This authentic Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken (Tom Kha Gai) is so easy, yet so flavorful. Galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves combined with coconut milk and other spices give this Thai soup a special flavor that’s the perfect combination of sour, salty, sweet and spicy! A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Just in time for fall, I’m so excited to share this Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup recipe with you. As you may know, I always test my recipes out on the family and this one got exceptionally glowing reviews!
There are a couple of soups that I order most often in Thai restaurants: Tom Yum and Tom Kha. They are similar in many ways because they contain many of the same ingredients.
Both are hot and sour soups but Tom Yum is a clear soup because does not contain coconut milk, whereas Tom Kha is a Thai soup with coconut milk, so it’s more creamy.
The presence of coconut milk also makes Tom Kha less spicy than Tom Yum.
Another important difference between Tom Yum and Tom Kha is the quantity of galangal. Tom Kha’s principal ingredient is galangal. As a matter of fact, Tom means ‘boiling’ and Kha means ‘galangal’. Whereas, Tom Yum has a stronger lemongrass presence and the galangal flavor is milder.
Tom Kha can be made with shrimp, chicken, fish, tofu, or vegetables. Each of these has a different name. e.g. Tom Kha Pla is Tom Kha soup with fish, Tom Kha Goong has shrimp and Tom Kha Phak has vegetables and/or tofu.
If you enjoy Thai food, you’ll love my spicier recipes like Instant Pot Red Curry, Instant Pot Green Curry, or Instant Pot Yellow Curry. For milder dishes, try Instant Pot Panang Curry, Instant Pot Massaman Curry or Instant Pot Thai Peanut Noodles.
Today we’re going to make Tom Kha Gai, and you guessed it – Gai means ‘chicken’. This Instant Pot Thai lemongrass soup with chicken and coconut milk recipe is a great weeknight option because of how easy it is to make. I think you’re going to love this recipe!
Tips and Substitutions
Galangal
Galangal is a root, like ginger, but has a completely different taste – it’s more citrusy and less pungent. Galangal can be found in the produce aisle of Asian grocery stores. Galangal freezes well. Cut into pieces or freeze the entire root in a resealable freezer bag.
Since the galangal is discarded before eating the soup, I like to wrap the galangal in cheesecloth tied up with kitchen twine. This makes the galangal really easy to remove after it’s cooked. I’ve also used cheesecloth bags, which are much more convenient to use.
You don’t have to do this step. You can just remove the pieces of galangal with tongs before serving or have each person discard the galangal while eating the soup.
If you choose to substitute galangal with regular ginger, be aware that your Instant Pot Thai soup with chicken will taste different. Find out more about the differences between the galangal and ginger.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a fragrant herb with a fresh lemony scent. The stalk of the grass is used in Thai cooking. You should be able to find lemongrass in the produce aisle of Asian grocery stores. Remove the outer layer of the stalk and cut off the root end of the stalk. Use only the part of the stalk that’s fleshy, which is usually the lighter colored part of the stalk.
Lemongrass also freezes well. So what I like to do is buy a bunch of stalks, remove the bottom end and top (green) part and freeze the remaining stalks on a cutting board or baking sheet. Once frozen, I pop them into a resealable freezer bag and use as needed.
To get maximum flavor from the lemongrass, smash them before cooking, with something heavy like a meat mallet, rolling pin, or a can of food. If you cannot get lemongrass, substitute with lemon zest. If you’d like, find out more about cooking with lemongrass.
Lime Leaves
Lime leaves are sometimes known as kaffir lime leaves. They too, are found in the produce aisle of Asian grocery stores. Lime leaves also freeze well! I buy a large amount and use it for months. If you can’t find lime leaves, add some extra lime juice.
Coconut Milk
I recommend the highest quality of coconut milk for all my Thai curries, and that goes for this recipe as well. The only two brands I use are Chaokoh and Aroy-D. They are far superior to other brands.
If you’ve made my other Thai recipes, you’ve probably pressure cooked the meat with coconut milk. In this Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup recipe, I’ve chosen to add the coconut milk to the broth AFTER the pressure cooking. If you wish, you can pressure cook the coconut milk and broth together. Any appearance of curdling should be gone once you stir up the soup.
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is an important ingredient in this soup. Personally, I feel there is no substitute for fish sauce. I like the Red Boat brand of fish sauce. It has superior flavor, but it is a bit expensive. You can try out Three Crabs or Squid brand, or try a grocery store brand like Thai Kitchen. I’ve had a reader suggest a vegetarian brand called Fysh. I have not tried it, though.
Thai Chili Paste
The Thai chili paste called Nam Prik Pao is a shrimp-based spicy, sweet chili paste that is commonly used in Thai cuisine. It is what gives this Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup its spiciness. It’s also known as ‘chili jam’ or ‘chili paste in soya bean oil’. I use the brand Pantainorasingh. You can also make your own homemade Nam Prik Pao. If you can’t find Nam Prik Pao and don’t want to make it, substitute with another chili paste like sambal oelek, or maybe even Gochujang. In a pinch, good ole sriracha sauce will do!
Mushrooms
For this recipe, I like to use oyster mushrooms because of their meaty texture. You can also use shiitake or button mushrooms. Leave them whole or chop them up; it’s up to you.
Palm Sugar
Palm sugar is traditionally used to sweeten Thai recipes, but I often substitute brown sugar because I always have it on hand. I think it tastes just as good.
Very Important Tip About Flavor!
This soup is one of those that you’ll want to taste and adjust the seasonings for. The four flavor components (four ‘S’es, as I call them) come from:
- fish sauce (salty)
- lime juice (sour)
- palm or brown sugar (sweet)
- Thai chili paste (spicy)
I find that the quantities I’ve suggested are just right. But be aware that I’ve given you the quantities I use based on MY taste. You may need to adjust these quantities based on YOUR taste.
First add the fish sauce. Start with half the quantity of fish sauce and add more until it’s salty enough for you.
Then add the brown sugar till you have a good balance of salty and sweet. Add lime juice next, until it’s sour enough for your tastes. And then finally add the Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao) until you have the right amount of spice. You can always add more of any component at the end.
If you’re new to the Instant Pot and aren’t familiar with how to use it, please read the Instant Pot DUO Beginner’s Quick Start Guide or the Instant Pot ULTRA Beginner’s Quick Start Guide first and then come back here to learn how to make this recipe for Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai).
Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup | Tom Kha Gai – Ingredients
- Lime leaves
- Chicken broth
- Lemongrass
- Coconut milk
- Galangal ginger
- Chicken
- Cilantro
- Fish sauce
- Brown sugar (or palm sugar)
- Green onions
- Mushrooms
- Lime juice
- Thai chili paste
How to Make Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup | Tom Kha Gai (Step by Step Instructions)
- Wrap galangal in cheesecloth.
- Combine chicken, broth and aromatics in Instant Pot inner pot.
- Pressure cook and release pressure.
- Remove aromatics.
- Add coconut milk, flavorings and spices.
- Add cilantro, green onions, and heat through.
Wrap Galangal in Cheesecloth
- Lay out a piece of cheesecloth.
- Place galangal slices on cheesecloth.
- Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine.
Pro Tip
Tying the ingredients in cheesecloth makes it easier to remove the pieces of galangal after cooking. This step is optional. You can remove the galangal pieces individually using tongs.
Combine Ingredients for Soup Base
- Add broth to Instant Pot inner pot.
- Add lemongrass stalks to broth.
- Add galangal (optionally tied in cheesecloth) to broth.
Stir in Remaining Ingredients
- Stir in lime leaves, green onions (white parts) and chicken
Instant Pot Duo Pressure Cook 4 minutes
- Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in Sealing position
- Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and + or – until the display reads 4 (4 minutes).
Instant Pot Ultra Pressure Cook 4 minutes
- Close the lid.
- Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust the time to 4 minutes (00:04).
- Press ‘Start’.
Pressure Cooking Process (Duo and Ultra)
- Instant Pot display will change to On.
- Once the Instant Pot is pressurized, the float valve will go up.
- The display will count down to 0; it will then switch to Keep Warm mode and display L0:00 or 00 00 and begin to count up the number of minutes since pressure cooking completed.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the DUO
- Move the steam release handle to Venting. Steam will come out of the steam release handle.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
How to Quick Release Pressure (QR) on the ULTRA
- Press down on the Steam Release Button until it locks into place, and steam begins to come out of the Steam Release Valve.
- When your Instant Pot is depressurized, the float valve will be in the down position.
- Press Cancel and open the Instant Pot.
[Find out more about the pressure release methods and how and when to use them. ]
Pro Tip
Doing a Quick Release (QR) is optional. You can also use a Natural Pressure Release (NPR).
Remove Aromatics and Add Remaining Ingredients
- Remove the galangal and lemongrass and discard.
- Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, palm or brown sugar, and Thai chili paste.
- Stir in mushrooms.
Pro Tip
Taste as you go, adding first the fish sauce and proceeding with remaining ingredients.
How to Turn on Saute Mode
- Instant Pot DUO: Select the Saute function.
- Instant Pot ULTRA: Select the Saute function and press Start.
Add Cilantro and Green Onions, Heat Through
- Cook for a couple of minutes, until mushrooms are cooked and the soup is heated through.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and green onions (green parts).
- Turn off Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai)
Ingredients
- 1 cup galangal peeled and sliced into ⅓-inch pieces
- 2 stalks lemongrass tough outer layers removed
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth – 1 can
- 4 lime leaves torn
- 3 stalks green onions green and white parts separated
- 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs (340 grams) cut into bite-size pieces
- 13.5 oz. coconut milk 1 can (preferably Aroy-D or Chaokoh brand) – 411 ml
- 3 tablespoon fish sauce or to taste
- 4 ½ teaspoon lime juice or to taste
- 2 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar) to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon Nam Prik Pao (Thai chili jam) to taste
- 1 ½ cups oyster mushrooms chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon cilantro coarsely chopped
- whole cilantro leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Cut a large enough piece of cheesecloth to accommodate the galangal pieces. Wrap the galangal in the cheesecloth and tie with a piece of kitchen twine. *
- Trim the lemongrass: cut off the bottoms and tough green part on top. You'll be left with approximately 6 to 8-inch piece. Pound the stalks with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or a can of food.
- Add chicken broth, galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, green onions (white parts) and chicken to the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Do a natural pressure release (NPR) or a quick release (QR). [Read More: The Different Pressure Release Methods]
- Open the lid and remove the lemongrass and galangal with a pair of tongs. Stir in the coconut milk.
- Add fish sauce, lime juice, and palm or brown sugar. Start with less than the recommended quantity and taste as you go, adding more as needed. **
- Stir in the Thai chili paste. Start with half the recommended quantity and add more as needed.
- Stir in the mushrooms.
- Select Saute mode and cook the soup for a couple of minutes, until mushrooms and cooked and soup is heated through.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Stir in chopped cilantro and green onions (green parts).
- Garnish each serving with whole cilantro leaves.
Notes
- Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. diced chicken, cut vegetables, etc.
- * If you don’t have cheesecloth, just add the galangal into the soup as is, and remove the pieces with tongs before serving.
- ** Add the fish sauce first, then lime juice, brown sugar and Thai chili paste; all the while, tasting as you go.
- See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.
Nutrition
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I am not a certified nutritionist. I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers. If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons, I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.
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Miranda says
This is amazing. It’s my favourite Thai take away and this tastes just like the realthing. I use ginger insteadof galangal, and lemon zest as I had no lemon grass.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Miranda, thank you for commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed the Thai coconut soup with your own touches!
Stacy says
Help!
I can’t print the recipe. The recipe print page button isn’t working. I tried on my laptop too.
Lisa says
This recipe is restaurant quality – or even better! We’ve made it twice. The first time was as written – delicious! Tonight we made it with shrimp, instead of chicken – everything as written except used seafood broth, added the shrimp, the shells in cheesecloth, and did low pressure for 1 minute. So good – especially on a cold, snowy day! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thanks Lisa, glad you liked the recipe!
Pat says
So glad I found this. Delicious and simple.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you, Pat – glad you liked it.
Sharon says
This has become one of my families favorite recipes. Asian groceries have all the ingredients. the galangal, lemongrass and oyster mushrooms are key
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Sharon, thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I’m glad you liked the recipe – I just love the flavor combinations in this one!
Tina Hatch says
I’m making this for Friendsgiving this year — my little social distancing pod is bringing our favorite dishes from our favorite cuisines, and mine is Thai. The step-by-step instructions and how to add the aromatics is so helpful! I’ll report back on what I’m sure will be a very successful soup. 🙂
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hope you have a wonderful friendsgiving dinner. What a great idea to assign different cuisines! I think you’ll love the recipe. It’s easily able to be doubled if you need. And do taste and adjust flavors to your tastes.
Colleen Calhoun says
The best coconut soup recipe I have ever made. Very authentic recipe and very easy to make
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Aww thanks, Colleen! I’m glad you liked the recipe. Perfect for this time of year!
Marisa says
This was amazing even though I didn’t have the galangal (just used ginger), nor the lime leaves. Have to find an asian market near me but until then, I’ll keep making this anyway! I added tofu with the mushrooms and it was awesome. Came together so quickly.
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Marisa, wonderful to hear. I love this recipe and am happy when readers make it 🙂
Cassie says
I’m having a really hard time finding galangal root at our asian markets. I’ve found the powdered form. Can I use it instead and if so any suggestions on the amount of powdered galangal to use?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Cassie, I wouldn’t bother with the powdered galangal especially for tom kha gai. Maybe you can add a bit of regular ginger. Different flavor but it might be your best option.
Lauren Benitez says
This was absolutely amazing! Tastes just like the coconut soup from Thai restaurants I know and love. So good and so easy, and the amounts were perfect!
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Lauren, yay!! I’ve been waiting for this recipe to be discovered. I love it so much, but haven’t had a lot of feedback. I was wondering if people find it intimidating! Thank you so much for taking a moment to review and comment 🙂
Bess says
This was excellent! I swapped out oyster mushrooms with regular ones, and used 1 cup broth – made for a thicker soup. It was so creamy and tasty. I also used low sodium chicken broth. A new family favorite! Thanks
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Thank you for sharing your modifications. I’m very happy to hear you liked the recipe. Yes, I do use low-sodium broth too.
KR says
Thanks so much for your speedy reply. I’ll let you know how the broth substitute works. Off to gather the ingredients …
PS I love your blog.
KR says
Can this be made without the coconut milk? Is the flavor severely compromised that way?
Paint the Kitchen Red says
Hey KR, I think it’ll taste pretty good – a bit more like tom yum soup. I would just substitute the coconut milk with broth. Let me know how it comes out, since I’ve never tried it that way.