This Vegan Thai Coconut Soup has the perfect blend of spicy chili flavor and a touch of lime. It’s full of flavor and completely vegan!
Table of contents
This vegan-style soup is known as tom kha gai, a spicy and sour hot soup. It’s made with a coconut milk and vegetable broth base and packed with spices. It makes for a great meal on a cold day.
To make this Thai coconut soup, just add all the ingredients to a large pot and simmer so that the flavors in the spices are released into the broth. For an even richer soup, just throw all the ingredients into a slow cooker.
This Thai coconut soup recipe is…
- vegan
- vegetarian
- plant-based
- gluten-free
- ready in 30 minutes
- an easy weeknight meal
If you love vegan cooking, make sure you grab a copy of my free vegan cheat sheet while you’re here. It’s packed with all my favorite plant-based substitutions to help you vegan-ize any recipe!
How to Make Thai Coconut Soup
- Put a large pot on the stove and add vegetable broth. Heat until the broth starts to boil.
- Add the coconut milk and stir into the vegetable broth.
- Prepare the spices. Slice the ginger, tear the kaffir lime leaves into small pieces, and lightly crush the lemongrass stalk and then chop it into big pieces.
- Add all these spices to the pot and let simmer.
- Add the chili peppers (sliced), tofu (drained and sliced), Oyster mushrooms, soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt to the pan.
- Let the soup simmer until the mushrooms are soft.
- Take the pot off the heat, and add the lime juice.
- Serve the soup topped with chopped scallions.
Scroll down for the full recipe with measurements and detailed instructions.
Tips & Tricks
Lime Juice
You can either use fresh squeezed lime or bottled lime juice. When you add it to the broth, add it in slowly and taste test it. This will give the soup its tart flavor.
Variations
Add Some Flavor
This Thai coconut soup recipe is already packed full of flavor, but you can definitely add more! I suggest adding minced garlic, turmeric powder, coriander seed powder, and fresh cilantro.
Noodle Soup
If you’re not a fan of tofu, you can switch the tofu out for rice noodles. Rice noodles are (of course) made of rice. They often have a slightly transparent, white color and are made with tapioca and corn starch to make them chewier.
Cook these noodles separate from your soup, and then add them to your hot soup.
Vegan Thai Coconut Soup FAQs
Is coconut soup good for you?
Coconut soup is low in carbs, which makes it great for low-carb diets and for people who have blood sugar regulation difficulties. This soup is super filling as well, and the tofu will add some protein to your diet.
Is coconut milk Keto?
Yes. Coconut milk can be used for a Keto diet. Coconut milk is just a creamy dairy substitute, so this Thai coconut soup is perfect for your Keto diet.
How long does soup with coconut milk last?
This Thai coconut soup will last for about 4 days in the fridge. However, just like other soups, you can also freeze it for later.
While you’re here, don’t forget to grab a free copy of my Top 15 Reader-Favorite Recipes! It’s loaded with delicious vegetarian-friendly recipes that are surefire crowd-pleasers.
Vegan Thai Coconut Soup
Ingredients
- 13 oz Coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups Vegetable broth
- 8 oz Tofu drained and sliced
- 1 cup Oyster mushrooms
- 1 stalk Lemongrass or 1 tsp lemongrass paste
- 10–12 Ginger, thinly sliced or 1 ½ tsp ginger paste
- 5 Kaffir lime leaves or zest of one lime
- 1 tsp Light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 2–3 tbsp Lime juice
- 2–3 Fresh red chili peppers sliced
- ½–1 tsp Salt depending on how salty the vegetable broth already is
- 2 Scallions
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the vegetable broth over medium-high heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low.
- Add the coconut milk, and stir.
- Slice the ginger. Tear the kaffir lime leaves into pieces. Lightly crush the lemongrass stalk and chop it into big pieces. Add all these to the pot.
- Simmer for about 7–8 minutes.
- Add in the chili peppers, sliced tofu, sliced mushrooms, soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt to the pan. Let it simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked.
- Now take the pot off heat and add in the lime juice 1 tbsp at a time, give it a taste and add more if desired.
- Serve the soup hot topped with chopped scallions.
What Do You Think?