quick

Quick Thai Tom Yum Seafood Soup

Name: Quick Thai Tom Yum Seafood Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 0.5 lb shrimp; 4 oz white fish fillet; 4 cup vegetable broth; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp lime juice; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 2 unit lemongrass stalk; 3 unit galangal_slices; 4 unit kaffir lime leaves; 2 unit Thai bird's eye chilies

Craving something spicy, sour, and comforting? This 20-minute soup hits all the marks.

Total: 20 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Serves: 2
Difficulty: easy
Calories: 295
Cost: $$$/serving

When you're exhausted but want a meal that feels like an actual escape, this is your go-to. It’s inspired by traditional Thai Tom Yum—a punchy, aromatic broth that wakes up your senses. We’ve streamlined the process so you can get that authentic spicy-sour kick without a mountain of prep work. It's light enough for a weeknight dinner but flavorful enough to feel like a treat. Just grab some frozen shrimp or white fish fillets, and you're in business. No heavy lifting, just pure flavor.

Ingredients

0.5 lb shrimp — peeled and deveined
4 oz white fish fillet — such as tilapia or cod
4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 unit lemongrass stalk — bruised/smashed
3 unit galangal_slices — or ginger slices as a substitute
4 unit kaffir lime leaves — roughly torn
2 unit Thai bird's eye chilies — sliced; omit for less heat

Method

1 In a medium pot, combine the vegetable broth, lemongrass, galangal, kaff_lime leaves, and sliced chilies. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2 Boil the mixture for 5 minutes to infuse the aromatics into the broth.
3 Add the shrimp and fish fillets. Reduce heat slightly and simmer until the seafood is opaque and cooked through (about 4-6 minutes).
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4 Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Taste and adjust—it should be a balance of salty, sour, and slightly sweet.
5 Ladle into bowls and serve immediately with a squeeze of extra lime if desired.

Variations

Vegetarian Swap — Replace fish sauce with soy sauce and use extra lime juice for acidity; swap seafood for cubed tofu or extra mushrooms.
Extra Spicy — Add a teaspoon of Thai chili flakes or sriracha at the end if you want an extra kick.