Thai Noodle Soup Recipe

This Thai noodle soup recipe includes the best flavors one can find in a Thai staple.

The meat and vegetables aren’t just tender, they’re loaded with the aromas and flavors of the broth, which we make from staple Thai ingredients: lemongrass, galangal, and ginger, just to name a few. The broth is enriched with coconut milk and perfectly seasoned so that no flavor outshines one another creating an addictive broth to sip to the last drop.

However, there’s something that makes this dish quite different from the usual version that you’re likely to encounter.

What Makes Our Thai Noodle Soup Different

Unlike how Thai dishes are typically seasoned, ours uses a moderate amount of salt and fish sauce to keep the sodium content at a moderate level (below 600 mg per serving).

Some would argue that this change makes the dish less tasty, but we think it’s best to salt the broth just lightly so that the entire flavor complexion is fully appreciated from the first to the last spoonful.

Ingredients You Will Need

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• Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts also work pretty well, but they’re just not as tender and juicy as the thighs.
• Vegetables: carrots and onions. We keep our recipe simple, but if you want the full experience, add some crisp, fresh mung bean sprouts to the serving bowl.
• Aromatics: garlic, shallot, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, all finely chopped or processed. Dried aromatics include curry powder, curry paste, and cumin, not typically called for but we find they amplify the curry flavor.
• Seasonings: brown sugar, fish sauce, salt, pepper, lime juice, and jalapeños. Don’t skip either the fish sauce or salt — one is for savoriness and the other is for saltiness.
• Herbs: basil and cilantro. These should be served in abundance.
• Broth: chicken or vegetable broth.
• Coconut cream: the dish’s must-have, not substitutable with regular cream.
• Rice noodles: if you use the fresh variety, cover the noodles with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying. If you use dried, cook them using the package’s instructions, drain, and keep them as you would the fresh noodles.

Detailed prepping and cooking instructions are listed in our ‘Thai noodle soup recipe’ card at the bottom.

Storage and Reheating

Keep the noodles in an air-tight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. We don’t recommend freezing, as it strips away the noodles’ chewy, bouncy nature.

Keep the fresh herbs similarly.

Keep the soup either in the fridge for about 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use air-tight containers or sealable bags, depending on your preference.

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To reheat, simmer the soup in a pot over medium heat until bubbling. Place the cold noodles into a bowl, and ladle the soup over. The noodles needn’t be reheated.

How to Make Thai Noodle Soup

5 from 1 vote

This Thai noodle soup recipe isn't authentically salty, but the other flavors are on-point. It cooks in 27 minutes.

- by Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina, 2022-09-15

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• cook TIME 27 mins
• prep TIME 8 mins
• total TIME 35 mins

• COURSE Main Course
• CUISINE Thai
• SERVINGS
  4

  servings
• CALORIES 459 kcal

INGREDIENTS

1x2x3x

• 18 oz skinless boneless chicken thighs (cut into 3” chunks)
• 12 oz carrots (rolling cut)
• 2 oz onion (chopped)
• 1 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp shallots (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp lemongrass (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp galangal (finely chopped)
• 1/4 cup cilantro (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp Thai basil (thinly sliced)
• 14 oz cooked rice noodles (from about 12 oz dry)
• 0.5 oz red jalapeño (thinly sliced)
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp red curry paste
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 3 cup unsalted chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

Image instructions

Prep:

1

Cut 18 oz chicken into 3” chunks.

2

Roll-cut the carrots: Roll and cut the carrot: start from the bottom of a peeled carrot: make a diagonal cut through the end to have a 1/2" piece. Turn the carrot so the flat side faces up, and make the same cut to have a piece similar in size to the previous one. Keep rolling and cutting until you end up with even chunks. Measure out 12 oz.

3

Chop 2 oz onion.

4

Mince 1 tbsp garlic.

5

Mince 1 tbsp shallot.

6

Mince 1 tbsp lemongrass.

7

Mince 1 tsp ginger.

8

Chop 1/4 tsp galangal.

9

Chop 1/4 cup cilantro.

10

Thinly slice 2 tbsp Thai basil

11

Cook the rice noodles: boil about 12 oz dry rice noodles for about 5 minutes (depending on the package instructions). Drain, rinse, let cool, and measure out 14 oz.

12

Thinly slice 0.5 oz red jalapeños.

Cook:

1

Stir-fry the aromatics: Heat 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pot over medium heat for 1 minute. Sauté 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tbsp shallot, 1 tbsp lemongrass, 1/4 tsp galangal and 1 tsp ginger for 2 minutes.

2

Add onion and carrots: 2 oz onion and 12 oz carrots. Stir to cook for 2 minutes.

3

Add chicken and seasonings (except fish sauce and coconut milk): Add 18 oz chicken thighs along with 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp red curry paste, and 1/4 tsp cumin powder. Mix and leave to cook for 10 minutes.

4

Add chicken broth and simmer: Pour in 3 cups chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes.

5

Shred the chicken: Take the chicken out and shred into strips. We don't cut them into strips at first because they're juicier this way.

6

Stir in coconut milk and fish sauce: Add the chicken back to the pot along with 1/2 cup coconut milk and 1/2 tsp fish sauce. Stir and turn off the heat.

7

Garnish and serve: Garnish with 0.5 oz red jalapeño, chopped cilantro and sliced Thai basil. Divide 14 oz cooked rice noodles among 4 serving bowls, and ladle the soup on top.

NUTRITION

Nutrition Facts

How to Make Thai Noodle Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 459Calories from Fat 186

% Daily Value*

Fat 20.7g

32%

Saturated Fat 8.1g

51%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 119mg

40%

Sodium 596mg

26%

Potassium 778mg

22%

Carbohydrate 39g

13%

Fiber 4g

17%

Sugar 6g

7%

Protein 29g

58%

Vitamin A 14378IU

288%

Vitamin C 13mg

16%

Calcium 70mg

7%

Iron 2mg

11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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