Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup (Vegan)

This Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup is aromatic, full of flavour and thoroughly comforting. An easy 1-pot weeknight dinner ready in under 30 minutes. Vegan + Gluten Free

Thai cuisine is probably one of my top favourite cuisines and it becomes even more apparent once the colder season starts to hit. Thai food is just so so cozy, comforting and satisfying thanks to all of its quintessential aromatics and spices commonly used. One of my go-to soups to get at restaurants is called Tom Kha Gai, which is essentially a creamy coconut soup. This lemongrass coconut soup I’m sharing today is inspired by and a rendition to Tom Kha Gai.

Traditionally, Tom Kha Gai uses galangal. The word kha means galangal, which is a rhizomatous spice similar to ginger (but the flavour profile is very different).

Ingredients to Make Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup

I know galangal may be difficult to find so I’ve instead infused this thai coconut soup with ginger, lemongrass, garlic and scallions. Lemongrass has a citusy flavour and aroma- essential in this soup. However, if you REALLY can’t find lemongrass you can opt to use equal parts lemon peel and ginger *LAST RESORT*!

To make it more spicy, I sometimes also like to add in a bit of curry paste. The sweetness of the soup comes from the coconut milk and carrots, while the lime juice adds a bit of acidity. Tamari adds some salty-umami flavours that ties it all together. To make this soup even more satisfying, I pair it with some mixed grain purple rice and puff tofu made in the air fryer.

How to Make Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup

This is a super easy thai coconut soup to make! Here’s the run down:

1. Cook aromatics until fragrant.
2. Add in the stock, coconut milk, tamari and boil.
3. Reduce and let the soup simmer to further release all of its delicious flavours and soften the carrots.

How to Make Oil-Free Puff Tofu

The tofu is optional but *highly* recommended. This tofu is meant to be light on the inside while crispy on the outside, kind of like fried puff tofu.

1. AIR FRYER METHOD: Cube the tofu into dice sized pieces. Dust with cornstarch and some salt. Place into air fryer basked lined with parchment paper and air fry at 400 F for 8 minutes. Shake the air fryer basket and air fry for another 8 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Try not to let the tofu touch each other.
2. BAKING METHOD: Cube and bake for 20-25 minutes. Note that the baking method doesn’t really get that nice light puffy texture inside as much as air frying does. Another reason to invest in an air fryer 😉 

Tips & Tricks to Making the BEST Lemongrass and Ginger Infused Thai Coconut Soup

• Releasing lemongrass flavour: Cut off the top and bottom base. Then remove the first 2-3 outer layers. Bruise and smash the lemongrass using a motor and pestle, hammer or back of a knife.
• Make it a Spicy Lemongrass Soup: Make it spicy by adding in 1-2 tbsp of yellow red curry paste.
• Add the lime juice last: I commonly see recipes including lemon juice as the soup is simmering but adding in lime juice too early can burn the flavour. Lime juice is added to enhance and compliment the other flavours so it’s best to add it last, right before serving.
• Leftovers: The leftovers are even better because it has a chance to sit overnight so it’s not a bad idea to double or triple this recipe! Store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6-7 days. Reheat over the stove or microwave until warmed.

Helpful Tools to Make this Lemongrass and Ginger Infused Thai Coconut Soup

• Medium-Large Soup Pot
• Air fryer: for the best oil-free puff tofu!
• Mortar and pestle: to smash the lemongrass

And there you have it! A cozy, creamy delicious Thai Coconut Soup infused with ginger and lemongrass. So satisfying thanks to the tofu and rice and best of all, incredibly easy to make! This soup is really great for meal prep as well since the longer it sits, the more time it has to infuse all of those delicious aromatics into the soup.

I hope you try and enjoy this Lemongrass Ginger Thai Coconut Soup! I really think you’ll love it and become a part of your soup rotation.

More Delicious Vegan Soups for the Colder Season!

• 1-Pot Curried Tomato Soup
• Fire Roasted Red Lentil Tomato Soup
• Kabocha Brown Rice Soup
• Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
• 1-Pot Vegan Minestrone Soup
• Broccoli Mac & Cheese Soup

If you recreate this Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Lisa Kitahara
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 2–4 servings 1x

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Description

This Lemongrass and Ginger Thai Coconut Soup is aromatic, full of flavour and thoroughly comforting. An easy 1-pot weeknight dinner ready in under 30 minutes. Vegan + Gluten Free

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Crispy Puff Tofu:

• 1 block medium firm tofu (450g)
• 1–2 tbsp corn starch (20g)
• 1 tsp salt

Lemongrass Ginger Coconut Soup:

• 1 medium onion, sliced (110g)
• 5 garlic cloves, minced (12g)
• 1 tbsp yellow curry paste (20g), optional*
• 1 tbsp minced ginger (20g)
• 4 scallions, whites and greens separated
• 1 cup chopped carrots (150g)
• 1 stalk lemongrass (tops and bottom trimmed, outer layers removed, cut into thirds and smashed using the back of a knife)
• 3 cups vegetable broth (750ml)
• 1 15oz. can full fat coconut milk (440ml)
• 3 tbsp tamari (45g)
• 1 tsp salt + more to taste
• 1/2 lime, juiced

To serve:

• Purple rice, cooked
• Cilantro
• Sesame seeds

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Instructions

For the Soup: 

1. Over medium high heat, into a pot add in the sliced onions, garlic (and curry paste is using) and cook until fragrant (2-3 minutes). Add in the ginger, white part of the scallions, carrots, and lemongrass cook until further fragrant (2-3 minutes).
2. Add in the stock, coconut milk, tamari and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat down to a medium-low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, until carrots are soft. The longer you let it simmer, the more flavour the lemongrass will release. 

For the Tofu: 

1. While the soup is simmering, prepare the tofu. Cut the tofu into 1.5cmx1.5cm cubes. Dust with cornstarch and some salt. Place into air fryer basked lined with parchment paper and air fry at 400 F for 8 minutes. Shake the air fryer basket and air fry for another 8 minutes, or until browned and crispy. Try not to let the tofu touch each other.
2. If baking, bake place the pieces of tofu onto a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy. 

Serve:

1. Remove lemongrass stems from the soup. Add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste. 
2. Place some rice and tofu into a bowl and pour soup on top. Garnish with cilantro, scallions and sesame seeds.  

Notes

Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer), not including the rice for 4 servings

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Soups
• Method: Stove top + Air Fryer
• Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
• Calories: 291
• Sugar: 6.2g
• Sodium: 1796mg
• Fat: 19g
• Saturated Fat: 7.6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0.15g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 15.6 g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 13.7g
• Cholesterol: 0g

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