Vegan Tom Yum Soup from The Yoga Girl® Kitchen

Even though the weather is getting warmer, this comforting, delicious hot and sour Vegan Tom Yum Noodle soup is so yummy it doesn’t matter what the temperature is outside.

This is an easy soup to whip up and the leftovers will keep in the fridge for a week!

Tom Yum soup originated in Thailand and it's a healing blend of spice, citrus, hot and sour. The medicinal benefits of this soup are abundant! Tom Yum in Thai directly translates to “boiling and sour”.

Tom Yum soup uses a variety of healing herbs and ingredients to boost the immune system, coat the stomach, aid in digestion, and repair cellular tissue.

Ginger, turmeric, and garlic help to boost immunity, coconut milk helps to coat the stomach and aid in digestion, lemongrass also aids in digestion and is full of antioxidants, and lime juice provides essential vitamin c.

Noodles are an excellent way to fill out the dish and a delicious way to sop up all the healing broth of the soup.

Lemongrass is really the star of the dish, it adds a citrusy flavor and has amazing health benefits!

Aside from aiding in digestion, it is great for the skin, nails, hair, it helps to regulate blood pressure, boost metabolism, supports and aids the healing on moon cycle symptoms, and helps fight cold and flu. A perfect ingredient to be working with in these times!

This one-pot soup takes less than an hour to make, and you can put it in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week! The flavors will only get stronger and integrate throughout the broth and noodles.

Vegan Tom Yum Soup from the Yoga Girl® Kitchen

The Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 whole onion, chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional but great for adding a spicy kick)
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2-3 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup shitake mushrooms, chopped or sliced (or whatever mushrooms you prefer)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 block firm tofu, chopped
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce or liquid aminos of choice
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp coconut sugar
• 1 package noodle of choice (we used Ramen, but glass noodles or similar work well too)
• A bunch of fresh parsley, basil, cilantro or any other fresh herbs, chopped for garnish
• Sliced avocado for garnish (optional)
• Chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)

The Process:

1. Heat up the coconut oil in the pan and add the onion. Sauté for 30 seconds or until the onion is fragrant. Add the ginger, garlic, (hot pepper if using), turmeric, and curry paste then sauté for a few minutes.
   
2. Chop the lemongrass stalk into half and remove the root at the bottom. Leave the lemongrass long so you can spoon it out at the end when it has added enough lemony flavor to your dish.
   
3. Then add the can of crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, vegetable broth, carrot and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and add the mushrooms, chopped fresh tomato, tofu and soy sauce or liquid aminos, lime juice and coconut sugar.
   
4. Allow to simmer for 15 mins (at least!) to bring out all the wonderful flavors of the healing ingredients!
   
5. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the lemongrass before you add the noodles. The texture of the lemongrass makes it difficult to eat, but it works by infusing its flavors into the boiling broth.
   
6. The noodles don’t take very long to cook, so add them in at the end and allow them to simmer for about 7-9 minutes max. Keep testing the noodles and turn off the heat when the noodle is cooked to your liking (option to cook the noodles separately and then rinse in cold water to remove excess starch (if you are using glass or rice noodles), but the excess starch will make the soup a creamier consistency if you do decide to cook them in the soup.)
   
7. Garnish with fresh herbs like basil, cilantro or parsley, and if you have a few slices of avocado throw those in too! Add some chopped peanuts or nuts on the top for a yummy, crunchy texture and enjoy the benefits of this delicious hot and sour Vegan Tom Yum Soup!

Enjoy and share how you liked this recipe in the comments below!