Ginger Lemongrass Soup with Coconut Milk is a vegan pot of soothing comfort that you won’t be able to get enough of. It will become one of your favorite lemongrass recipes!
This vibrant soup is perfect for when it’s cold outside, if you're feeling under the weather, or simply for a delicious and healthy meal.
Packed with fresh vegetables and herbs, every spoonful of this ginger lemongrass soup bursts with aromatic zesty flavors that are subtly sweet, spicy and sour.
Look at this beautiful collection of fresh ingredients!
What is lemongrass?
- Lemongrass is native to the tropical and sub-tropical climates of Asia, Australia and Africa.
- It has a tender white core at the bottom of the stalk, and it’s this portion that has a wonderful and distinct citrus flavor with notes of ginger, lime, and mint. While this bright flavor is subtle, it greatly enhances dishes that include it.
- Lemongrass is primarily common in Thai, Indian, Indonesian, and Vietnamese cooking.
In addition to the pure deliciousness of this soup, ginger and lemongrass recipes offer a multitude of health benefits and medicinal qualities.
You can read about why these two special ingredients are so good for you here.
Recipe Tips
- Working with lemongrass might be daunting if you’re new to it. Here's an introduction to this aromatic ingredient, and how to use it.
- We only use the bottom white/lighter portion of lemongrass stalks. Unfortunately the rest doesn't impart much (if any) flavor, so I don't even save it for stocks or other uses.
- The recipe instructs you to infuse the liquid with the ginger and lemongrass for at least 90 minutes (45 minutes simmering and 45 steeping). You can do it for a longer period of time to intensify the flavors.
- Sometimes when cooking with coconut milk, it can appear curdled. Whisking it before adding it to the recipe can help prevent this. And throughout the cooking process, if it appears to be separating at all, just whisk again to bring it back together.
- I add a small amount of Thai curry paste to this recipe for an extra kick — you can add more or less, depending on your taste. You can also add chili paste or red chili flakes for more heat. (Store bought or homemade curry paste is okay.)
Fresh Lemongrass Substitutions
If you can't find lemongrass, here are some ingredients that are good replacements:
- Lemon zest. Use the zest from 1 medium-large lemon to replace 2 stalks of Lemongrass (bottom white portion).
- Lemon verbena. Use approximately 3 lemon verbena leaves to replace 1 stalk of lemongrass (bottom white portion).
- Kaffiir lime leaves. Use approximately 2 leaves to replace 1 stalk of lemongrass (bottom white portion).
- Lemongrass paste (also called Kroeung). Use approximately 1 tablespoon to replace 1 stalk of lemongrass (bottom white portion).
You might also find jarred lemongrass, which would typically be used in approximately equal amounts.
Other Substitutions and Additions
- You can add all sorts of vegetables to this soup, or substitute some for others. Spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, and potatoes are great with the ginger lemongrass broth.
- For a heartier meal, add tofu, noodles or rice.
- This ginger lemongrass soup recipe is vegan, but if that's not important to you, you can certainly add chicken, meat or seafood if desired. (It’s delicious with shrimp.)
Can you make it ahead?
This soup is equally as delicious the next day — if not more so. If it's refrigerated in a tightly sealed container, it should be good for at least four days.
It can be frozen for up to a month (in a tightly sealed container).
I hope you love every last spoonful!
More soothing soup recipes:
- Coconut Spiced Carrot Soup
- Gai Lan Soup Recipe with Egg
- Kimchi Ramen Recipe with Egg
- Kotosoupa Avgolemono (Greek Chicken Lemon Soup)
Ginger Lemongrass Soup with Coconut Milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 stalks lemongrass
- ½ cup roughly chopped fresh ginger, peeled
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons smashed garlic cloves (about 3)
- 1½ cups coconut milk (preferably not light)
- 2 cups Mung bean sprouts, washed and dried
- 1½ cups sliced red bell pepper,
- 1½ cups cups thinly sliced carrots, peeled (matchstick-sized)
- ¾ cup thinly sliced scallions,
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves,
- ½ cup loosely packed small basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon (or to taste) curry paste (red or yellow) if desired for a kick
- salt, pepper and sugar to taste
Instructions
- Prep lemongrass. Cut off the dark green portions of the lemongrass stalks and discard them. It’s the bottom lighter, 3 or 4 inches you want to use. Use your fingers to gently split, and then pull away the outer stiff layer of the lemongrass. It should come off in one piece. (Sometimes it’s necessary to take off a second layer — to get to the softest portion of the lemongrass.) Use a meat mallet to firmly, but gently, smash the remaining lemongrass. (If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use the bottom of a small sauté pan.) *Here's a photographic guide that shows you how to prep the lemongrass step-by-step .
- Infuse. Add the lemongrass, ginger and garlic to a large pot (about 4 quart). Pour the coconut milk and stock on top and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 45 minutes. Then turn off the heat, keep the pot covered, and let the ingredients infuse for another 45 minutes.
- Strain. Strain the liquid over a large bowl, discard the lemongrass, ginger and garlic. Pour the broth back into the pot.
- Add and cook vegetables. Add all of the vegetables, cover and simmer until they’re tender, about 15 minutes.
- Season and serve. Add the lime juice, cilantro, basil and curry paste (if desired). Then season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. (Here's How to Season to Taste.) Serve!
Notes
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angiesrecipes
I would eat this soup even when it's HOT outside. Seriously, the flavour is amazing and the ingredients are so fresh. Just fantastic!
valentina
Thank you, Angie. Any weather is soup weather sometimes. 😉 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
This surely does sound comforting. I love the combination of ginger, garlic, and coconut milk!
valentina
Thanks, Jeff! Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
David
What great combinations of flavors! I can imagine spooning this down as we’re sitting by the fire…By the way, made your tofu and broccoli last night with the sesame-honey-soy-sambal oelek (you use sriracha) glaze — so good!
valentina
Hi David! Oh it makes me so happy you made the tofu-broccoli recipe. Coincidentally, I made it this past week too. Thank you for sharing. 🙂 ~Valentina
Christina
Delicious! I love that it's vegan, as well! Thanks for this great recipe, Valentina!
valentina
Thanks, Christina. Hope you try it and enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha
Love it ! Shall copy ! And in SE and S Asia such offerings are prepared at the hottest time of the year to make one cool !!! Like it that you do use meaningful amounts of ingredients like bean sprouts and coriander instead of the token bits many do . . . Have to laugh at myself - usually prepare all my own 'curry' spice mixtures bar those needed for Thai cooking - and yet I have attended Royal Thai cooking classes in Bangkok on more than one occasion . . . red definitely for me in this instance . . .
valentina
Thank you, Eha. Wow, how fantastic that you took cooking classes in Thailand! That has always been a dream of mine -- on my bucket list for sure. 🙂 I think red curry past is my favorite, although I love them all. Thanks for visiting, as always. ~Valentina
Chef Mimi
Fabulous. Thai flavors are incredible. I need to grow lemongrass again, because I can’t find it. I don’t like too much of it, which is why I typically reach for the red Thai cherry paste and not the green. Wish I had a bowl now!
valentina
Hi Mimi, and thank you. Very cool to grow your own lemongrass. I must see if it would grow well where I am. That would be fantastic. 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
This looks wonderful! Tons of flavor in this. TONS! 🙂
valentina
Indeed -- a whole lotta flavor! I hope you try it, John. Thanks! 🙂 ~Valentina
Cathy
That is my idea of the perfect comfort soup!
valentina
Thank you, Cathy. (Me too!) 🙂 Valentina
2pots2cook
So beautiful to eat after all those holidays treats ! Thank you so much !
valentina
Thank you, my friend! 🙂 Valentina
Ann Marie
If you can't find fresh lemongrass, would the jarred work? This is the ingredients -
Lemongrass, Water, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Preservative).
valentina
Hi Ann Marie. Thanks so much for writing in and asking this question -- I really appreciate it as it's a question many readers might have. I'm going to add a list of lemongrass substitutes to the post as a result. In the meantime . . . yes, I do think the jarred would work. While I haven't had experience with it, from what I've learned, it should be okay. Please let me know how it turns out. I hope you have a great weekend and thanks again. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ann Marie
Thank you so much for the quick reply! I can't wait to try this!! 🙂
Liz
Oh, how I love flavorful soups like this! Hot, creamy and delicious!! A perfect winter treat!
valentina
Thanks so much, Liz! 🙂 ~Valentina
Emily B
Wow. Made this for dinner tonight and the whole family devoured it. Kids age 2, 5, and 13, even! A really delicious recipe - thank you!
valentina
Hi Emily, Thanks so much for sharing this note. So happy you and your family loved it. Impressive palates on your kiddos! 🙂 ~Valentina