tsp chili powder, and 1 tsp brown sugar. Stir well to combine. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Shred the chicken: Use a pair of tongs and carefully remove the chicken breasts from the pot. Put it in a dish and shred it into bite-sized pieces using 2 forks. Put the shredded chicken back into the pot.
Add 4 oz tomatoes, 2 oz onion, and 1/2 tbsp fish sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes before turning the heat off.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 0.5 oz red jalapeño on top of the soup. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately with 3 cups cooked medium-grain rice.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author