Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Delicious shrimp, lots of fresh vegetables, canned coconut milk, and red curry paste come together for an absolutely delicious bowl of homemade Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup. This warming, comforting soup is ready to eat in just 30 minutes! Makes 4 servings.

You'll love how the creamy coconut milk creates a velvety smooth broth that pairs perfectly with those delicious Thai spices and shrimp! We toss in some carrots, red bell pepper, spinach, and green onions for a little added sweetness and fresh crispy flavors.

Why This Recipe Works

I'm excited to share with you this easy, Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup recipe. You can easily skip ordering Thai food takeout and make your own in the comfort of your own kitchen. After a long day, you can slip into your favorite pajamas, make this quick soup, sit on your favorite cozy spot, and warm up with this delicious soup!

This soup is creamy, bold, and filling.   It's versatile, too.  You can swap out the shrimp for another protein.  You can add additional veggies such as mushrooms.  Scroll down a little further to check out all my suggested variations!

Low carb and keto friendly.  Serve with cauliflower rice or shirataki noodles (or enjoy this soup as is!). At 9 net carbs per serving, this soup would make a great dinner.

What Goes In It

You should be able to find all of the ingredients for Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup in your grocery store. I've added some links to a couple of items if you need to order them.

Shrimp - peeled and deveined. Use medium size shrimp.

Canned coconut milk - use the full fat canned coconut milk! I use Imperial Dragon Coconut Milk for this recipe. Do not use the coconut milk in the refrigerated section of the store...it's not the same!

Red curry paste - this is the main flavor ingredient for this soup so don't leave it out. I like Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste.

Broth - choose chicken or vegetable broth.

Fresh baby spinach - it's so good in this soup! Throw it in whole or rough chop it.

Fresh veggies - carrots, green onions, and red bell pepper.

Garlic - if you don't have fresh garlic, use the minced garlic in a jar (it's very handy and keeps well in the fridge).

Ginger - another convenient item to keep in your fridge is the ginger paste in the tube. It tastes wonderful in this recipe.

Fresh lime juice - this is another ingredient that I highly recommend you don't leave out. Just a little lime juice adds a great flavor burst to this soup!

Seasonings - salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro

Coconut oil - you'll cook the shrimp and the vegetables in coconut oil. It's great for higher-heat cooking because it won't burn or smoke.

How to Make It

Here's quick overview of the how to make Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup. Please, scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed directions.

(Step 1) Season the shrimp with a little salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the shrimp in the coconut oil for 2-3 minutes or until they're done. Then, remove them. Tip: I like a high-sided (deep), cast iron skillet for this recipe.

(Step 2) To the same skillet, add the carrots, green onions, and red bell pepper. Cook until the veggies start to soften, for about 4-5 minutes. Stir often. Add the garlic and ginger and give it a stir. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.

(Step 3) Add the coconut milk, broth, and curry paste. Stir to combine. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes or until nice and hot.

(Step 4) Add the spinach and cook until it's wilted, for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp back to the skillet, and add the lime juice and cilantro. Taste test and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Serve as is or serve it with steamed rice (or cauliflower rice for a low carb and keto version).

Additions and Substitutions

Here are some variations that work well with this soup!

Easily swap the shrimp out for crawfish, chicken, pork (or tofu for a vegetarian option).

Instead of white rice, serve with rice noodles or cauliflower rice.

You can substitute olive oil for the coconut oil.

While cooking the shrimp, toss in a handful of scallops.

Add some green peas or sliced mushrooms.

Add some sliced jalapeño or red pepper flakes for an extra kick.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of lemongrass for a hint of lemon flavor.

Add 1 tablespoon of sugar (if not watching carbs) for a touch of sweetness.

What Goes Well With It

The best side dishes for this soup include homemade crispy spring rolls, a bag of steam-in-the-bag stir fry vegetables, tomato salad, or steamed dumplings.

This recipe was originally published in 2019 and was updated in 2023.