This Thai shrimp noodle soup is a cozy, flavorful bowl packed with tender shrimp, noodles, mushrooms, red bell pepper, and plenty of Thai-inspired flavor. The noodles make this soup filling enough for a complete meal, while fresh basil, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime brighten everything up just before serving.
Just like my Thai hot and sour chicken soup, it is perfect to make and enjoy on a cold winter night.
I've recently been experimenting a lot with Thai food. I tried making Thai seasoning mix from scratch, and it turned out SO good, and my Thai fried egg salad was a hit too.
This time, I wanted to use up some rice noodles that I had and team them up with the hot, spicy and tangy Thai flavors, and a noodle soup seemed like a good idea.
Quick Look: Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup
- 🔪 Prep time: 15 minutes.
- 🍳 Cook time: 15 minutes.
- 🍽️ Servings: Depends on final yield.
- 🥣 Main ingredients: Shrimp, noodles, red curry paste, ginger, onion, mushrooms, red bell pepper, coconut milk, soy sauce, basil, cilantro, lime.
- ➡️ Method: Sauté onion and ginger → add curry paste and broth ingredients → cook shrimp and vegetables → add noodles and cornstarch slurry → thicken → add coconut milk → season → garnish.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🍜 Best served with: Lime wedges, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of homemade chili garlic oil if desired.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Shrimp cooks quickly, making the soup a quick and fast meal to put together.
- Like my cilantro chicken soup, it's great for the colder months of the year, when you want something filling and comforting.
- You can customize the soup to your preference too! Change up the protein and mix-ins while keeping the spicy, creamy base the same.
Recipe Ingredients
Shrimp: The main protein, adding a delicate sweetness and seafood flavor to the soup.
Noodles: Make the soup hearty and filling. I used rice noodles here.
Aromatics: Sliced onions and fresh ginger. I love adding extra ginger for that aroma and heat.
Red curry paste: Use your favorite curry paste as the base. I used red curry paste, but you can also try using green or yellow curry paste if that's what you have.
Soy sauce + vinegar: The classic duo that adds flavor to Asian cooking. Use hot pepper vinegar if you want an extra kick of heat.
Veggies: Sliced mushrooms and red bell pepper.
Coconut milk: Just a little, to balance the heat from the red curry paste.
Cornstarch: To thicken the soup.
Lime juice: Freshly squeezed, for the acidity.
Stock: Low sodium chicken stock. You can also use a veggie broth (try my low sodium vegetable broth) if you want to.
Seasonings: Salt and pepper, and some brown sugar.
Herbs: Fresh basil and cilantro.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use your favorite noodle variety depending on the texture you prefer. Udon noodles and egg noodles are great choices.
- Swap shrimp for chicken if you'd like to make a chicken noodle soup. I like adding my Air Fryer shredded chicken when I run out of shrimp.
- Add more veggies to bulk up the soup. Sliced green peppers, carrots, bok choy, broccoli and greens like kale or spinach are good additions to the soup.
How to Make Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup
Step 1: Heat some oil in a saucepan and sauté the sliced onion and minced ginger until softened. Meanwhile, in another pot, cook the noodles according to package instructions.
Step 2: Add red curry paste, brown sugar, stock, soy sauce, and vinegar to the saucepan. Add sliced mushrooms, shrimp, and red bell peppers. Cook for about 3 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare a slurry using cornstarch and water and slowly add it in, stirring continuously. Turn down the heat and cook on low until the soup thickens.
Step 4: Add the drained noodles and coconut milk and stir. Season, taste and adjust. Take it off heat and garnish with fresh herbs and lime juice.
💭Top Tip
Cook the noodles separately. Adding them directly to the soup can cause them to absorb too much of the broth and become overly soft. Cooking them separately gives you much more control over their texture.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Stir the red curry paste into the aromatics before adding the liquid to help release its flavor.
- Don't overcook the shrimp. They only need a few minutes to cook through.
- Mix the cornstarch and water thoroughly before adding the slurry to the soup. Stir continuously while adding the slurry so it thickens evenly without forming lumps. I always do this when I make garlic mushroom soup.
- Add the coconut milk after taking the soup off the heat for a smooth, creamy finish. You can also use coconut cream if you want a more rich, creamy taste.
- Taste the soup before serving and adjust the salt, acidity, sweetness, or spice to your liking.
- Add the lime juice just before serving for the freshest flavor.
How to Serve Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup
Serve this Thai shrimp noodle soup hot, with plenty of chopped basil and cilantro scattered over the top.
If you enjoy spicy food, you can also add fresh sliced chili or a drizzle of Prik nam Pla. Since the soup already contains shrimp, vegetables, and noodles, it works beautifully as a complete meal on its own, but if you really want to go the extra mile, pair it with a simple Thai crunchy cucumber salad.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Yes. Frozen shrimp can be used, but thaw them first and drain away excess water before adding them to the soup.
You can prepare the broth and vegetables ahead of time, but the noodles are best cooked separately and added when serving. This helps prevent them from absorbing too much liquid.
More Asian Mains
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Thai shrimp noodle soup or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw shrimp
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 3 cups stock
- 1 cup mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 100 g rice noodles uncooked
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon oil
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a saucepan and sauté the sliced onion and minced ginger until softened. Meanwhile, in another pot, cook the noodles according to package instructions.
- Add red curry paste, brown sugar, stock, soy sauce, and vinegar to the saucepan. Add sliced mushrooms, shrimp, and red bell peppers. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Prepare a slurry using cornstarch and water and slowly add it in, stirring continuously. Turn down the heat and cook on low until the soup thickens.
- Add the drained noodles and coconut milk and stir. Season, taste and adjust. Take it off heat and garnish with fresh herbs and lime juice.
Notes
- Cook the noodles separately to prevent them from becoming overly soft.
- Add the coconut milk after removing the soup from the heat.
- Adjust the red curry paste according to your preferred spice level.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving, as the saltiness of different stocks and soy sauces can vary.
- For the best texture, add noodles to individual bowls if you expect leftovers.
