Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

Spicy and Satisfying Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

This recipe is a flavorful and comforting take on Thai cuisine, perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (optional, for vegetarian version use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons red curry paste (adjust to your spice preference)
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
• 6 ounces rice noodles
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (vegetarian option: substitute with soy sauce)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving
• Fresh basil leaves, for serving
• Green onions, thinly sliced, for serving

Cooking Guide:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken (if using) and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the garlic, bell pepper, and onion. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until softened.
3. Stir in the red curry paste and grated ginger, cook for an additional minute, allowing the flavors to release.
4. Pour in the chicken broth (or vegetable broth) and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the rice noodles and fish sauce (or soy sauce) to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the noodles are tender.
6. Stir in the brown sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Return the cooked chicken (if using) to the pot and heat through for a minute.
8. ladle the hot soup into bowls.

Tips:

• For a richer flavor, use full-fat coconut milk.
• If you don’t have red curry paste, you can substitute with green curry paste, but the flavor profile will be slightly different.
• Add your favorite vegetables to the soup, such as broccoli florets, snap peas, or carrots.
• Adjust the amount of red curry paste based on your desired spice level.
• To make this soup ahead of time, cook the soup up to step 7 and then refrigerate. Reheat gently before serving.
• When serving, garnish each bowl with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, fresh basil leaves, and sliced green onions. Enjoy!