Coconut curry soup is a Thai-inspired recipe made with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and chickpeas simmering in a creamy curry and coconut milk broth. It’s creamy and savory with a hint of spice!
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Best Thai Curry Soup
Thai soup is a cozy, comforting soup that I promise will become one of your favorites if you haven’t had anything like it before. It has a wonderful blend of spices with the most incredible flavor. When mixed with creamy coconut milk, it’s even better!
There are different types of curry, depending on where you are. There’s Indian curry, Asian curry, and West Indian (Caribbean) curry, and each blend has something different to offer. It’s a good thing I adore all kinds of curry, which has inspired me to create recipes like Instant Pot chicken curry, curry chicken salad, and easy curry chicken and chickpeas.
This easy soup comes together in just 30 minutes and it’s all done in one pot, which means minimal cleanup!
Coconut Curry Soup Ingredients Notes
The complete list of ingredients with amounts are listed in the full recipe card below.
- Olive oil: Needed to sauté veggies, and spices. You can use any neutral cooking oil you prefer. Canola oil, sunflower oil, or grapeseed oil, even coconut oil are all good choices.
- Diced veggies and aromatics: I always say freshly minced garlic is best, but jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch. 2 teaspoons of garlic powder works in its place. Ginger paste from a tube is my go-to when I don’t have fresh ginger on hand. It’s found in the produce department at most stores.
- Spices: Yellow curry powder, red pepper flakes, ground turmeric, ground coriander, salt, pepper, and ground cumin. For a milder soup, leave out the red pepper flakes. Add more to make it spicier. Cayenne pepper works too if you don’t have any flakes.
- Diced tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes is a quick and easy way to add yours. If you have fresh tomatoes you want to dice yourself, you can do that too.
- Chickpeas: Drained and rinsed. These are a great way to add protein to this vegetarian soup. You can also use a different bean like northern white beans
- Vegetable broth: Store-bought or homemade. You can use chicken broth as well.
- Coconut milk: Use a can of full fat coconut milk. You want the cream that comes with it to give the broth its rich and creamy consistency. You can use light coconut milk if you prefer; just remember your broth will be lighter too.
Variations
1. Serve it with rice noodles, rice or even lo-mein noodles. I would cook them separate and add them after you make the soup.
2. A squeeze of lemon juice or fresh lime juice at the end is a great way to brighten up the soup.
3. Although is version is vegan as is. Add extra protein if you’d like. Chicken, shrimp, firm tofu, etc.
4. Try different veggies! Bell peppers, diced sweet potato or butternut squash, cauliflower florets, green onions, green beans, bean sprouts, or shiitake mushrooms can be added.
5. Add a tablespoon of fish sauce or oyster sauce.
What should I serve with this Thai soup?
This is one of my favorite soups that has tons of fresh veggies and the best flavor, so I never feel like I need much to go with it. Some bread to soak up the broth is all I’d recommend. Or, you could add a Thai-inspired side salad. Something like a Thai mango salad or Thai salad with peanut dressing.
How to Make Coconut Curry Soup
This recipe will come together in just a few steps, your house will smell amazing, and it will be ready to eat in 30 minutes. Let me show you how it’s done!
Step 1: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven and drizzle in some olive oil over medium heat for a minute before adding the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté the veggies in the hot oil for 4-5 minutes until the veggies are tender and the onions are translucent.
Step 2: Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, turmeric, coriander, salt, pepper, and cumin. Continue stirring to coat the veggies.
Step 3: Pour in the tomatoes and chickpeas. Use the liquid from the tomatoes to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Use a wooden spoon to stir and scrape up the browned bits.
Step 4: Add in the vegetable broth and coconut milk and stir to combine. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Ladle out the soup into serving bowls, garnish with lime wedges, and enjoy!
Tips
- I use yellow curry powder because it’s lighter and milder in flavor than red curry powder. However, either red or green curry works great in this recipe too.
- If you prefer a stronger curry flavor, go with red or even red curry paste!
- If added shrimp or chicken, use leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, and peeled and deveined shrimp and toss them in towards the end.
- Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. Fresh cilantro or, if you can find it, Thai basil.
- The richness of the coconut milk is what makes it a creamy coconut curry soup. However, if you prefer it lighter, try to avoid the carton of coconut milk and stick to canned milk. Thai Kitchen has a great light canned coconut milk that doesn’t contain any fillers that carton coconut milk tends to have.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Once completely cooled, cover the soup in an airtight container and keep it refrigerated for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: It also freezes beautifully for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to have it again, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first.
- Reheat: Heat it in a pot on the stove, or heat a single bowl in the microwave. A bowl of hot soup is the perfect easy meal on cold days!
FAQ’s
It is slightly spicy! However, you have the flexibility to make it mild or even spicier.
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Easy Coconut Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- ½ cup carrot diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced, 2 teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
- 16 ounces chickpeas 1 can drained and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 14 ounces coconut milk 1 can full fat
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or dutch oven, add the olive oil and heat for 1 minute over medium heat. Then add the diced onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the veggies are tender.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup onion, ½ cup carrot, ½ cup celery
- Add in the minced garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger
- Add the spices: curry powder, red pepper flakes, turmeric, coriander, salt, pepper, and and cumin and stir to coat the vegetables.1 teaspoon yellow curry powder, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Next, pour in the diced tomatoes and drained chickpeas, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot for free up any brown bits.14 ounces diced tomatoes, 16 ounces chickpeas
- Then add in the vegetable broth and coconut milk and stir to combine well.2 cups vegetable broth, 14 ounces coconut milk
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low and simmer or 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
Freeze for up to 2 months. Add more protein like cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu. Use any favorite neutral cooking oil like canola, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil. I like to use the ginger paste that is found in tubes in the produce section of most grocery stores. But you can use fresh grated ginger if you’d like. Use light coconut milk if you prefer. Fresh minced garlic is best, but use jarred minced or 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if that’s what you have. You can add more or less garlic to your taste preference. Yellow curry powder is lighter and milder in flavor and spice than red curry powder. You can use any you’d like but it may be a little stronger curry flavored. Leave out the red pepper flakes or add more if you’d like it even spicier.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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