Thai Curry Coconut Soup – or Tom Kha – is a classic southeast Asian soup traditionally made with chicken. Here I’ve use leftover Thanksgiving turkey and homemade turkey stock, coconut milk, bell peppers and onions. This is quick and easy to prepare.
The gluten free rice noodles are perfect for swirling and slurping when there is a chill in the air -- and the aromatic red curry will dance with your sinuses in the very best of ways.
Tom Kha is one of my favorite soups to order at my local Thai restaurant. I never realized how easy it was to make at home -- and quick as can be to prepare! There are lots of variations on this with whatever you have available in the fridge. I'm looking forward to making this using chicken or shrimp -- and will post when I do!
Ingredients
- coconut oil (substitute canola oil or extra virgin olive oil)
- yellow onion
- red bell pepper
- orange bell pepper
- Thai red curry paste
- garlic
- light brown sugar
- Asian fish sauce
- lime
- turkey broth (substitute chicken broth)
- diced cooked turkey (substitute cooked chicken)
- rice noodles
- full-fat coconut milk
- fresh basil
- fresh cilantro
- scallions
- fresh hot red chili pepper, such as a serrano
- salt
- pepper
- lime wedges
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
- Prep vegetables and mince garlic.
2. Add oil to a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and peppers for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the brown sugar, fish sauce and lime juice stirring to combine.
5. Stir in the turkey broth, turkey and rice noodles. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the coconut milk, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes until rice noodles are tender yet chewy.
7. Combine the basil, cilantro, scallions and chili pepper in a small bowl.
8. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a generous tablespoon of the basil/cilantro mixture. Serve with lime wedges.
Substitutions
Rice Noodles: I used the thicker rice noodles, but the thin work equally as well; once cooked they end up being similar to angel hair pasta. Or substitute rice.
Vegetables: Consider substituting mushrooms or water chestnuts -- even those little ears of corn.
Thai Red Curry Paste: Red curry paste is made with red chilies and is spicier than green and yellow curry paste. Substitute green curry paste if you want less heat, while remaining fragrant. Or, substitute yellow curry paste if you want mild curry with a touch of sweet.
Variations
- Spicy: Want more spice? Add sriracha sauce or Asian chili sauce. I topped mine with my favorite addictive chili crisp that is making its way out of Asian restaurants and showing up in mainstream grocery. I'm a big fan of Momofuku's Chili Crisp. And Trader Joe's has a similar product -- Chili Onion Crunch -- that I like.
- Chicken or Shrimp: I had leftover turkey that needed a purpose. This is a great use for it, but substitute other proteins, such as shredded cooked chicken, or substitute shelled and cleaned shrimp three minutes before you take the soup off the stove.
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Make this vegetarian or vegan by substituting your favorite meat alternative or tofu. Or simply add two more cups of vegetables, such as mushrooms, to Step 2 in the instructions.
Equipment
- soup pot or large Dutch oven
Storage
Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or freeze up to two months. Reheat over low heat to avoid overcooking the rice noodles. (They will fall apart if overcooked.)
🍽️ Recipe
Tom Kha | Thai Red Curry Turkey Soup
Equipment
- 8 quart soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil (substitute canola oil)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup Thai red curry paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1-½ tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 6 cups turkey broth (substitute chicken broth)
- 3 cups diced cooked turkey (substitute cooked chicken)
- 7 ounces rice noodles see notes
- 1 13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped scallions
- ½ small hot red chili pepper, seeds removed and minced
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Add oil to a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and peppers for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the brown sugar, fish sauce and lime juice stirring to combine.
- Stir in the turkey broth, turkey and rice noodles. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the coconut milk, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes until rice noodles are tender yet chewy.
- Combine the basil, cilantro, scallions and chili pepper in a small bowl.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a generous tablespoon of the basil/cilantro mixture. Serve with lime wedges.
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