A Deliciously Tasty Yellow Curry Soup Recipe

Unless you grew up with curry as a part of your family’s cultural heritage, you probably don’t know much about it. This spice mix is often used when referring to an ingredient as well as the dish it’s in. Keep reading to learn more about yellow curry’s rich, warm flavors and how to use it to make your own delectable soup.

What Is Yellow Curry?

Many curries are used in Thai cooking, but more and more cultures are adapting the versatile ingredient to match the preferred tastes of their communities. So let’s look at the original curries most often used in Thai cuisine.

If you’ve visited a Thai restaurant or looked at the curries for sale in your grocery store, you’ve likely seen red, green, and yellow curries. Originally, all curries were made the same except for one ingredient. Chiles of different colors and heat gave them the names they’re still known by today.

Yellow curry (nam prik gaeng karee) is the mildest of the curries. It can taste sweet and spicy. Some of the most common ingredients you’ll see in Thai yellow curry can include:

• Turmeric
• Cumin
• Coriander seeds
• Lemongrass
• Galangal (or ginger)
• Garlic

If using yellow curry paste or powder, it’s often combined with coconut milk in soups and stews. When making your own curry, you can adjust it and the other ingredients in your recipe to your taste!

While some consider Thai curry the original curry, there are Japanese and Indian versions as well. It’s important to note that if you see Thai, Japanese, and Indian curries, they look very similar. Yet the actual tastes of the three are very different.

Also, if you purchase yellow curry instead of making your own, the flavor profiles can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer. For example, if you are buying your yellow curry in an Asian or Indian market, you will likely get two very different but strong tastes.

The flavors may be somewhat muted if you buy a more Americanized version. Curries made and sold for the U.S. market take into account that the intense flavors in a curry can be overwhelming to someone new to the curry. It’s an excellent choice for anyone who’s never tried curry before or can’t tolerate strong spices.

Here’s a Yellow Curry Soup Recipe for You to Make at Home

Even though yellow curry has many intense flavors, the spice adds so much depth and richness to any recipe because they work so well together. Here’s how you can make your own deliciously tasty yellow curry soup at home:

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (you can add more if you love a good kick of garlic!)
• 2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped ginger
• 2 to 3 tsp ground turmeric (less is more if you’re not sure if you enjoy the taste of turmeric)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 to 4 tbsp yellow curry paste (start small if you’re new to curry paste)
• 1 ½ cups carrots, shredded (may also use diced if preferred)
• 2 to 3 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth if desired)
• 1 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk (full fat or lite is fine)
• 2 to 3 cups fresh, loosely packed spinach(regular or baby is fine)
• 1 to 4 tbsp light brown sugar (optional – may use dark brown for a richer taste)
• 1 to 2 tbsp lime juice (optional – but should be included for a more traditional dish)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooked rice or noodles, if desired for serving

Directions:

1. Add the oil and onion to a large pot and saute over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent. This should take about five minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning.
2. Add your garlic, ginger, turmeric, and coriander. Cook for around one minute.
3. Now add the curry paste, carrots, broth, and coconut milk. Stir the ingredients until combined. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Add your spinach, salt, and pepper. Stir into the soup until the spinach has wilted.
5. Carefully taste your curry soup to see if you’d like to add lime juice or brown sugar. Add any additional spices as desired.
6. Serve in large bowls alone or over cooked rice or noodles.

This recipe is fantastic on its own but can be changed depending on your taste preferences and needs! Think about adding:

• Chicken (shredded or cubed)
• Cauliflower
• Edamame
• Bell peppers
• Spicy peppers
• Chickpeas
• Sweet potatoes
• Kale (in addition to or instead of spinach)
• Frozen peas
• Broccoli
• Tofu
• Lemongrass
• Fish sauce
• Diced salmon
• Baking potatoes
• Split peas (this is a great way to turn your curry soup into a split pea curry soup!)
• Yogurt
• Red pepper flakes
• Zucchini
• Maple syrup (instead of brown sugar)
• Coconut cream (to replace some or all of the coconut milk for a richer, thick broth)
• Bok Choy
• Tamari
• Kaffir lime leaves

Try one or all of these ideas. Use your own favorite add-ins to make this fantastic yellow curry soup perfect for you.

How to Make Your Own Thai Yellow Curry Paste

You don’t have to buy it from a store when you want to make a recipe that includes yellow curry. Instead, make it yourself using this simple recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 tbsp lemongrass, minced
• 1 to 2 yellow chiles, sliced (seeds removed if desired)
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• ½ tsp shrimp paste (may omit if desired)
• 1 generous pinch of white pepper
• ¾ tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 6 to 10 tbsp of coconut milk, divided

Directions:

1. Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Add 6 tbsp of coconut milk and blend or process until the mixture is the desired consistency. If the paste is too thick, thin it by adding a tbsp of coconut milk at a time until the texture is right for you.

If you’re looking for a more in-depth recipe, try this one. It’s a more complex process but worth it for a deeper, richer paste!

You Can Make Your Own Homemade Yellow Curry Powder, Too

While making a paste is easy, you may prefer to use a powder in your cooking. Make your own using this recipe:

Ingredients:

• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (more if you like heat in your curry)
• ¼ tsp clove
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• ¼ cardamom
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp dry mustard powder
• ¼ tsp ground ginger (fresh ginger does not work with this recipe)
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric (or more if desired)
• 2 tsp cumin

Directions:

1. If you’re using any seeds, grind them into a powder before adding them to the recipe.
2. Measure all ingredients into an airtight container or bag, seal, and shake well.
3. This mixture may last up to 12 months! Shake well before each use.

The Best Yellow Curry Soup Recipe Is the One That’s Right for You

One of the best things about curry soup is that it can be transformed into a new version every time you make it. Add what you love and remove what you don’t enjoy. Once you’ve created your version of a simple but rich and creamy soup, it’ll be one you’ll want to make regularly.

You can also read:

• A Deliciously Tasty Kubbeh Soup Recipe
• A Deliciously Tasty Jamaican Chicken Soup Recipe
• A Deliciously Tasty Filipino Lomi Soup Recipe
• A Deliciously Tasty White Asparagus Soup Recipe
• A Deliciously Tasty Hawaiian Oxtail Soup Recipe