Fresh herbs, aromatics and vegetables make this flavorful Thai Curry Soup a year-round favorite! Dairy-Free, Whole30, and Paleo.

I love fresh Thai curry paste with all of the fragrant ginger, lemongrass and garlic. This soup is a client favorite because it’s light enough to have in summer, hearty enough to have in winter and delicious enough to enjoy year round.

Shrimp’s delicate flavor is perfect in this soup. Save yourself the time and buy shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined. Also, a tiny percentage of shrimp is actually fresh and never frozen. What you see in the seafood case is actually previously frozen. You don’t know how long it’s been out, so buy frozen to actually get the freshest shrimp. Check the ingredient list to make sure there aren’t any chemicals added.
Shrimp are sold by size. The size is how many are in a pound, so you’ll see things like “jumbo 16/20” which means 16-20 shrimp in a pound all the way down to “extra small 61/70” which are the teeny-tiny salad shrimp. For this soup I like 36/50 shrimp which are a medium bite-size. Feel free to use whatever size you want to eat!

As for Thai curry paste, the good news is if you don’t want to make your own there are a lot of different brands you can buy that don’t have any artificial anything. No chemicals, no preservatives, no sugar; nothing! Thai Kitchen makes a red and green Thai curry paste and is available in most grocery stores. Why should you make your own if there’s a healthy option out there? Not only will it taste fresher and be more complex, but you can control the flavors. If you don’t like garlic; leave it out. Do you love fresh ginger? Double it up!

Either way you go, this soup is fresh and delicious. If you do use store bought curry paste, I recommend you add some fresh garlic and ginger to give it a little boost.

I like 36/50 count shrimp because they are a good one-bite size. You can use smaller or larger shrimp, just be aware that smaller will cook faster and larger will take longer to cook. Fresh lemongrass can be hard to find, but if you have it, add a tablespoon minced; it’s a delicious addition!

INGREDIENT LIST

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
•  2 tablespoons thai curry paste or homemade Thai curry paste *
•  2 cups chicken broth
•  1 can light coconut milk
•  1 cup sliced mushrooms about 4 ounces
•  12 ounces 36/50 count shrimp peeled and deveined
•  ½ cup shredded cabbage
•  1 cup diced tomato about 1 medium tomato
•  6 ounces baby spinach
•  ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  1 lime quartered

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Stir in curry paste and sauté for 30 seconds.
3. Add about a half cup of the broth and whisk together.
4. Add remaining broth, coconut milk and mushrooms.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and cabbage, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add spinach and tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Serve with sprinkled with cilantro and with a lime wedge if desired.

 

RECIPE NOTES

*If using store bought thai curry paste, add in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 2 teaspoon fresh ginger.