How to make Red Curry Lemongrass Soup? (Healthy, Vegan and Gluten-Free)

• Food: Red Curry Lemongrass Soup
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

A nutritious Thai red curry soup made with bok choy, ginger, mushrooms, and tomatoes. We adore this nourishing gluten-free, vegan soup.

Although soup season is about to finish in this area, I felt compelled to include this dish before moving on to summer fare.

Or at the very least, before I start craving gazpacho (sorry, I’m sorry) and before we start talking about cool summer soup ideas.

This is a hearty, hot dish that will warm your spirit. When my mother came to visit me while I was sick a few months back, I started making it for the first time. We made a ton of soups together because that’s all I wanted to eat. Specifically, sweets and soups.

There are some excellent Thai-like flavors present in this dish, but I’m not going to call it Thai because it isn’t in the least bit authentic.

It was influenced by a couple of types of Tom Yum, a broth-based hot and sour soup that I’ve been consuming recently at neighborhood Thai eateries. Ginger, lemongrass, and red curry are all cooked into the soup.

The soup is loaded with shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, and tomatoes.

The red curry coconut soup version of the same soup is also fantastic. Simply add a little coconut milk to the soup if you want it to be creamier.

This soup is adaptable, no matter your soup mood. Some days I want my soup creamy, and other days I like it brothy.

I enjoy serving this with jasmine rice and baked tofu (you could also use brown rice). I can’t wait to try it with slurpy vermicelli noodles the next time.

Lemongrass Red Curry Soup

This hearty, adaptable soup is flavored with ginger and lemongrass, two of my favorite Thai ingredients. Add coconut milk for a creamier variation, or cooked tofu for a meal-like variation.

Ingredients

• 1 stalk lemongrass, outer part removed
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons tamari, more to taste
• 2 tablespoons cane sugar
• Juice and zest of 2 limes (about ⅓ cup of juice)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cups shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed and sliced (see note)
• ½ – 1 tablespoon red curry paste, more to taste
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 5 to 6 cups chopped baby bok choy (2 medium bunches)
• Sea salt
• Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
• Optional: 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, for a creamier soup
• Optional: baked tofu or cooked protein of your choice

Instructions

1. Lemongrass can be beaten with the back of a chef’s knife to assist in the release of flavor. It is cut into 1-inch pieces after being cut in half.
2. The broth, ginger, tamari, sugar, lime juice, and lime zest should all be combined in a big saucepan and simmered for about 15 minutes. Remove the lemongrass and ginger pieces, strain the liquid over a medium bowl, and reserve the stock.
3. Put the pot back on the stove and warm the coconut oil there. About 5 minutes after adding the onion, it should be transparent and tender. Add the mushrooms and a dash of salt after stirring. For about 15 minutes, stir and cook the mushrooms until they are tender. The tomatoes are added after thoroughly incorporating the curry paste.
4. After adding and letting it cook for 5 minutes with the reserved liquid, add the bok choy. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bok choy is soft but the color is still bright green.
5. If necessary, add extra tamari or lime juice after tasting and adjusting the seasonings. Add more red curry if you prefer it spicier. Add coconut milk if it’s too sour, salty, or spicy. If using, serve with rice and baked tofu.

Notes

• I use veggie broth which is the Whole Foods 365 brand.
• Shiitake mushrooms can be pricey, therefore I frequently combine shiitake and cremini mushrooms in my dishes.