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Authentic Shrimp Tom Yum Goong: The Ultimate Hot and Sour Thai Soup

Close-up of a white bowl filled with bright orange Tom Yum soup, featuring large shrimp and halved cherry tomatoes.
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Make the best homemade Tom Yum Soup—Tom Yum Goong—in under 30 minutes. This authentic Thai recipe delivers the signature, vibrant hit of spicy, sour, and aromatic flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and bruised
  • 4 slices galangal (about 1 inch thick)
  • 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn slightly
  • 2 tablespoons Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 cup straw mushrooms or button mushrooms, halved
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2–4 Thai bird’s eye chilies, crushed (adjust to your spice preference)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Pour the broth into a medium pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the bruised lemongrass, galangal slices, and torn kaffir lime leaves to the broth. Let this simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the liquid with the aromatics.
  3. Stir in the Thai chili paste, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix well until the paste dissolves.
  4. Add the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until the mushrooms soften slightly.
  5. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook the shrimp.
  6. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice and the crushed Thai chilies. Taste the broth; adjust sourness (more lime) or saltiness (more fish sauce) as needed.
  7. Discard the lemongrass stalks, galangal slices, and kaffir lime leaves before serving, or leave them in for presentation if you warn guests not to eat them.
  8. Ladle the hot and sour soup into bowls and garnish generously with fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, you can use shrimp shells to make a quick stock base before starting the recipe.
  • If you cannot find galangal, use fresh ginger as a substitute, though the flavor profile will change slightly.
  • For a creamy version (Tom Yum Nam Khon), stir in 1/4 cup of evaporated milk or coconut milk at the very end, before adding the lime juice.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delicerecipe.com/tom-yum-soup-authentic-shrimp-recipe/