Vegan tom yum soup is a sweet, sour, and spicy soup originating from Thailand. It’s full of flavor from a variety of herbs and spices like lime leaves, galangal, lemongrass, peppers, cilantro, and more. This delicious soup is a perfect starter or side to serve with your favorite Thai meal.

A blue bowl filled with spicy vegetable tom yum soup.

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I always ordered Tom Yum when I went out for Thai food, but I was intimidated to make it myself. It just seemed like too many herbs and spices to hunt for at the grocery store, but then I found a vegan Tom Yum Soup Base at my local Asian market that said certified vegan on the label. It is identical to the flavor of Tom Yum from the Thai restaurant, and now I can make it at home anytime for a fraction of the price.

❤️ Tom Yum soup is

  • bursting with flavor.
  • quick and easy to make.
  • a perfect appetizer or side.

🧾 Ingredients and substitutions

  • Tom Yum Soup Base – you may be able to find it at your local Asian market or you can easily order it online. One container will make 4 large pots of soup.
  • Vegan Protein – I usually use tofu in this soup. I just toss it in raw and let it soak up the flavor of the broth while it simmers. You can also use pan-fried tofu, vegan chicken, or easy seitan.
  • Tomatoes – I like to use halved cherry tomatoes in it, but you can also use regular diced tomatoes.
  • Onion – you can use regular yellow onion, sweet onion, or red onion.
  • Mushrooms – white button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms work best.
  • Rice Noodles – This is optional to make this soup more of a meal. You can use vegan ramen noodles instead or leave them out if you want a thin light soup.
  • Cilantro – optional for flavor. You can swap this for any fresh herbs like fresh basil or fresh parsley instead.
  • Fresh Lime Juice – to squeeze into the soup after cooking if desired.
A bowl of vegetarian tom yum soup with veggies and tofu over rice noodles.

🌶️ Is Tom Yum spicy?

Yes, it can be a very spicy soup! You can adjust the amount of soup base that you use to control the spice level.

I was first introduced to Tom Yum soup in college. I was sick with a bad cold and a friend suggested that we go get some spicy Tom Yum. After a few sips of the soup, my sinuses cleared and I could breathe again! I now eat a bowl of it, as spicy as I can handle, every time I get a cold!

🥄 How to make vegan Tom Yum

  1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large soup pot.
  2. Add a ¼ cup of soup base, a protein of choice, and the onion and mushrooms to the water and stir.
  3. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
  4. While the soup simmers, cook the rice noodles according to the package directions and set them aside.
  5. Add halved cherry tomatoes and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  6. Serve over cooked rice noodles.
  7. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

🥗 Serve with

👩🏻‍🍳 Pro Tips

  • Use less soup mix for a more mild soup and more soup mix for a spicer soup.
  • This makes a big pot of soup.  It tastes great the next day and works well for lunches.
  • You can also serve this soup without rice noodles.
  • Keep the rice noodles separate, and then serve the hot soup over the noodles. This keeps the noodles from cooking too much and getting mushy.
  • If you want a richer and creamier soup that is more of a meal, add a can of full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream to the soup to make Vegan Tom Kha Soup.
A blue bowl of vegan tom yum soup with chopsticks pulling up some rice noodles.

🥡 Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: Vegan Tom Yum soup will keep well in the fridge for 3 – 5 days in a sealed container.

Freeze: Tom Yum freezes well and can be stored in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze individual servings of the soup in souper cubes. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat the soup in the microwave for about 3 minutes or reheat it in a saucepan until warm.

🌟 More vegan soups

A blue bowl filled with tom yum soup and rice noodles with chop sticks in it.

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

📋 Vegan Tom Yum recipe

A top view of a bowl of vegan tom yum soup with chop sticks on top of the bowl.
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5 from 2 rating

Easy Vegan Tom Yum Soup

Yield: 10
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
An easy way to make vegan Tom Yum soup with tofu and veggies. This soup is spicy and flavorful with the perfect blend of authentic spices.
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Ingredients

  • 8 cups water
  • ¼ – ½ cup Tom Yum broth base
  • 1 medium onion , peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 lbs. firm tofu pressed and cubed, or package of vegan chick’n strips
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced or any other veggie of choice (optional)
  • 8 oz. rice noodles , cooked according to package directions

Optional after cooking

  • 1/4 cup cilantro, (optional)
  • 1 medium lime, (optional)

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large soup pot.
  • Add a ¼ cup of soup base, a protein of choice, and the onion and mushrooms to the water.
  • Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
  • While the soup simmers, cook the rice noodles according to package directions and set aside.
  • Add halved cherry tomatoes and simmer for 5 more minutes.
  • Serve over rice noodles
  • Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

  • This makes a big pot of soup.  It tastes great the next day and works well for lunches.
  • I like to keep the noodles and soup separate so the noodles don’t get overcooked when reheating.  If you think you will eat it all in 1 sitting, you can add the noodles to the broth.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Sodium: 1061mg, Potassium: 157mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 315IU, Vitamin C: 3.6mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 0.8mg
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