Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (2024)

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Thai coconut soup is one of my favorite soups to order out at Thai restaurants. Today I’m going to show you how to make it at home.

Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (1)

Birmingham folks: this recipe was inspired by (and tastes just like!) the coconut soup at Surin, a popular Thai food spot.

I chose tofu as my protein, because that is how I always order it at Surin. You can use this same soup base with a different protein, if you prefer.

If you want more recipes, check out my vegan soup recipes and all soup recipes.

Ingredients

For tastiest results, always use the best quality ingredients you have access to. To make this Thai coconut soup recipe you will need the following:

  • coconut oil
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • lemongrass (I used squeezable)
  • Thai red curry paste
  • vegetable stock
  • low sodium Tamari or soy sauce
  • maple syrup (or sweetener or choice)
  • unsweetened coconut milk
  • extra firm tofu
  • mushrooms
  • lime juice
  • cilantro
  • green onions

Ingredient notes

  • I love using the lemongrass in those squeezable tubes out of convenience. If you prefer fresh lemongrass, feel free to use that instead.
  • I did use fresh ginger and fresh garlic since I already had some on hand.
  • I keep Tamari in my house, but feel free to use soy sauce in its place.
  • You can use any type of mushrooms you prefer. I have made this with white, baby portabella and sh*take mushrooms, and all were good.

How to make Thai coconut soup

First, prepare the tofu.

Preparing the tofu – tips

I always recommend pressing your tofu first. I got this tofu press on Amazon, and it makes it super easy!

Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (2)

Alternatively, you can set the tofu on a plate with a clean kitchen towel underneath, and sit something heavy-ish on top, such as a cast iron skillet on top to press out the water.

You want to press it for at least 15 to 30 minutes.

You can dice your tofu in any shape you want. I prefer small, bite-sized cubes.

Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (3)

You can see more specific step-by-step instructions for how I dice my tofu in this post – air fryer tofu.

Tofu is already cooked, so when adding it to this Thai coconut soup, it only need to be added at the end – long enough to heat through.👌🏻

Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (4)

Cooking Thai coconut soup

Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the lemongrass, ginger, and garlic and cook about a minute, stirring constantly, being careful not to burn.

Add the curry paste and keep stirring for 30 seconds. Add the vegetable stock, Tamari/ soy sauce, and maple syrup and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk, tofu, and mushrooms. Bring back to a boil and cook 1 minute.

Turn off heat, stir in lime juice and taste for seasoning and add salt if desired. (Note: mine was plenty salty enough)

Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with cilantro and scallions.

Thai coconut soup batch size

This recipe makes eight large, or ten smaller servings.

Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (5)

If you are cooking for only one or two people, I recommend cutting the recipe in half. You can do this in the recipe card below, by using the slider to cut the servings to 5, instead of 10.

I like to have leftovers, and this Thai coconut soup does reheat well. Please note that the coconut milk will cause some separation when refrigerated. It will re combine once heated.👌🏻

Storage

Store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. This soup os great reheated, and I enjoy having leftovers reheated for lunch for days.

Please note that the coconut milk fat will separate out during refrigeration. It will rise to the top. No worries, this will re incorporate with heating and stirring.

Thai Coconut Soup Recipe

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Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (6)

5 from 4 votes

Print

Thai Coconut Soup (Vegan)

Thai coconut soup is one of my favorite soups to order out at Thai restaurants, and it happens to be vegan. With tofu + mushrooms

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Thai

Keyword coconut tofu soup, Thai coconut soup, vegan Thai coconut soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 240 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger grated
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons lemongrass (I used squeezable)
  • 2.5 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
  • 6 cups vegetable stock (omnivores feel free to sub chicken stock)
  • 3 tablespoons low sodium Tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon 100% maple syrup (or sweetener or choice)
  • 28 ounces unsweetened coconut milk (two 14-ounce cans)
  • 16 ounces extra firm tofu (1 block, pressed, drained and diced)
  • 8 ounces fresh mushrooms (sliced, I used white mushrooms)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped or torn
  • 2 green onions sliced thin

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

  2. Add the lemon grass, ginger, and garlic and cook about a minute, stirring constantly, being careful not to burn.

  3. Add the curry paste and keep stirring for 30 seconds.

  4. Add the vegetable stock, tamari/ soy sauce, and maple syrup and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

  5. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer to blend flavors, about 15 minutes.

  6. Stir in the coconut milk, tofu, and mushrooms. Bring back to a boil and cook 1 minute.

  7. Turn off heat, stir in lime juice and taste for seasoning and add salt if desired. (Note: mine was plenty salty enough)

  8. Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with cilantro and scallions.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Nutrition Facts

Thai Coconut Soup (Vegan)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 240 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 18g113%

Sodium 908mg39%

Potassium 397mg11%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 550IU11%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

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

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Related posts:

  1. Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
  2. Vegetable Barley Soup
  3. White Bean Soup (easy, vegan)
  4. Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Vegan Thai Coconut Soup Recipe - A Pinch of Healthy (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest Thai soup? ›

Best: Tom Yum Soup

It's a healthy pick. Tom yum has fewer than 100 calories per cup. It also has shrimp, veggies, and fragrant spices, such as lemongrass. Tom yum and other broth-based soups, like tofu-vegetable or wonton, are usually lower in fat and calories than soups made with coconut milk, such as tom kha.

Is Thai coconut soup good for you? ›

It's packed with healthy fats from coconut milk, protein from the chicken thighs, a punch of spicy flavor from red curry paste and some chili peppers, and the nutrition of numerous vegetables plus a lemongrass- and ginger-infused broth.

How many calories are in Thai coconut milk soup? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
223Calories
18gFat
12gCarbs
7gProtein

Can you use coconut cream instead of coconut milk in curry? ›

Coconut milk and cream are mostly interchangeable in recipes such as curries and soups. If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods.

Which soup is good to reduce belly fat? ›

5 Best Soups That Will Help To Burn Belly Fat
  • Vegetable soup. Lean protein from chicken combined with a variety of vegetables can make a satisfying and low-calorie soup that can help you feel full and satisfied.
  • Chicken and vegetable soup. ...
  • Black bean soup. ...
  • Lentil soup. ...
  • Tomato soup.
Nov 4, 2023

What is the healthiest Thai dish to eat? ›

Top 5 of the Healthiest Thai Food Orders
  • Som Tum. Papaya salad makes for a great appetizer to a heavier meal. ...
  • Tom Yum Soup. This delicious soup is a staple of Thai cuisine. ...
  • Green Curry. Now, Thai curry is made with a combination of coconut milk, spices, herbs, and fish sauce, which makes it pretty dense. ...
  • Phad Thai. ...
  • Satay.
Apr 27, 2020

Is Thai coconut high in sugar? ›

Besides being fabulous because it has low sugar, young Thai coconuts are fabulous for containing carbohydrates and calories and an instant reservoir for vitamins and minerals.

What are the benefits of coconut soup? ›

Packed with powerhouse superfoods, the ingredients in this soup are packed with many health benefits. Coconut Milk contains antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties, and is known to increase levels of HDL cholesterol in the body which protects the blood vessel lining.

Is Thai coconut milk healthy? ›

Like other coconut products, it may provide health benefits, although more research is necessary to confirm this. Consuming moderate amounts of coconut milk may help lower cholesterol and promote weight loss. The antioxidants it contains may also help protect the body from health issues.

What is the most popular Thai soup? ›

Tom Yum soup is the most popular Thai soup. In Thai, “tom” translates into “boiled” and “yum” refers to the traditional sour, salty and spicy flavor found in lots of Thai dishes.

Are Thai soups healthy? ›

Galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass are among the primary ingredients used in Thai soups. Simmering them in broth allows them to release their phytochemicals and nutrients. Their oils have not only a pleasant aroma and taste, but also harbor many health benefits to the digestive system.

What do you eat with Thai soup? ›

You can also spoon some of it over a bed of rice, allowing the broth to serve as a sauce for the rice to soak up. For richer, stew-like soups that are exclusively meant to be eaten with rice, such as moo palo, you spoon the soup over the rice on the plate to ensure there's rice with every bite.

What is a vegan substitute for coconut milk? ›

In recipes where the fat content doesn't compromise texture, you plant-based beverages, such as coconut milk beverage, almond, cashew, macadamia, oat, soy or hemp, to substitute for traditional coconut milk. These plant-based beverage options would be best for smoothies, coffees and specialty drinks.

What is healthier, coconut milk or heavy cream? ›

Heavy cream has signficantly more Vitamin D than coconut cream. Coconut cream is a great source of dietary fiber and iron, and it is an excellent source of potassium. Both coconut cream and heavy cream are high in calories and saturated fat. Coconut cream has signficantly less cholesterol than heavy cream.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of coconut milk? ›

Greek yogurt

To replace 1 cup (240 ml) of coconut milk, mix 1 cup (240 ml) of Greek yogurt with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. If you want it thinner, slowly add more water until you reach your desired consistency. You can also use coconut-flavored Greek yogurt.

What type of soup is the healthiest? ›

6 delicious and healthy soups
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 26, 2020

What is the best Thai soup? ›

Tom Yum soup is the most popular Thai soup. In Thai, “tom” translates into “boiled” and “yum” refers to the traditional sour, salty and spicy flavor found in lots of Thai dishes.

What is the lowest calorie Thai dish? ›

Thai Food Calories List
Healthiest Thai Food (calories)Approximate Calories per Serving
Tom Yum Soup70-90 calories
Som Tum (Green Papaya Salad)80-100 calories
Gai Pad Krapow (Basil Chicken)200-300 calories
Yum Woon Sen (Glass Noodle Salad)170-250 calories
16 more rows

Is Pho or Pad Thai healthier? ›

What's healthier - Pho or Pad Thai? In one serving of Pho, there are 450 calories. In one dish of Pad Thai, there are 1,131 calories. From a calorie perspective, Pho has the least amount of calories compared to Pad Thai.

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