Thai Green Coconut Soup (Printable)

A fragrant Thai green coconut soup with creamy coconut milk and fresh seasonal vegetables, balanced with a spicy touch.

# What You Need:

→ Protein

01 - 14 oz firm tofu, cubed, or 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 small zucchini, sliced
04 - 3.5 oz baby corn, halved
05 - 3.5 oz snap peas, trimmed
06 - 3.5 oz mushrooms, sliced
07 - 1 small carrot, julienned
08 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced

→ Soup Base

09 - 2 tbsp green curry paste (store-bought or homemade)
10 - 13.5 fl oz coconut milk
11 - 17 fl oz vegetable or chicken broth
12 - 1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce for vegetarian
13 - 1 tsp sugar
14 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Garnishes

15 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Fresh Thai basil leaves
18 - Sliced red chili (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add green curry paste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic.
02 - Add thinly sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Incorporate chicken or tofu and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until chicken turns white but is not fully cooked.
04 - Pour in coconut milk and broth, bringing mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add bell pepper, zucchini, baby corn, snap peas, mushrooms, and carrot. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and protein is cooked through.
06 - Stir in fish sauce or soy sauce and sugar. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Remove from heat. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cilantro, Thai basil, lime wedges, and sliced chili if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means weeknight dinners that taste restaurant-quality without the overwhelm.
  • The flavors taste like they've been simmering for hours, even though you're doing the real work in maybe 20 minutes.
  • You can swap proteins and vegetables based on what's in your fridge, so it never gets boring.
02 -
  • Don't skip the blooming step with the curry paste—cooking it in oil first opens up its flavor in a way that adding it to cold liquid simply cannot.
  • The vegetables should finish cooking at roughly the same time as your protein, so cut them thoughtfully; thinner pieces for dense vegetables like carrots, thicker pieces for delicate ones like zucchini.
  • Coconut milk can split if the heat gets too aggressive, so keep your simmer gentle and your stirring occasional rather than constant.
03 -
  • If you can find fresh green chili peppers, add them alongside the curry paste; the fresh heat is sharper and more elegant than powdered spice alone.
  • Tofu will taste dramatically better if you press it gently for a few minutes first—it absorbs the broth more completely and develops a silkier texture.
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