This spicy Thai shrimp noodle soup is an explosion of heat and rich flavor paired with beautifully charred greens. We absolutely love a good Thai noodle recipe and this Thai shrimp recipe paired with charred greens and blistered tomatoes is a winner in our book.
I’m absolutely in love with this Thai shrimp recipe. The flavors are out of this world delicious. It’s sweet, spicy, and loaded with umami thanks to the fish sauce and the curry paste.
This recipe comes together relatively quickly. There are a few main steps to make this Thai noodle soup recipe come together in a breeze.
How to make spicy Thai soup:
First, make the broth. The broth is simply an onion sautéed first. Next, garlic, scallion, and Thai chili peppers sautéed briefly. Finally, the curry paste. Once the curry paste is fragrant, pour in vegetable stock and bring to a boil. The last thing you add is a mixture of fish sauce and sugar to the broth. Bring it a boil and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
While the broth is cooking, marinate the shrimp and tomatoes. The marinade is simply oil, sesame oil, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce. While the shrimp is marinating, cook the noodles. Finally, broil the shrimp and greens for a few minutes until the shrimp are cooked through and the greens are nicely charred. It really is that simple!
What curry paste should I use?
This Thai noodle soup recipe is versatile. I recommend exploring your local Asian grocery store or Asian aisle and trying it out with new flavors! I used a red curry paste, but try this out with yellow or green.
If you made this recipe, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment to tell me how you liked it! If you take a picture of it, lease tag me on Instagram so I can feature you in my feed!
Looking for more shrimp recipes? Check my archives!
Spicy Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Large pot
- Medium pot
- Sheet pan
- Strainer or sieve
Ingredients
Broth and Noodles:
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil for frying
- 1 yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1-3 Thai chili peppers trimmed and minced (adjust quantity based on spice preference)
- 4 scallions white parts minced, green parts thinly sliced on an angle
- 2 tablespoons Thai curry paste red, green, or yellow
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or less, depending on preference
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 8 ounces vermicelli noodles
- Salt and pepper to taste
Shrimp and Vegetables:
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined, tails discarded or kept on depending on preference
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt optional
- 1 bunch tatsoi or 4 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
Instructions
Cook the Broth Aromatics:
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until just beginning to turn translucent.
- Add the garlic, Thai chili pepper, and minced white parts of the scallions and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the curry paste and lightly mash it into the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Simmer the Broth:
- Pour in the chicken stock. Add the sugar and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and season to your preferences. Keep warm.
Marinate the Shrimp:
- In a bowl, combine the lime juice, avocado oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil and whisk to combine. Add the shrimp and tomatoes to the bowl. Sprinkle with a ¼ teaspoon salt. Toss to coat. Transfer to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Cook the Noodles:
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions (typically 2-4 minutes for vermicelli). Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Set aside. If needed, refresh the noodles with cold water before serving but if you time it correctly, they should only be sitting in the strainer for a few minutes.
Broil the Shrimp:
- Turn the broiler on. Pour the shrimp and excess marinade onto the sheet pan and arrange the shrimp and tomatoes in an even layer on half the sheet pan. Place the tatsoi on the other half of the sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and add a drizzle of oil.
- Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and broil for 4-5 minutes until the shrimp are just cooked through and the tatsoi is charred and the tomatoes have just begun the split open.
To Serve:
- Divide the cooked noodles between bowls. Ladle the broth on top. Arrange the shrimp, tomatoes, and tatsoi on top. Garnish with the thinly sliced scallion greens. Enjoy!
