This Northern-style vegan Thai coconut soup is a take on one of my favorite Thai soups: Khao Soi. This version is made vegan and gluten-free by using vegetable broth and replacing the traditional egg noodles with rice noodles.
And…I’m back with another Thai recipe!
Have you missed them?
It’s been a little while since I’ve made a Thai inspired recipe on the blog. In fact, the last one I shared was this vegan pad Thai from all the way back in November. Well, don’t fret my friends! Because Thai cuisine (my all time favourite) is back. And this time, with a take on one of my FAV SOUPS EVER!
As you can tell I’m getting pretty excited over here. Pretty much because I’ve been wanting to make my own take on a Khao Soi (northern Thai soup) for a while now.
I had my very first Khao Soi experience years ago on my first trip to Thailand. It was in the North in an area called Chiang Mai, which is a huge foodie area! Chiang Mai is the cultural hub of Thailand, and if you’re planning a trip there do not skip out on this area!
I’ve returned to Chiang Mai (and Thailand) 3 times now, (I know…I just love it there) and it keeps getting better and better. On my most recent trip there two years ago, the city was loaded with a ton more vegetarian and vegan restaurants. You can get anything from Pad thai, or stir-fried noodles, to soups, to curry bowls with tofu and brown rice.
Chiang Mai is also known for their coffee, so you can find a ton of great little cafes in the area. I can’t exactly remember the name of the one I went too, but I had the most incredible almond milk latte at one of the little cafes while I was there.
Make sure to also not miss out on brunch and shopping for ceramics at Cafe Woo. That is where I bought the soup spoon you can see in the images on this post!
Traditionally a Khao soi is made with egg noodles, both in the soup and fried ones on top, a chicken leg, and some Indian curry powder in addition to the Thai curry paste. You can also find some vegetarian/ vegan-friendly versions of this recipe in Thailand of course, especially up in Nothern Thailand where it’s like a vegan mecca!
My version of a Khao soi skips out on the chicken, (duh.) and uses rice noodles instead of egg noodles. But hey, if you like egg noodles in your soup I say GO FOR IT! If you opt to use egg noodles in this recipe and want to go super traditional, you can cook up half the egg noodles in boiling water, and then save a few to fry up quickly in some oil to top the soup with. That’s how I learned to make this soup in cooking class back in Thailand.
This soup is also a saviour if you feel any sort of sickness or cold coming on. It’s proven to beat any lingering winter cold you might have! (Okay, it’s only proven by me…but I swear it works.) I love to make a big batch of this soup when I have a cold to help clear it up. The combination of all the spices and ginger really works wonders!
This Northern-style vegan Thai coconut soup:
- Can be enjoyed as an appetizer or a main dish
- Loaded with bold and vibrant Thai flavour
- Is versatile and can use any types of noodles or veggies in it
Some more of my favourite Thai recipes on the blog:
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A Northern-style Thai soup made with curry, coconut, and loaded with noodles!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1-inch cube of ginger
- 1–2 tbsp of Thai red curry paste (*see note)
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 Litre low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup coconut milk (full-fat from a can)
- 2–3 tbsp soy sauce (*gf if needed)
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar (maple syrup or agave work too)
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 7oz rice noodles (about 1/2 a pack)
- cilantro to top
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large pot on medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
- Add the Thai red curry paste, curry powder, turmeric powder, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil stirring everything together, then lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Next add in the soy sauce, coconut sugar, and lime juice and stir together. Reduce heat to low and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering, cook the rice noodles according to package directions.
- Add the rice noodles to the soup.
- Serve with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.
Notes
Some brands of Thai curry paste are spicier than others. I’d recommend starting with 1 tbsp and then adding more as needed to your taste. Depending on how salty your vegetable broth is to start, you may need more or less soy sauce. Taste and adjust accordingly
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 268
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 2.3g
Keywords: Thai soup, vegan Thai recipes, coconut soup recipe
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This was really good. I added red bell pepper and baked tofu to give it more substance. I ended up needing to add a little cayenne pepper to it at the end because I prefer a little more kick and I’ve noticed that Thai Kitchen red curry paste really isn’t that hot. can anyone suggest a better brand? After I made these changes, it turned out perfect.
★★★★
Hi Lenora, glad you enjoyed the recipe! I’d recommend heading to your local asian market if you’d like to find some authentic curry paste. Check the label for “made in Thailand.”
This was AMAZING! I will cook it many more times for sure!
Thanks Nik! Glad you enjoyed!
If I wanted to add vegetables, when would I do that? Or does it depend on the type of vegetable?
If it’s a crunchy vegetable like carrots, I would add them early. If it’s something softer like bok choy, I would add with the rice noodles to let them simmer!
This is awesome! Delicious, elegant, and easy a new family favorite for everyday dinners, and entertaining!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Valerie 🙂
Made this the second time today, both times I added sliced red bell peppers and baby corn on the cob. Absolutely delicious and so quick, too. Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
Is it 1 LITRE or veggie broth or one cup!!?!
It’s 1 Litre of broth as stated in the directions 🙂
Hi would this be ok to freeze and then reheat?
Hi Melissa, this soup freezes, just make sure not to add the noodles and to cook them fresh when you want to serve the soup!
Hi!! Im really interested in making this soup with chicken, could you tell me how to add it to the soup??
Hi Oliana, I would cook it up in a pan before and then shred it and add it into the soup before serving!
Made with mushrooms and snow peas to make a main course. Rich, easy and delicious!
★★★★★
Thanks for the review Samantha! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
So I haven’t made this one yet, but planning to today. Could someone please clarify about the ginger – does the 1 inch cube stay intact, or do I mince it? Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Vera, you can do either. Traditionally in Thai cuisine, they usually throw it in whole just to infuse the soup with flavour (make sure not to serve the cube of ginger though!) But if you prefer little bits of ginger in your soup, you can mince it or finely grate it!
Thai food is my all time favorite since I was fortunate enough to spend a couple months there including giving birth to my daughter. This recipe is making my mouth water.
Is there some way to add an email icon to send to my email instead of FB, Pinterest or other option?
Hi Cindy, that’s amazing! I’ve spent several months in Thailand too, it’s my favourite place :). You can simply copy the URL of the post page and send that along in an e-mail!
Why not cook the pasta directly in the soup?
Hi Nadia, you could, however, the noodles will absorb much of the soup liquid and you will be left with much less soup broth. They will also slightly alter the flavour of the broth too if you good them in directly
Loved this! So quick and easy to make and really hit the spot. Served it with some pan fried satay tofu on the top 🙂 I think I’ll add some green veg next time. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for the review Bella! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
So excited to have found your blog. My daughter is vegan and I wanted to make this for her. Can you recommend a brand of red curry paste that you use and like?
Thank you Cindy! I know the “thai kitchen” brand is vegan friendly. Just make sure to check the label before you buy since some brands have shrimp paste!
Hi I just made this and it was so good! I added some broccolini and tofu. I also got 4 servings so I’m set for the next few days, which is awesome as I’m not one for cooking every day. Lol Thank you kindly for sharing this, I will be making again for sure 😉
Thanks Danni! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I just made this and thought it tasted so good! My husband liked it too. The only thing I would do would be to add some veggies next time. I didn’t want to change anything too much in case it didn’t turn out. So next time I’m going to make that small change! Seriously this was delicious!
★★★★
Thank you Meredith! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. You can add any veggies you like to this!
This recipe was delicious! I myself added a pinch of cayenne and some lemon grass I had in the fridge. I also sliced up some cabbage thinly and added it during the sautee process. I omitted the sugar, as I wanted a real spice. I added a small amount of uncooked rice noodles to a bowl along with some fresh thai basil, also from my garden, and let it steep for about 10 minutes.Perfect! Will make again
★★★★★
Hi Amanda, so glad you enjoyed this recipe!!
I had a craving for Thai style coconut soup but I’m a wuss with spice and ordering takeout is difficult with dietary requirements so I made this last night and it was EXACTLY what I had been craving!
So delicious, creamy, warming, wonderful! I added broccoli, zucchini and red capsicum and softened these by adding some water to the pot and “steaming” them before adding coconut milk and broth etc.
Bf suggested this go on the meal rotation and I definitely agree 🙂
I topped mine with extra lime juice, fresh coriander and sesame seeds ( I add sesame seeds to everything… it’s a problem haha)
★★★★★
Hi Sammy, thanks for the review! So glad you liked this recipe! It’s great to make at home so you can control how spicy it is 🙂
This was the most delightful tasting thai soup ever. Everybody absolutely loves it.
I have made it many times, and we never get tired of the wonderful flavours.
★★★★★
Thank you for the review Linda! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I have made similar recipes before but the addition of the curry powder and turmeric made all the difference. I used Raman noodles as I had them anyway and added diced red and yellow peppers and courgette. It was super yummy. I will definitely be making this again and will experiment with the addition of different veggies and/or tofu or veggie ‘chicken’.
Hi Jackie, glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I’m sure it must have been delicious with ramen noodles!
Amazing soup! Making it for the second time. I added sweet potato and tofu. I also used ramen noodles like a previous poster suggested.
★★★★★
Hi Sara, thank you for the review! I bet it was delicious with ramen noodles!