Skip to main content

Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup (Tom Yum Kung)

Tom Yum is made so many different ways that no two batches are really ever alike. Simultaneously spicy, tart, and sweet, this soup grows on you the more you eat it. Try it along with rice to cut some of the heat, or eat it throughout a meal for a welcome contrast.

Serving Tip

A common seasoning used in Thai cuisine, lemongrass is meant to add flavor. It shouldn't be eaten by itself. If you are having guests, be sure to inform them of this, as the pieces can be quite rough on the throat if swallowed.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    6 hours on low, 2 hours on high

  • Yield

    Serves 4–6

Ingredients

6 cups chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and cut into thin slices
Rind of 1 key lime
2 tablespoons store-bought Tom Yum paste (Thai chile-tamarind paste)
1 cup quartered button mushrooms
3 to 5 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
1 pound medium shrimp
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup palm sugar
Cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In the slow cooker, stir together the chicken stock, lemongrass, lime rind, Tom Yum paste, mushrooms, and Thai chiles.

    Step 2

    Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 2 hours.

    Step 3

    Adjust the heat to high, and add the shrimp, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar, and cook for 10 minutes more, or until the shrimp are uniformly pink.

    Step 4

    Ladle the soup into a tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Image may contain: Bowl, Food, Meal, Dish, Plant, Vegetable, and Soup Bowl
Read More
Made with tinned fish and topped with mango and avocado, these vibrant tostadas won't break the bank.
Sizzling shrimp fajitas at home—in one pan and under 30 minutes.
Creamy, bright, and wonderfully aromatic with ginger and garlic.
Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Low effort, big flavor, and ready in under an hour.
This grandma-inspired soup is equal parts cozy and bright.
Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.