Rich, comforting, and bursting with Thai aromatics, this vegan Tom Kha soup is perfect for chilly evenings. Best of all, it comes together in just 30 minutes, with spice levels customizable!
It is great with Jasmine rice, Thai vegetable fried rice, or even noodle dishes like my tofu pad Thai.
Whenever I crave takeout but want to save money, I make a batch of this vegan tom kha soup. This homemade version is as delicious as the restaurant version, but much lighter and more budget-friendly.
Like my Thai tofu red curry and vegan Massaman curry, it calls for more ingredients. Yet, the result is well worth the effort! I love serving it with rice and pad pak Thai for a filling, wholesome meal.
Traditionally, Tom Kha soup (also known as Tom Kha Gai) is a spicy and slightly tangy coconut curry made with chicken. In this veganized version, we will be using tofu in place of chicken.
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💚Why you will love vegan tom kha
- Aromatic, comforting, and will leave your taste buds tingling
- An easy one-pot recipe ready in 30 minutes
- Highly customizable - feel free to add vegetables of choice and customize the heat
- Incredibly filling and packed with plant protein
🍛What you will need
- Galangal - Fresh works best, but it can be harder to source. Feel free to use frozen or dried galangal in place. You can substitute with ginger, but the resulting flavor will be slightly different.
- Kaffir lime leaves - Available in some groceries and Asian markets. Can be substituted with 1 teaspoon of lime or lemon zest.
- Lemongrass - Use only the bottom white half for the best flavor. You can also swap it with 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste.
- Chilies - I deseed them to keep the soup milder, but you can leave the seeds in for more heat. To make it extra spicy, use Thai chilies.
- Red curry paste - Optional but gives curry a more robust flavor. My go-to is Maesri red curry paste.
- Coconut milk - Regular coconut milk offers the best richness, but light coconut milk works for a lower-fat version, though it won't be as creamy.
- Broth - I'm using Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base, but regular vegetable broth works too.
⁉How to prepare lemongrass
- Slice off ½ inch from the bottom and trim the thin leaves from the top of the stalk.
- Peel 1-2 outer layers.
- Smash the lemongrass stalk with the back of a knife to release its aroma.
For a more detailed instruction, check out this guide on how to cook with lemongrass!
📃Ingredients substitutions and variations
Tom Kha Paste - Don't want to go through the hassle of buying a whole bunch of aromatics? You can use a premade Tom Kha paste instead.
Make it milder - Omit chilies. You can even omit red curry paste to make it spice-free.
Tofu alternatives - Tofu can be swapped with seitan (like my Instant Pot seitan or seitan chicken), tempeh, or rehydrated soy curls.
Veggies - Use other types of mushrooms, such as button, enoki, or oyster mushrooms. Or, add other veg like broccoli, cauliflower, baby corn, or tomatoes.
Tom kha noodles - Stir in cooked rice or wheat noodles to make a hearty Tom Kha noodle soup.
🔪How to make
Step 1: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent.
Step 2: Stir in the aromatics and cook until fragrant.
Step 3: Add red curry paste and fry for another 30 seconds.
Step 4: Pour in coconut milk and broth, then bring to a simmer. Add mushrooms and tofu.
💡Helpful tips
Avoid boiling curry. Keeping it on a gentle simmer helps prevent coconut milk from curdling.
Step 5: Cook for 10-15 minutes until mushrooms soften. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Step 6: Serve vegan Tom Kha with rice or noodles. Enjoy!
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❄️Storing suggestion
Storing - Leftover tofu tom kha can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. You can also freeze them in Souper Cubes or freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
Reheating - Allow frozen soup to thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm it up on the stove or in the microwave at 30-second bursts.
❔Commonly asked questions
Tom kha and tom yum are both classic Thai soups, but they are 2 different dishes.
Tom kha is a rich and creamy soup made with coconut milk. It is heavier on aromatics such as galangal and kaffir lime leaves, giving it a distinct citrusy flavor.
Tom yum is a clear soup with bolder flavors, and typically much spicier than tom kha.
Tom kha is usually not too spicy and is inherently much milder than other Thai curries. However, you can easily adjust the spice levels when making it at home.
For a spicier dish, add more chilies; for a milder dish, omit them.
If you can't find galangal, you can substitute equal amounts of ginger but do note that they have slightly different flavor profiles.
🍽️More vegan curries
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Tom Kha Soup (with tofu)
Ingredients
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 10 slices galangal *or ginger (see notes)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 red chilies roughly sliced
- 5 kaffir lime leaves destemmed, chop into smaller pieces (or 1 teaspoon lime zest)
- 1 stalk lemongrass bottom white part only, smashed**
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can coconut milk full-fat or light
- 8 shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 1 block extra-firm tofu or firm (no pressing needed)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven. Add onion, and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add galangal, garlic, kaffir leaves, chilies, and lemongrass next. Cook for a minute until fragrant. Stir in curry paste and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Stir in curry paste and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add coconut milk and broth to the pot, and bring it to a gentle simmer before adding mushrooms and tofu.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft, on medium-low heat to prevent the coconut milk from curdling.
- Top your vegan Tom Kha with cilantro leaves and chili slices, and serve it with freshly cooked rice!
Notes
**Preparing lemongrass - Slice off ½ inch from the bottom, trim the thin leaves, and peel 1–2 outer layers. Smash with the back of a knife to release its aroma. Helpful tips
- Use Tom Kha paste - Don't want to go through the hassle of buying a whole bunch of aromatics? You can use a premade Tom Kha paste instead.
- Make it a noodle soup - Stir in cooked rice noodles to turn this into a hearty Tom Kha noodle soup.
- Mild version - Omit the chilies and red curry paste for a spice-free soup.
- Storing leftovers - Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for 3 months. (Texture of tofu will change slightly after freezing, but still be delicious.)
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
jennifer says
where's the tofu? and when to add it in?
recipe looks delish!
Jim Mee Sha says
Thanks for pointing it out, I had updated the recipe card. The tofu should be added in together with the mushrooms.😁