15 Minute- Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup from Northern Thailand called Khao Soi! This FAST, FLAVORFUL & EASY soup has rich fragrant broth and can be made with w/ either shrimp, crispy tofu or chicken! Vegan adaptable!
No Matter how hard the past, you can always begin again. ~Buddha
This 15 Minute Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup is called Khao Soi, and hails from the Northern part of Thailand where the weather stays a bit cooler. It’s a godsend when time is short, or you are feeling a bit lazy, yet you crave something warm and spicy.
The coconut broth is fragrant and rich, coating the noodles well. And once the flavorful base is made, what you put in the soup is very adaptable. Today I’ve added prawns – but it’s delicious with tofu or chicken too, or even just veggies.
How to Make Khao Soi! | a 30-second video
Spring showers have been here, making everything exceptionally bright and green and lush. On rainy spring days like we’ve had these past few weeks, all I want to do is wrap myself up in a cozy blanket, curl up with a good book and slurp soup. Preferably with a little heat and some kind of noodle.
THAI COCONUT CURRY NOODLE SOUP (Khao Soi)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 3-4
- Category: Main, soup, seafood
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Northern Thailand
Description
A flavorful and very addicting Northern Style Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup, called Khao Soi. Easy and fast, and so yummy.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon coconut, peanut or olive oil
- 1 large shallot finely diced ( or sub half an onion)
- 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass
- 2 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 2 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (store-bought, I like this brand), more for more spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric – optional
- pinch cardamom– optional
- 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 1 cup chicken broth (or use water and one chicken bouillon cube)
- 4–6 kefir lime leaves (optional, but delicious!)
- 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper (optional- sub other veggies)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce– or vegan fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce ( perhaps reduce if using vegan fish sauce, or use to taste)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, palm sugar or alternative substitute
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (Sambal Olek)
- 8–12 ounces raw, peeled and deveined prawns (or crispy tofu, or raw chicken- or leftover baked chicken or rotisserie chicken)
- 1 lime
- Garnish with fresh basil (Thai basil is best!), Pickled Mustard Greens ( tradional), cilantro, bean sprouts, lime wedge, or scallions.
Instructions
- Place noodles in a shallow baking dish and boil enough water to just cover them. While water is boiling, prep the shallot, garlic, lemongrass, red bell pepper, then get all other ingredients ready by the stove.
- In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallot and lemongrass. Saute until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1-2 mintues. Add red curry paste. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the coconut milk , chicken broth and kefir lime leaves and bring to a simmer, stirring. Once gently simmering add the bell pepper, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce.
- Add the prawns ( or chicken or tofu) and gently simmer until cooked. Give a generous squeeze of lime. Taste, adding more lime/salt/ red curry paste if necessary.
- Drain the noodles. If serving the soup immediately, toss the noodles right into the pot and then serve.
- Alternatively, divide noodles into the bowls and ladel the flavorful soup over top.
- Garnish with fresh basil, bean sprouts, thinly sliced red onion and chopped scallions.
Notes
To bump up the flavorful coconut broth even more, add few slices of galangal!
Feel free to make the soup broth the day before and keep in the fridge, keeping the noodles separate ( they will swell in the soup) and simply reheat.
To bump up the heat, add more red chili paste or chili sauce, or a few thinly sliced fresh chilies ( as a garnish)
Keywords: curry noodles, thai noodle soup, thai curry noodles, THAI COCONUT CURRY NOODLE SOUP, Khao Soi, thai curry noodles
I never usually follow recipes because usually the food in my opinion comes out bland. This is one of the first recipes that I didn’t have to add or alter in anyway. I did add an extra tablespoon of the chili garlic sauce because I like extra heat, but this was a delicious recipe. Definitely will make again and definitely will be looking at more recipes on your website.
★★★★★
My goodness, this soup is so amazingly delicious! I’ve made it three times using vegetables I have on hand and without the lemongrass because it’s impossible to find here in Geneva, Switzerland and sometimes without lime. Yet, even without some ingredients, it comes out so smooth and tastey. Thank you so much for a great recipe!
★★★★★
This recipe is amazing and has become one of the staples in our house because it’s so good! We add bok choy to include some green in the soup. I’m wondering if it’s possible to make this in the instant pot with the noodles. Any thoughts on this?
★★★★★
I bet you could, but not sure of the timing with the noodles- I will give it a try!
the recipe was delicious but…… The noodles were not soft enough, I think not soaked long enough nor cooked through enough I think. And there were several ingredients that were not part of the directions – cardamon and turmeric. I will definitely make this again
★★★★★
Spot on delicious.
★★★★★
Fantastic recipe! This was so simple but the most flavorful thing i’ve had in a long time.
★★★★★
This is some of the greatest Thai Food I’ve ever had – and I made it! This is my boyfriend and I’s favorite recipe. We both agreed that when we’re craving curry now, we don’t need to worry about ordering out. We served it over brown jasmine rice the second time we made it and I think it worked beautifully. I really can’t say just how much we love this meal!
Great to hear!
dear Sylvia, i love the recipe but i dont get one thing (sorry for stupid question) but while i cook the lemon grass and shallots in a pot with oil, i am boiling the noodles in a different one? and than add water of nuddles to my pot with other ingredients?
thanks hope my question was clear .
Yes, you cook the noodles separately. Just pour hot water over them and set them aside, drain them later. In a separate pot, make the soup.
thank you so much, so the soup main liquid is coconut milk right? no water added
Yes, not water, just coconut milk and the cup of broth. 🙂
Hi! I’m going to make this tomorrow. Could I use egg noodles?
You can….. but not traditional? It would still work though.
Holy Moly! You ever cook something and you cant beleive YOU made it becuase its just that good?? That’s how I felt about this recipe! SO good… made it along with the crispy tofu 🙂 so glad I found your blog, I cant wait to try more of the recipes! Making the Pad-Thai for dinner tonight!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Kayla! Glad you liked this!
I have made several of your recipes and the whole family has LOVED every one of them! I am wondering if I can can use this recipe as a “regular” curry dish where I can pour it over rice? I am so excited to try this! (you are the only website I have been willing to give my email to as I love love love your wide range of recipes that are so well thought out) p.s. could I omit or lessen the amount of fish sauce?
Yes, you could try! It is more of a soup, so would be a little “thinner”, maybe decrease the broth to thicken. The fish sauce adds depth. You could add to taste, and use less. Or try it without first. It does enhance this though!
We used to live in SE Asia, and Thai cuisine is our favorite. Eating this felt like traveling back to Thailand. I really can’t say enough about how much my husband and I loved it. The broth will now be the base for many recipes! Thank you so much!
Jennifer and Jason
★★★★★
thanks so much!
I have just made this curry noodle soup for Hubby and I on a Friday night in Auckland NZ and in the middle of lockdown! And its super delicious, easy recipe to follow and what I really loved the most was that it was authentic. Thank you Sylvia, outstanding!!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, happy you enjoyed it!
This is 5 stars the best khao soi we’ve had outside of N. Thailand. Thank you! This will be included in our monthly rotation of recipes. I’m so excited to have found your blog. This week alone we made 4 recipes: portabello tacos, pad thai, spring rolls and khao soi. All have been restaurant quality delicious and not overly complicated. We can’t wait to try more!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Lindsay- really appreciate this!
This is fantastic. My husband and I loved it. I didn’t change a thing. I added ginger. It was perfect. It tasted better than a restaurant!!
Thank you.
★★★★★
What type of chicken should you use? Does chicken breast cut up into smaller pieces work?
You can use breasts or thighs. I would pan-sear or cook it first, or if cut very thin, I guess you can drop into the broth.
So delicious!! I am just experimenting with Thai cooking, don’t’ have much experience with lemongrass. I don’t think I minced it enough, but that is my fault! Otherwise, so, so good!! I’m wondering if it would give the same flavor if you put in larger pieces of lemongrass while cooking, then remove it? Either that, or I really need to get my knives sharpened! #covidissues
★★★★★
You could try that, smash them really good and maybe add a few extra!
This looks great! What vegetable would you recommend substituting for the red bell pepper?
★★★★★
You really could sub any quick-cooking veggie or more of the others. 🙂
This transported me back to Thailand in an instant, my belly was very happy! Making it again this week with the intention of making enough for leftovers.
Do you think it will last for 2 days in the fridge once made and cooked (without noodles in)?
★★★★★
Yes, totally! I’d say it would last 3-4 days in the fridge. Great call to leave the noodles out.
Wow — just… wow! We spent quite a bit of time in northern Thailand, and one of our favorite things to eat there was the khao soi from a tiny little shop on an out-of-the-way street. Since returning to the US, we’ve tried to find kaho soi at Thai restaurants here but very few serve it, and the ones we’ve tried were terrible! Your recipe was spot-on like the one we used to love in Thailand. This is going to be our new treat when we’re needing comfort food!
★★★★★
OMG, this recipe is fantastic and very very authentic! My fave soup that transfers me to Thailand in a few minutes it takes to make it. Highly recommended, thanks again Sylvia for another brilliant recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks Alex!
I made Khao Soi today. My husband and son really enjoyed it. It took me over an hour to prepare it and boy were they hungry! But worth the wait… yummy!
★★★★★