Thai Coconut Seafood Soup 🦐🥥🌶 Creamy, Spicy, and Citrusy With Deep Thai Flavor in Every Sip

This soup is rich and bright all at once — a coconut milk base infused with red curry, lemongrass, lime, and a briny mix of seafood. It’s Thai-inspired comfort in a bowl: silky, spicy, a little sweet, and loaded with complexity without being heavy.

Think of it as tom kha meets seafood stew — with bold aromatics, luscious texture, and a hit of heat that lingers just right.

Ingredients (Serves 3–4)

For the broth

• 1 tbsp neutral oil (coconut or avocado)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger or galangal, grated
• 1–2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 4 cups seafood stock, chicken broth, or water
• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce, to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar or honey
• Juice of 1 lime (plus wedges for serving)

Seafood (about 1½ lbs total)

• ½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ½ lb firm white fish (cod, halibut, snapper), cut into chunks
• Optional: ½ lb mussels, clams, or squid rings

To finish

• 1 cup mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, or button), sliced
• ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Chopped cilantro, Thai basil, or scallions
• Optional: sliced Thai chilies or chili oil for extra heat
• Optional: jasmine rice or rice noodles for serving

Instructions

Step 1: Build the Flavor Base

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in curry paste and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the smashed lemongrass and stir to release its oils.

Step 2: Simmer the Broth

Pour in seafood stock and bring to a simmer. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Simmer gently (do not boil) for about 10 minutes to allow the aromatics to infuse.

Step 3: Add Seafood and Veg

Add the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes first and cook for 3–4 minutes. Then gently add the white fish and any shellfish. Simmer 5–6 minutes until just cooked through. Add the shrimp last and simmer 1–2 minutes more, just until pink and opaque. Discard any mussels or clams that don’t open.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

Remove the lemongrass pieces. Taste the broth and adjust with more lime juice, sugar, or fish sauce as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and top with herbs and chili oil if desired. Serve with jasmine rice or rice noodles if using.

Flavor Variations

• Swap red curry paste for green curry for a brighter, more herbal broth
• Use coconut cream instead of coconut milk for added richness
• Add bamboo shoots, baby corn, or spinach for texture and color
• Make it vegan with tofu, veggie broth, and soy sauce

Pro Tips

• Use full-fat coconut milk — it gives the broth body and smoothness
• Don’t let the soup boil once the seafood is added — gentle simmering keeps it tender
• Add seafood in order of firmness — fish first, shrimp last
• Let the soup rest for 10–15 minutes before serving for deeper flavor
• If you want extra depth, add 1 tsp of Thai shrimp paste or anchovy paste to the curry base

Final Thoughts

Thai Coconut Seafood Soup is silky, spicy, and vibrant — a bowlful of contrast and harmony. It’s light yet rich, zippy yet soothing, and packed with aromatic depth that makes every spoonful sing.

Simmer it slow. Squeeze the lime. Slurp the warmth. 🥥🦐🔥

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

• 🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
• 🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
• 🍝 Seafood Pasta Recipes – Elegant and indulgent, like shrimp linguine in a white wine sauce.
• 🍤 Shrimp Recipes – Versatile, fast, and flavor-packed; smoky grills to sizzling stir-fries
• 🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
• 🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
• 🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
• 🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
• 🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
• 🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
• 🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
• 🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.