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
- 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
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Jess, I absolutely love this! I’m also a massive fan of Thai flavours, and this soup looks just perfect! I can almost taste from here! Love your photos too!
★★★★★
Thanks Anna! How good are Thai flavours? They’re just so bold and tasty!
Hi!
My stomach can’t tolerate spicy foods. Can I replace the paste with something else??
Hi Joy! Most Thai curry pastes I know of can be a little spicy. I’d recommend checking the brand-they often state if they are mild or spicy (Sometimes they’ll even have a little photo of how many chillies on them to indicate this). Definitely go with an American brand over a brand that ships from Thailand (the authentic brands will definitely be spicier!) Then I’d recommend trying a green or yellow curry paste instead of red as they tend to be milder!
This is absolutely yummy (I’m on my third bowl, lol!) Next time, I will add mushrooms, tofu, broccoli or spinach to make it more substantial. Thanks so much for the recipe. Cheers!
★★★★★
Hi Maria, I’m so happy you love this soup as much as I do! It’s my favourite Thai soup. Adding mushrooms tofu and veggies is a great way to turn it into more of a substantial meal. I even like to add some bok choy too sometimes:)
Just like the ones we had in Thailand! I used light coconut milk for an even healthier/guilt free version and it turned out amazing❤️
★★★★★
I’m so happy you loved this recipe Nayiri! I actually did some cooking classes when I was in Thailand, so I based the recipe off of what I learned there to keep in very authentic:)
Just tried making this recipe and it was amazing, I added a little extra coconut milk because I love the creamy texture and it was absolutely delicious. Can you do another Thai soup Jess?
★★★★★
Hi Ben, that sounds delicious! I love coconut milk in Thai soup for a creamy texture and it’s great to see people adding less coconut milk, or more coconut milk to suit their preference. That’s one thing that’s so great about Thai recipes-they are so versatile. I will definitely have more Thai soups coming your way soon!
Is there a way to make this in a crockpot??
Hi Madison,
If making this in a crockpot I would cook off the onion and garlic in some oil, add it to the crockpot along with the rest of the soup ingredients. Set the crockpot I’d say to 4 hours and add in the noodles 15-20 minutes before it’s done. Otherwise you can also just boil the noodles in a pot and add them to the soup broth after!
What a colorful soup and pretty photos it looks delicious Jess!
On my list of things to make this week;)
★★★★★
😉
★★★★★
Soooooo easy, yummy and filling!
I added spring/green onions and lots of mushrooms as well as tofu pieces.
I can see this becoming one of my favourite mid-week meals
★★★★★
Hi Rachel. So happy you loved this recipe! It’s one of my favourites as well. Adding tofu and veggies is a great way to make this a more protein-rich meal!
This is probably the best coconut Thai soup I’ve ever made! I will be making this a lot! Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Linda, So happy to hear you loved this recipe! It’s my favourite Thai soup 🙂
Wow, this is really great. I totally love it! Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Lisa, thank you so much! So happy you loved this recipe as much as I do! it’s my favourite Thai soup:)
A cube of ginger??? Not grated???
Hi Ingrid, Yup! The ginger is just to infuse the broth with flavour. You don’t eat the cube itself. This is a traditional way Thai soup is made in Thailand, with full pieces of the ingredients to really give the soup some bold flavour. If you prefer to add grated ginger that totally works too!
The. Perfect. Comfort. Food!
Yes It really is!:)
This looks soooo delish and I plan on making it tonight for dinner!! But I must know, how do the noodles do when the soup is saved? Or would you recommend keeping the noodles out until I’m ready to eat the soup?
Hi Rachel! I’d recommend keeping the noodles separate if you want to eat it later or store some for the next day so they maintain the right texture!
Absolutely amazing. Nothing that I’d change here. My whole family loved what I made and that’s a first LOL
★★★★★
Hi Kajol, I’m thrilled to hear that you and your family loved this recipe! It’s a favourite in my household too!
I’m excited to make this! I would like to make a little heartier. What veggies would you recommend adding? Sweet potatoes?
Thanks for your recipes!!
Hi Shersti, I’d recommend adding some snow peas, broccoli, green beans, bean sprouts or bok choy! Those are what I usually add to this soup as extra. I’m sure sweet potato could be great too though I haven’t tried that myself!
I want to make this so bad and have all the ingredients from the post on Pinterest. For some reason I cannot see the actual recipe on here. I’ve tried the site on my phone and on my laptop :/ Anyway to get a reply with the directions?
Hi Veronica, so sorry about that there was a glitch with an update. the recipe is there now and fixed! 😀
This is probably really dumb but where do I find the ACTUAL recipe? I just see a blog post!
Hi Linda, not dumb at all! So sorry about that there seemed to have been a glitch with an update in the post and the recipe wasn’t showing! Should be all good now 🙂
Just delicious ! My husband said I outdid myself with this one. So thank you so much for the recipe! I added some mushrooms and made it with black rice noodles. 🙂 Will definitely make again !
oops- and 5 stars ~
★★★★★
Hi Nicole, wow that’s so great to hear I’m so happy you both enjoyed the recipe!:) And I’ve never tried black rice noodles before but they sound delicious!
My favorite soup! Can’t get enough of it 🙂 thank you for this recipe <3
★★★★★
Hi Miriam! I am so happy you love this soup…it’s my favourite too!
Loved it! =)
★★★★★
Hi Rhiannon, so happy to hear you loved this recipe! Thanks for the review:)
I am so addicted to this soup and it cooks up so quickly, I can satisfy my craving whenever I want! I usually add half a diced red pepper to the onion, and do my sautéing in a little veggie broth, so no added oil. Think I might try some of the other veggie suggestions that you and others have made too. Make it nearly every week! Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Tracy, I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe as much as I do! Sometimes I enjoy it with just noodles, but other times it’s great to add veggies to it. You can really add almost any veggies you love!
Absolutely delicious. Flavours are amazing. Might follow some other comments and try green onions and mushrooms just for variation but loved it just as it was
Hi Chris, so happy to hear you loved the recipe! It’s great to have the base recipe and then you can add in any veggies, protein…etc. you like to this soup!