Hearty Vegetable Coconut Curry Soup with aromatic curry coconut milk broth. This easy vegan, whole30 and paleo-friendly soup recipe comes together in just over 30 minutes. Make it using your favorite vegetables and/or add in some animal protein to change it up over and over!
If I were a soup, I’d like to believe I’d be this one.
Packed with a variety of fresh vegetables and a warmly spiced creamy coconut milk broth to really please the belly and soul, this is one of my favorite soups to put on repeat!
Because my love for Thai curry knows no bounds, I absolutely make this easy soup recipe any time of the year.
Sometimes, I’ll even serve it up with rice as though it is an actual curry.
With some simple fresh ingredients, we’re left with a feel-good meal that is both light and satisfying.
The next time you’re craving a bowl of soup on a cold day, make a big pot of this Thai-inspired goodness.
The Inspiration for This Recipe:
This vegan coconut curry soup recipe was inspired by the prepared soup bar at Whole Foods. I had been eating their coconut vegetable soup for years, and decided I just had to re-create it at home.
I changed it up a hair, but I am pretty satisfied with the result! If you’re one of those individuals who loves curry so much you could just drink it (like me), this soup is for you!
Let’s discuss the healthy ingredients for this delicious Thai coconut curry soup recipe. You should be able to find all of them at your local grocery store.
Ingredients for Vegetable Coconut Curry Coup:
Coconut Oil or Avocado Oil: Used to sauté the veggies, we need a quality cooking oil. I like using either coconut oil, olive oil, or avocado oil.
Vegetables: Bell peppers, carrots, garlic, ginger, cauliflower, yellow onion and green onion. This combination of veggies makes a fresh and hearty soup!
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: The key ingredient to providing that rich coconut curry flavor. I recommend sticking with full-fat canned coconut milk rather than using light coconut milk for the best flavor. Coconut cream works great too.
Vegetable Broth: The soup base here is vegetable broth. Chicken broth or chicken stock work too if you aren’t vegetarian.
Curry Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, Sea Salt: Curry powder is the key ingredient here for creating that curry flavor. I recommend buying a quality curry powder for the best results. Make homemade curry powder by preparing Perry’s Plate’s Homemade Curry Powder recipe.
Pure Maple Syrup: A hint of sweetness rounds out the flavors to really please the palate. You can also use brown sugar here.
Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice adds a slight acidity which counterbalances the creamy, sweet flavors.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add chicken, shrimp, or a can of garbanzo beans for protein.
- Use different veggies. Sweet potatoes, green beans, bok choy, fennel, fresh spinach, and bell peppers are all great options.
- Serve it over rice noodles or add thin rice noodles in.
- If you aren’t vegetarian, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of fish sauce.
- You can use Thai red curry paste, green curry paste, or yellow curry paste instead of yellow curry powder.
- Omit the pure maple syrup for Whole30 or paleo.
- For mild soup, omit the red pepper flakes. For spicy soup, add 1 to 3 Thai chilis or cayenne pepper to taste.
- Serve with rice, quinoa, or potatoes for a more substantial meal.
- Add more coconut milk and less broth for a creamier soup.
- Mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh turmeric or fresh ginger for a detox element.
- Add in fresh herbs like fresh Thai basil.
- Make Thai Chicken Coconut Curry Soup by chopping 1 large chicken breast or two smaller chicken breasts and adding them in just before adding the broth and coconut milk.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredient list, let’s make this Thai coconut curry soup!
How to Make Coconut Curry Soup:
Heat the coconut oil in a large pot (I use my Dutch Oven) over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, cauliflower, curry powder, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. If the veggies get too brown at any point, reduce to medium heat.
Add the peppers and carrots. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fresh veggies have softened but are still slightly al dente, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Pour in the full-fat coconut milk, vegetable broth, lime juice, and pure maple syrup (if adding). Cover and heat to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking, covered, until vegetables have reached desired done-ness, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Taste the soup for flavor. Add more sea salt, lime juice, and/or red pepper flakes to taste. Serve with fresh green onions.
For maximum flavor, I recommend making this soup ahead of time and letting it sit overnight to allow the flavors to infuse. The longer you wait, the more flavorful the soup will be!
The best part about this quick and easy healthy comfort food is it is reminiscent of curry from your favorite Thai restaurant.
Making vegetable soups like this are a great way of getting in plenty of fresh produce on a regular basis.
Thinking you could put this easy Thai soup recipe on repeat? Also check out my 30-Minute Thai Curry Noodles and my Green Curry Thai Noodle Soup!
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
- Creamy Carrot Soup
- Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup with Ground Turkey
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup with Rice
Enjoy this delicious vegetable coconut curry soup during the winter months!
Coconut Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil or avocado oil
- ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 6 sweet baby peppers cored and chopped*
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
- ½ medium head cauliflower chopped into florets
- 2 Tbsp yellow curry powder
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth see note**
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup see note***
- 1 bunch green onion chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large stock pot (I use my Dutch Oven) over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cauliflower, curry powder, sea salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and carrots, cover, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened but are still slightly al dente, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, lime juice, and pure maple syrup. Cover and heat to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking, covered, until vegetables have reached desired done-ness, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Taste the soup for flavor. Add more sea salt, lime juice, and/or red pepper flakes to taste. Serve with fresh green onion.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Followed to a T but mine had a bitter aftertaste. Suggestions to balance that out??
Hi Sandra, could the bitter aftertaste be from the lime juice? Or perhaps the ginger? If you’re able to pinpoint which ingredient you’re tasting I would say maybe just omit it and don’t make any other changes. Hope that helps! xo
Made this as per original recipe in the slow cooker and added potato too, it was delicious and the fussy kids even liked it! Beautiful, clean recipe thanks!!!
Aww I love hearing that! I haven’t tried making it in the slow cooker yet but now I must! Thanks for sharing your experience! xo
This soup is really good. Next time I will double it. I did add 3 extra things at the very end (zucchini, rinsed can of chickpeas, and cilantro)
OOh, I love that, and I’ll have to try the same thing! Sounds so delicious! Enjoy! xoxox
I’m going to make you and drink you now. Thank you for your inspiration to use more curry.
Enjoy!! xo
This recipe is sooooooo good and can’t stop eating it. 🙂
I’m happy you enjoy it, Fiona! I find it very enticing, too!! xoxox
This soup was flavorful, filling, delicious and really easy to make! I served with jasmine rice,, cilantro for topping, and grilled ciabatta bread and my household loved it.
The only change I made was subbing 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger for the fresh ginger (I looked up the ratio online) since I forgot to pick it up. This recipe is definitely going into the dinner rotation.
I’m so happy you enjoy it, Leah! Love the idea of eating it with Jasmine rice…sounds marvelous! xoxo
This is very delicious and so easy to prepare. I can always add leftovers. Now it’s a staple of mine.
That’s so great to hear, Sheila! Thank you for the sweet note!