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GET IT NOWThis Coconut Curry Soup Recipe Is A Spiced Hug In A Bowl
This coconut curry soup was such a fun change from my usual. I first tried it on a September day, and here’s why I randomly make it again throughout the year — including when it’s not even soup season:
- Creamy and full of curry flavor – If you’ve tried my coconut chicken curry, this has a similar bold, spiced flavor but in cozy soup form. Think creamy coconut base layered with warm curry spices, plenty of veggies, and tender chicken.
- Fast and flexible – This dish takes just 20 minutes, and you can conveniently use up leftovers in the fridge.
- Makes you feel good, not bored – This curry soup is packed with protein and vegetables, and it’s naturally dairy free, but the spiced flavor makes it feel exciting and different. It’s the perfect change of pace from regular chicken soup and vegetable soup!
This coconut curry soup recipe actually comes from my friend Lindsay’s cookbook, The Gluten-Free Family Cookbook, and was an instant hit in our house. Make it with me and get ready to curl up with the most flavorful bowl you’ve had in a while!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my coconut curry soup recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Shredded Chicken – Any cooked chicken works here. I usually shred leftover baked chicken or Instant Pot chicken, but I’ve even used leftover butter chicken. You can also buy a rotisserie chicken, or see my tips to use raw chicken.
- Veggies – I used broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper. Feel free to use whatever is in your fridge. Onions, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, spinach, or kale are all great.
- Coconut Milk – I recommend full-fat coconut milk for a rich, creamy base. You can use coconut cream if you want it extra thick, or heavy cream if you’re fine with dairy. I don’t recommend light coconut milk, which is too thin.
- Red Curry Paste – This is what brings all the bold flavor and gorgeous color to the coconut curry soup! I usually find it in the international aisle of the grocery store, or buy this brand here. For alternatives, you can use green curry paste or yellow curry paste in the same amount (3 tablespoons), or 1 tablespoon of curry powder. For extra heat, add more curry paste or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Aromatics – Fresh ginger gives the best flavor, but you can substitute 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger. And although Lindsay’s original recipe didn’t include garlic, I couldn’t resist adding it!
- Chicken Broth – I used reduced-sodium, while Lindsay used low-sodium. Avoid regular because the soup will be too salty with it. You can also use my homemade chicken broth or bone broth, as long as it’s not too salty.
- Fish Sauce – For umami vibes. I like this brand. You can replace it with a teaspoon of salt to make up for that part, but you’ll miss out on major flavor.
- Lime Juice – A fresh squeeze of lime at the end is just what this coconut curry soup needs. Lemon can work if needed.
- Thai Basil – The optional garnish, but I recommend adding it! Cilantro or mint are okay in a pinch.
How To Make Coconut Curry Soup
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Combine the base. Combine the coconut milk, broth, curry paste, ginger, and garlic (if using it) in a Dutch oven or large saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Simmer the chicken and veggies. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the chicken, broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper. Let it cook until the carrots are nice and tender.
- Add the fish sauce and lime juice. Garnish the coconut curry soup with Thai basil if I have it!
My Recipe Tips
- Check how spicy your curry paste is. Depending on how hot yours is and your preference, you might want more or less than my recipe says.
- If you have a couple extra minutes, sauté the garlic and ginger first. It gives the soup a deeper flavor.
- Be careful not to overcook the veggies. The time to soften can vary depending on the size of the pieces. I recommend cutting them the same size so they cook at a similar rate, and check on them to ensure they don’t get mushy.
- Add greens at the end. If you’re using spinach or kale, stir them in only in the last 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat as soon as they wilt.
- Add salt and pepper to your taste if needed. I didn’t need to add either one — the other ingredients provided enough salt and heat for my family.
- Want to make it vegetarian? Just replace the chicken with 2 cups of veggies you love. I like to use cauliflower (similar vibe to my cauliflower curry), but add it in the last 5 minutes so it doesn’t get mushy.
- Don’t have cooked chicken? Just simmer raw chicken right in the coconut curry soup for about 15 minutes. Once it’s tender, shred it and return to the pot.
Coconut Curry Soup (20-Min Recipe)
This coconut curry soup recipe is loaded with chicken and veggies in a bold, creamy, curry spiced coconut broth. Ready in 20 minutes!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a small Dutch oven or large saucepan, combine the coconut milk, broth, red curry paste, ginger, and garlic, if using. Bring to a boil. (You can also saute the garlic in ginger first if you prefer.)
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Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the cooked chicken, broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper. Cook for 10-12 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
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Stir in the fish sauce (or salt) and lime juice. Garnish with Thai basil, if desired.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you build deeper flavor, get the perfect veggie texture, and a couple of my favorite variations.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm up the coconut curry soup on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave.
- Freeze: Unlike dairy-based soups, this one with a coconut milk base freezes well for up to 3-6 months.
- Note on serving size: The 1-cup serving size here is ideal as a starter. If I serve it for dinner, I double the serving size to 2 cups.
- Credit: Recipe from The Gluten-Free Family Cookbook.
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Coconut Curry Soup
Serving Ideas
What I love about soup is that it’s super flexible. You can serve it as healthy dinner on its own, as a starter, or add some sides to make it more filling. Here’s what goes well with this chicken coconut curry soup recipe:
- Salad – Pair it with my smashed cucumber salad for something fresh, or go all in with my colorful Thai salad.
- Crackers – Sometimes I crumble crackers right into the soup for crunch, or just snack on them on the side. Flax seed or almond flour crackers are a great healthier option.
- Asian-Inspired Dinners – Enjoy it as a starter before my beef stir fry, Thai basil chicken, or even egg roll in a bowl. It’s a good match with so many Asian-inspired recipes.
11 Comments
Lise
1The coconut curry soup was really tasty! It was easy to make & the flavor just popped. One thing to mention – it’s pretty hot with the 3 tbls. of curry sauce, so if you want less heat, I’d use 2 tbls. I loved the heat, so it wasn’t an issue for me. Excellent recipe! I’ll be making this again!
Kim
1So simple and yet so delicious! Hubby loved it as much as me…. Thicken it up a little and serve over rice for a delicious red curry….. yum yum yummy!!!! Will definitely be using this recipe again and again.
Penny
1A terrific simple soup. Had more than 1 cup. It made my favourite soup list.
Marianne
0SPICY!!! Way too spicy for us to eat it. I had to pour out the broth and add milk to calm down the heat. Flavorful though. Might try again with much less red curry paste- or maybe yellow or green paste.
Carisa
0Delicious!!!! Tasted just like Thai takeout! But be careful with what kind of red curry paste you use or just use less of it if you can’t handle a lot of spice. It was spiiiiicy. But so good.
Patti Q
0Yummy, but a bit too bland to be considered “delicious.” But it is very kid-friendly as written. I’ll make it again and plan to level up the spices to give it some oomph. Very creamy and pretty to serve. I did use all optional ingredients, including paste, fish sauce, lime juice, basil.
I would also say the servings were small. I made for 6 and served 3 adults and 3 young children. I would double it to serve 6 adults as a main.
Ganae Vigil
0There’s no instruction on when to add the chicken broth in the recipe…
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ganae, The recipe has been updated and you will want to add the chicken broth in step #1.
Jessica
0I had never had anything like this and I’m so glad that I decided to make it! The flavors are incredible and it was warm and comforting on a fall evening.
Kristen
0This soup was so good and it was so easy to make.
Lindsay
0Love your alterations! Thanks for sharing friend!