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Thai

Tom yum goong

Non-vegetarian

ต้มยำกุ้ง · tom yam kung

A clear, sharply hot and sour Thai soup of prawns and mushrooms in a broth perfumed with lemongrass, galangal and makrut lime leaves, sharpened at the end with lime juice.

Tom yum goong is a Thai soup from Thailand, ready in about 30 minutes and made with lemongrass, prawns / shrimp and lime juice. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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Close-up of a traditional Thai Tom Yum Goong soup with shrimp, known for its spicy flavors.
Photo: @ Nine / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
202

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring the stock to the boil with the lemongrass (opens in a new tab), galangal (opens in a new tab) and lime leaves, then simmer to infuse.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chillies and mushrooms (opens in a new tab) and simmer for 2 minutes.

    • 2 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the prawns (opens in a new tab) and cook just until they curl and turn pink, then season with the fish sauce (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab).

    • 2 min
    • medium heat

    Food safety: Prawns are cooked when opaque all the way through.

  4. Step 4

    Take the pan off the heat before stirring in the lime juice (opens in a new tab) — boiling it turns the flavour bitter. Taste for a bold balance of sour, salty and hot, then serve with coriander.

    • 1 min
    A finished dish being plated
    How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Thailand · Well documentedAlso popular in Malaysia, SingaporeMore food from Thailand
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Simmered, Boiled
Taste
sour, spicy (chilli heat), aromatic / warmly spiced, citrusy
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein · Low-fat · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: PescatarianWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot
Cook more with
Lemongrass · Prawns / shrimp · Lime juice · Chicken stock · Galangal · Makrut lime leaves
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains: Fishfrom fish sauce
  • Contains: Crustaceansfrom prawns / shrimp, fish sauce
  • May contain: Celeryfrom chicken stock

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

202 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 437 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 56%
  • Carbohydrate 27%
  • Fat 16%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy202 kcal46 kcal
Protein28.8 g6.6 g
Carbohydrate13.9 g3.2 g
Net carbohydrate——
Sugars——
Added sugars1 g0.2 g
Fibre——
Fat3.7 g0.9 g
Saturated fat0.9 g0.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol169 mg39 mg
Sodium1525 mg349 mg
Salt equivalent3.8 g0.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
766 mg
Calcium
82 mg
Iron
1.5 mg
Magnesium
76 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
—
Vitamin C
—
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: coriander leaves.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): makrut lime leaves.
  • Galangal: Fresh ginger used as a stand-in: no galangal entry in FDC SR Legacy, and galangal is a closely related rhizome used in similar small amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Leave the aromatics in the bowl for show, but warn guests they are not for eating.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the prawns — they toughen within a minute or two of boiling.

Serve with

  • Serve with jasmine rice as part of a shared Thai meal.

Storage

  • Best fresh; the prawns toughen on reheating.

Variations

  • Tom yum nam khon: The creamy version: stir in a little evaporated milk or coconut milk and roasted chilli paste (nam prik pao) at the end.
  • Tom yum gai: Use sliced chicken thigh instead of prawns.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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