Tom Yum Soup With Tofu and Vermicelli

Name: Tom Yum Soup With Tofu and Vermicelli
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 3 ounces rice or mung bean vermicelli; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime); 1 tablespoon sambal oelek; 1 garlic clove, grated; 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2-inch sections and crushed; 1 (2-inch) piece ginger or galangal, peeled and finely sliced; 2 makrut lime leaves, finely sliced; 4 cups vegetable stock; 4 to 6 shiitake mushrooms (4 ounces), stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices; 6 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved; 1 16-ounce package silken tofu, broken into 5 or 6 large chunks; 2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1/4 cup evaporated milk (optional); 2 scallions, finely sliced; Handful of cilantro leaves

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated Oct. 7, 2021

Tom Yum Soup With Tofu and Vermicelli — Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(1,356)
Comments: Read comments

Tom yum is a hot and sour soup from Thailand with lively notes of lemongrass, makrut lime leaves and galangal. There are many variations of this iconic soup, including tom kha (coconut milk and dominant galangal notes), tom yum pla (fish) and tom yum gai (chicken). This version is vegetarian, hence not traditional, but it is reminiscent of tom yum koong nam khon, a creamy version that uses canned evaporated milk. (Use coconut milk if you prefer). Tom yum is often moored by nam prik pao, a staple Thai chile paste of roasted chiles, shrimp paste and fish sauce, but in this recipe, a combination of soy sauce, lime, garlic and sambal oelek provides a similar umami kick. The addition of vermicelli and tofu is also unconventional, but it turns this soup into a hearty, quick and comforting weeknight dinner.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

3ounces rice or mung bean vermicelli
2tablespoons soy sauce
2tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
1tablespoon sambal oelek
1garlic clove, grated
1stalk lemongrass, cut into 2-inch sections and crushed
1(2-inch) piece ginger or galangal, peeled and finely sliced
2makrut lime leaves, finely sliced
4cups vegetable stock
4 to 6shiitake mushrooms (4 ounces), stemmed and cut into ¼-inch slices
6cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
116-ounce package silken tofu, broken into 5 or 6 large chunks
2teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
¼cup evaporated milk (optional)
2scallions, finely sliced
Handful of cilantro leaves

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Soak the vermicelli in room temperature water for 10 minutes, until they have softened. (Disregard package instructions.) Drain and set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, sambal oelek and garlic. Set aside.
Step 3
In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the lemongrass, ginger, makrut lime leaves and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes. Discard the lemongrass stalks. Add the tomatoes and tofu, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tofu is warm and the tomatoes have softened.
Step 4
Add the sambal oelek mixture, salt and drained vermicelli to the soup, stirring gently to break the tofu into bite-size pieces. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the noodles are transparent. Turn off the heat, and stir in the evaporated milk, if using.
Step 5
Divide the soup into four bowls, top with scallions and cilantro leaves, and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

1,356 user ratings

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Comments

Matt3 years ago

I’d suggest substituting the zest from 1 lime instead.

Sue3 years ago

This web page has good substitutions for hard-to-find Thai ingredients. https://www.rosasthaicafe.com/thai-ingredients/thai-ingredient-test

jenbrez3 years ago

This recipe is delicious. Do not be deterred because makrut lime leaves are not available. A few substitutions I made: Soy sauce = Coconut aminos to make GF Sambal Oelek = Vietnamese chili paste we had in the fridge Makrut lime leaves = zest of one lime There are a couple of deviations we made that may help you: 3oz of noodles is not enough for four people. I added 2x, but next time I will do 10 oz. I also used the entire can of coconut milk (DF) and used shredded chicken. YUMMY

Sue2 weeks ago

I was looking for recipes to use homegrown lemon grass (very easy to grow!). I was worried the flavor would get lost behind all the other strong aromatics but it came through just fine. Delicious broth (with coconut milk instead of evaporated) and a nice balance of textures and flavors.

Jennie3 months ago

I so did not make this recipe. I had a jar of tom yum concentrate, which I used, along with some chicken broth, lime juice, lemon leaf, and fish sauce, so didn't use the listed aromatics. However, I did use the shiitakes, the grape tomatoes, the silken tofu, scallions, and cilantro, and instead of evaporated, I added the end of a can of coconut milk. Oh, and not having vermicelli, I used Korean rice cakes. It was absolutely scrumptious.

adjustments5 months ago

Substituted 3 tsp for kaffir limes leaves Can also use a bay leaf in addition to lime zest for substitution but using actual leaf is best Could use a little more spice

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