Name: Tom Yum Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock; 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut; 4 kaffir lime leaves; 3 cm galangal or ginger, sliced; 200 g mushrooms, sliced; 200 g prawns, peeled; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1–2 tsp chilli paste; 1 tomato, cut into wedges; Fresh coriander, to serve

Tom Yum Soup sits in our soup collection for cool nights, sick days, and freezer stock-ups. We keep the voice practical — what to buy, what heat to use, and how to tell when it is done. Plan on 30 mins from starting prep to plating for 4. Prep is about 15 mins; the active cook or oven time is closer to 15 mins. Read the whole method once before you turn on the heat. Shop first for chicken or vegetable stock, stalks lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves; those ingredients do the heavy lifting for flavour and texture, while the rest of the list seasons, binds, or finishes the plate. Good for cool nights, sick days, and freezer stock-ups. Soups freeze well — cool fully before portioning into containers. Keep Australian cup measures (250 ml) so the ratios match what we tested on the page. Method opens with: “Simmer stock with lemongrass, lime leaves and galangal 5 minutes.”. Follow the order as written; jumping ahead is how pans crowd and sauces split.

Notes

Serving ideas without fluff: ladle into warm bowls with bread or toast soldiers. Keep accompaniments simple so the dish stays the hero — a green salad, steamed veg, rice, mash, or crusty bread depending on the style. Metric measures stay consistent across Scoops & Dishes, so once you trust the cups and scales here, the rest of the site cooks the same way.
From our tested tip, expanded: Taste and adjust lime and fish sauce — it should be hot, sour and salty. Treat that as the non-negotiable. If something still feels off — too wet, too pale, too tight — adjust one variable at a time (heat, liquid, or bake time) rather than changing three things at once.
Kitchen sense: wash hands and boards after handling raw meat or eggs. Do not leave cooked tom yum soup at room temperature for hours. Reheat leftovers until piping hot in the centre. These notes are general home-cooking guidance, not medical or food-safety certification advice.
Putting it together for Tom Yum Soup: work clean, taste as you go, and do not rush browning or reduction steps if they appear in the method. If you are cooking for mixed diets, plate sauces and toppings separately where practical. Keep this page bookmarked if it becomes a household regular — we update wording when cooks report a confusing step. Metric consistency across Scoops & Dishes means once you trust the cups and scales here, breakfast through dessert behaves the same way.