Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

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This Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup will have your taste buds dancing. The combination of umami-packed shiitake mushrooms, sautéed veggies, silken tofu, creamy coconut milk, and oodles of noodles will make you fall in love! Plus, it'll be on your table in just 35 minutes.

When you need a little extra comfort, this Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup is the recipe to make. It's hearty, mildly spiced, and filled with noodly goodness!

It's especially perfect when the cold weather hits because it'll warm you right through. Plus, it's easy to make and it's a great choice for weeknight meals.

This soup is also easy to customize, so feel free to make it your own by adding or omitting some ingredients or adjusting the spice level.

• Dried Vermicelli Noodles - I prefer the Taste of Thai brand but any brand of thin rice noodles will work. Pictured above is the Thai Kitchen brand. They cook well but are harder to portion out because it comes in a block.
• Red Onion - my next choice would be shallots and then yellow onion.
• Red Bell Pepper - a yellow or orange bell pepper would work well too or you can just omit the pepper altogether.
• Garlic - fresh is best here!
• Shitake Mushrooms - these add umami flavor and a wonderful chewy texture to your soup. If you can't find them, regular mushrooms will work, too.
• Ginger - fresh ginger adds such a wonderful pop of brightness to the soup so try not to skip this.
• Thai Red Curry Paste - I prefer Thai Kitchen because it has mild heat, and great flavor, and is readily available in most mainstream stores. Other brands of paste could be spicier, so you may need to reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons depending on your preference. Make sure to read the packaging because some brands aren't vegan-friendly and may contain shrimp paste.
• Tomato Paste - this adds more depth of flavor and deeper color to your soup, but it's optional, so feel free to omit it.
• Vegetable Broth - I used Better Than Bouillon's low-sodium vegetable base, but any vegetable broth will work.
• Coconut Milk - full-fat coconut milk will give this soup a subtle richness and creaminess.
• Vegan Fish Sauce - if you can't find it, you can use 1-2 tablespoons of low-sodium tamari or soy sauce.
• Light Brown Sugar - I like the slight caramel flavor and sweetness that it adds, but you can use any type of sweetener that you prefer. Palm sugar would be the best choice, but it's not easy to find in regular stores. You can usually find it in the Asian market or online. Here is an informative guide to palm sugar if you'd like to learn more.
• Silken Tofu - It's best to choose extra-firm silken tofu, otherwise it tends to break in the soup.
• Lime Juice - adds a touch of brightness to the finished soup. I highly recommend it.
• Cilantro -this adds a pop of freshness and brightness. You can also replace it with Thai basil, or holy basil (if you can find it).

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and pepper. Sauté until tender,
2. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add a splash of oil then add curry paste and tomato paste. Sauté for a few minutes until the paste has slightly darkened
4. Stir in broth, coconut milk, vegan fish sauce, and sugar, scraping to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Raise heat to bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
6. Stir in rice noodles and tofu and gently warm for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro.

More Thai-inspired meals to try

• Vegan Pad Thai
• Vegan Thai Green Curry
• Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice