Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

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.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Thai-Inspired

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 325kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

1 Large Pot
1 Medium Pot

Ingredients

6 ounces dried vermicelli noodles (I used A Taste of Thai)
2 tablespoons avocado oil or oil of choice
1 small red onion , thinly sliced into half moons (sub shallots or yellow onion)
1 small red bell pepper , thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic , minced
4 ounces shitake mushrooms , stems removed/discarded and slice tops
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (peeled first)
4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5 cups vegetable broth , low sodium
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce , sub low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
12 ounces silken tofu extra firm, cubed into ½-inch pieces
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ cup chopped cilantro + more for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cook noodles according to package instructions (usually 2-3 minutes if boiling). Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely cooled. Set aside (*note: some brands require soaking only)
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and pepper. Sauté until tender, about 4-6 minutes.
Now, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
Add a splash of oil then add curry paste and tomato paste. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until paste has slightly darkened
Stir in broth, coconut milk, vegan fish sauce, and sugar, scraping to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Raise heat to bring to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Stir in rice noodles and tofu and gently warm for 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add if needed.
Add noodles into each bowl using tongs and ladle the rest of the soup on top. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Vermicelli Noodles - I prefer the Taste of Thai brand but any brand of thin rice noodles will work.
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.
For a spicier soup, you can add 2-3 dried red chilies to the recipe. Just slice them lengthwise and deseed them first (leave some seeds for more heat) Sauté them along with the onions and cook them in the soup. You can also add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper during the garlic and ginger step.
If you feel the soup is too spicy, you can tone it down by adding more coconut milk. The fat content helps cut the heat. A dash more sugar and lime can help too.
For a creamier broth, feel free to add the remainder of the canned coconut milk.
For an extra pop of Thai-style flavor, I highly recommend adding a few fresh kaffir lime leaves to the simmering soup if you can find them. It adds a subtle spiced-citrus flavor that is just mouthwatering. Just tear them slightly before adding them to the soup. You can usually find them in Asian markets in the produce section.
Salt - I didn't use any added salt because the curry paste, vegan fish sauce, and broth had just the right amount. However, this could differ for you depending on the brands used and your personal taste so feel free to add some if needed.
The noodles don't technically have to go into the pot of broth and they can be added right to the soup bowls and the broth ladled on top. However, I found that this cooled down the soup a little bit. I prefer it piping hot so this may not be an issue for everyone.

Nutrition