Discover ways to make comforting Khao Tom in simply 20 minutes! Made with easy-to-find substances, this basic Thai rice soup seems like an elevated model of the a lot beloved rooster and noodle soup.

I prefer to make myself a bowl of Khao Tom soup at any time when I’ve day-old rice and wish one thing aside from fried rice. It’s fast, tasty, and hits the spot after I’m craving conventional Southeast Asian flavors.
Though it’s generally eaten for breakfast in Thailand, this soup is simply pretty much as good for lunch, dinner, or anytime you need a straightforward, nourishing meal that gained’t weigh you down. It’s savory and delicate and in addition very versatile. Whereas my model of Khao Tom accommodates fish balls, it will also be made with tofu, rooster, and different proteins.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Prepared in about 20 minutes
- Nice use for leftover rice
- Comforting and straightforward to digest
- Customizable with totally different proteins


What’s Khao Tom?
Khao Tom is a standard Thai rice soup made by simmering day-old rice in broth till the grains are tender and aromatic. It’s someplace between a rice soup and a congee.
It’s sometimes flavored with garlic, fish sauce, and a contact of sugar, then topped with recent cilantro, inexperienced onions, and white or black pepper. Protein choices fluctuate and may embrace fish balls, floor rooster, shrimp, or pork.


Khao Tom Substances
- Aromatics: The garlic and celery construct the bottom of this soup by infusing it with gentle, clear, and barely candy flavors. Collectively, they create a fragile basis that enhances the rice and broth as a substitute of competing with them. That is why Khao Tom tastes soothing and balanced moderately than intensely spiced.
- Broth: A mixture of rooster broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, provides the soup its basic Thai style.
- Protein: Fish balls are generally used and preserve the soup on the lighter aspect, whereas floor rooster makes it extra filling.
- Toppings: Coriander leaves and stems add freshness and a pleasant herbaceous style, whereas the inexperienced onions add sharpness and a pleasant crunch.


Find out how to Make Khao Tom
- Prepare dinner the garlic and celery: Begin by warming the oil in a medium pot over medium-high warmth. As soon as it’s scorching, add the garlic and celery and allow them to cook dinner till aromatic. You’re not searching for colour right here — simply sufficient warmth to melt the celery and launch the aroma of the garlic.
- Add the substances for the broth: Pour within the rooster broth, adopted by the fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Give all the things a very good stir and convey the soup to a delicate boil.
- Add the rice and let simmer: Add the cooked rice and decrease the warmth. Let the soup simmer for a couple of minutes so the rice can soak up among the broth. The objective is a light-weight, soupy consistency, not a thick porridge.
- Add the protein: As soon as the rice has softened, add the fish balls. Preserve the soup at a gentle simmer till the fish balls are absolutely cooked.
- Serve: Flip off the warmth and ladle the soup into bowls. End with loads of chopped cilantro, inexperienced onions, and a beneficiant pinch of floor pepper proper earlier than serving.


Cooking Ideas
Coriander stems: Whereas many people are likely to solely use the leaves of coriander, the stems are additionally very fragrant and infrequently utilized in conventional Thai cooking.
Make it vegan: Use vegetable broth as a substitute of rooster broth, soy sauce as a substitute of fish sauce, and tofu as a substitute of fish balls.
Add recent ginger: A thumb dimension quantity of grated ginger provides heat and somewhat warmth. It’s additionally nice for those who’re feeling beneath the climate.
Make it spicy: Use toppings comparable to freshly chopped Thai chilis, a touch of chili oil or chili paste, or a squirt of sriracha sauce.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Retailer the leftovers in an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 2 days.
Reheat: Switch the leftover soup to a pot and reheat on low. You might want so as to add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened and is trying like congee.


Incessantly Requested Questions
No. Khao Tom is gentle and clear, with rice grains nonetheless intact. Congee alternatively is cooked till the grains are mushy and the soup is cloudy and porridge-like.
Jasmine rice is essentially the most conventional selection due to its aroma and tender texture, however long-grain white rice additionally works nicely. Brown rice can be utilized, although it can have a barely firmer chew and gained’t be as aromatic.
Freezing isn’t very best as a result of the rice modifications texture as soon as thawed. If you happen to plan to freeze it, freeze the broth and protein individually and add the day-old rice when reheating.


What To Serve With Khao Tom
Khao Tom pairs nicely with easy sides comparable to vegetable egg rolls and edamame with soy and sesame sauce. Topping the soup with some pickled greens add some tanginess and makes the flavors soar.
If you’re searching for one thing extra filling, I recommend making a full Thai unfold and serving it with standard dishes comparable to Thai basil rooster, pad thai, or panang curry.
Did you want this soup? Are there modifications you made that you simply wish to share? Share your ideas and proposals within the feedback part under!
Description
A lightweight, comforting Thai rice soup that solely takes 20 minutes to make from begin to end.
Tip: You can even used freshly cooked rice however day-old rice works higher in maintaining the soup from turning mushy.
- Begin with the aromatics. In a medium dimension pot over medium excessive warmth, add the oil and swirl it round to coat the underside floor. When the oil is scorching, add the garlic and celery and cook dinner for two minutes, till the celery has begun to melt.
- Season the broth. Add the rooster broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar, and stir.
- Boil the soup. Add the rice and convey the soup to a boil. Decrease the warmth and simmer for five minutes.
- Prepare dinner the fish balls. Add the fish balls and cook dinner for 7 minutes.
- Garnish and serve. Flip the warmth off and ladle the soup into bowls. Prime with cilantro and inexperienced onions and serve with floor white pepper.
Notes
Storage: Save the leftovers in an hermetic storage container and refrigerate for as much as 2 days.
Diet
- Serving Dimension: 1 serving
- Energy: 468
- Sugar: 3.1g
- Sodium: 1096mg
- Fats: 18.6g
- Saturated Fats: 6.5g
- Unsaturated Fats: 0.8g
- Trans Fats: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50.5g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 23g
- Ldl cholesterol: 0mg

