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Craving something warm, creamy, and full of flavor but don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen? This 30-minute vegan Thai coconut soup is my gift to you. It’s a quick and cozy take on the classic Tom Kha, made with tender mushrooms, sweet carrots, and creamy cashews for a satisfying, plant-based soup.
The rich coconut broth is infused with bright notes of lime, lemongrass, and a hint of heat—comfort food with a Thai-inspired twist. I’ve made this soup more times than I can count and I never get tired of it. I love it so much that I included it in my cookbook, Simple Green Meals.
Thailand Origins
Thai Coconut Soup, often called Tom Kha Gai, traditionally includes chicken and hails from northern Thailand, usually served with rice. My plant-based version swaps the meat for cashews and keeps it grain-free with zucchini noodles. Classic ingredients like ginger, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves add bold, aromatic flavor—feel free to include them!
Why This Thai Coconut Soup Rawks
- It’s a one-pot wonder. Simmer fresh veggies right in creamy coconut milk, soaking up every drop of Thai-inspired flavor. It’s got a cozy, spicy kick—just enough to warm you up without setting your mouth on fire. Not into heat? No problem. Simply dial back the curry paste and skip the serrano peppers to keep things milder.
- This soup actually gets better with time. Make it a day ahead and let those bold flavors mingle overnight. Just hold off on adding the zucchini noodles until you reheat—it keeps them from getting mushy and makes the whole bowl taste fresh and vibrant.
- It’s packed with plant-based nutrients. Between the mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, and creamy coconut milk, you’re getting fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats in every spoonful—aka fuel that tastes amazing.
- It’s ridiculously fast. This soup comes together in about 20 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you want something warm, nourishing, and not boring.
Storage Tips (Without the Mess)
One of my favorite things about soup? You can make a big batch and enjoy it all week—or freeze it for future “I-don’t-want-to-cook” nights. Thai coconut soup stores beautifully, but here’s a few pro tips:
- Skip adding the zucchini noodles if you plan to freeze it. Zoodles tend to turn mushy and slimy after thawing, and they’re super quick to toss in fresh when you reheat.
- Store your soup in a freezer-safe container or bag. I love Souper Cubes Freezer System.
- If you’re using glass jars, leave some space at the top for the soup to expand as it freezes (learned this the hard way with a shattered mason jar—zero stars, do not recommend), and these tips work for any of my vegan soup recipes.
Vegan Thai Coconut Soup
Jen HansardVideo
Ingredients
- 6 cups lite coconut milk
- ¼ cup Thai curry paste red
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp sea salt, unrefined
- 1 carrot very thinly sliced
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms thinly sliced
- 2 zucchini spiralized
- 14 oz extra firm tofu pressed and cut into 1" cubes
For Serving
- ¼ cup raw cashews chopped
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- 1 serrano pepper thinly sliced
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- Whisk together the coconut milk and curry paste in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir in the maple syrup and salt.
- Add the tofu, carrot and mushrooms and simmer until the carrot is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini noodles. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with the cashews, green onions, serrano pepper and lime wedges. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Noodle Swaps: If zucchini noodles aren’t your thing, use brown rice or millet ramen noodles instead.
- No Spiralizer: Use a vegetable peeler to make long zucchini ribbons.
- Spice Level: For a milder soup, leave out the serrano and use half the curry paste.
- Storing: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The zucchini noodles soften as they sit, so for meal prep store them separately and stir them in when you reheat the soup.
Nutrition
More Vegan Soup Recipes You’ll Love
After making this Thai coconut soup, try my other vegan soups —you won’t miss the meat for a second.
- My light and creamy celery soup takes 30 minutes and it’s easy to prepare a big batch and enjoy throughout the week to get in lots of fiber, nutrients and plant-based protein.
- This spicy black bean soup is bold, hearty, and bursting with flavor thanks to the smoky chili powder, warm cumin, and fragrant oregano.
- Experience the rich, smoky flavors of fire-roasted tomato soup. This hearty blend of roasted tomatoes, herbs, and spices delivers warmth and comfort in every spoonful.
Food shouldn’t be boring, and it should be easily shared. Grab one of these recipes today and help your family try something new!
This recipe makes what looks like it should be a tricky soup amazingly easy. I added a lot more curry paste, almost double, but that’s because I love these flavors strong.
So good!
My husband always orders this when we go out for Thai and he was impressed with this version.
It a big fan but family liked it!
Seemed a lot of coconut milk; so I used two cans and 2 cups of broth… [also so I could use up some of a big batch of broth I made to use through the soup challenge ]. Worked well!
And another lovely use for zoo noodles!
I like adding coconut milk to a lot of other soups and sauces… Like my carrot ginger soup! Also curry…Not so much that it’s overly spicy but just to add a lovely nuance to the flavor! [Umami!]
Thanks for including this one!
Enjoyed this soup immensely! Thank you.