Homemade Tom Yum Paste (Authentic + Easy Ingredient Swaps)

Learn how to make homemade Tom Yum Paste in under 20 minutes! This easy, freezer-friendly recipe packs in all the bold, hot-and-sour flavors of Thai Tom Yum, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chilies, without the additives you’ll find in store-bought pastes. Perfect for quick Tom Yum Soup, fried rice, noodles, or even as a marinade.

Looking for other homemade Thai curry paste recipes? Check out my Massaman Curry Paste Recipe and use it to make not spicy Thai chicken curry or my Panang Curry Paste recipe if you like spicy Thai curries!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• A Thai cooking class instructor (aka me, Sherri! :)) will be teaching you step-by-step all my top Thai cooking secrets in this recipe!
• Makes quick weeknight dinners so much easier! Just make the Tom Yum paste ahead of time, and it’s ready to go to make a quick weeknight Tom Yum Fried Rice that’s some of the most flavor-packed fried rice you’ll ever have, or Tom Yum Pasta, which feels like an elevated dish, but is so easy, or Tom Yum Soup Noodles, which is my favorite weeknight cozy soup!
• Even better than store bought Tom Yum Paste because it doesn’t contain additives, and you can make it to your personal taste!

What is Tom Yum Paste?

Tom Yum or Tom Yam,  ต้มยำ, translated to English, Tom, means boiled, and Yum means mixed. Yum can also refer to the spicy Thai salad, which has similar sour, spicy flavors to Tom Yum soup. 

Tom Yum is a family of hot and sour soups in Thailand that usually has ingredients like galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, Thai chilies and a Thai chili paste. 

Tom Yum paste is made by breaking down all those ingredients and instead of adding the whole ingredients to the soup, adding the paste. 

In Thailand, pastes are the base for flavor packed dishes like curries, but Thais also like to make pastes like Tom Yum to make dishes like Shrimp Tom Yum soup and Tom Yum Fried Rice easier than chopping up all the herbs and then adding them. 

Tom Yum Paste Ingredient Notes

If you don’t have some of these ingredients, no worries! Look below in my Tom Yum Paste Ingredient Substitution list and I’ve listed ingredient swaps. 

• 3–7 or more dried Thai chili peppers (de-seeded): Add fruity, earthy heat to the paste. Use 3 for mild, 7 or more for spicy-hot.
• 3 Dried Guajillo chilies (de-seeded): Mildly sweet, fruity, and smoky, mostly for that gorgeous red color.
• 4 lemongrass stalks (minced): has a mild citrus flavor with hints of ginger and cooling mint. The lemony smell always reminds me of Fruit Loops for some reason! Love it! Lemongrass is packed with antioxidants, and has many other health benefits.
• 1 tbsp galangal (minced):  adds a spicy, peppery, citrusy, piney, earthy flavor with a touch of heat. Plus it helps protect against inflammation and pain, and has many other health benefits!.
• 2 shallots (minced): Bring a sharp, sweet onion flavor that balances the sourness.
• 2 tbsp garlic (minced): Adds savory depth and richness.
• 1 tbsp cilantro stems (minced): More flavorful than the leaves, adding a clean, herby brightness.
• 6 Kaffir lime leaves (minced): Provide a spiced-citrus fragrance — zestier than a bay leaf.
• 1 tsp White pepper powder: White pepper powder is used more often in Thai cooking than black pepper. More pungent and spicy than black pepper, and it dissolves easily.
• 1 tsp coriander seeds: Brings a bright, citrusy, peppery note that complements lemongrass.
• 4 tbsp Tamarind paste: The tangy, sweet-sour heart of Tom Yum flavor, my cooking class kids say it tastes like a Sour Patch Kid!
• 1 lime (zested + juiced): Adds an extra hit of fresh citrus that lifts the whole paste.
• 2 tsp Shrimp paste: Salty, funky umami powerhouse — sub miso paste for vegetarian/vegan.
• 1 tbsp Fish sauce: My magical ingredient for deep umami flavor — don’t worry, the smell disappears when cooked!
• 2 tbsp Palm sugar: Adds a subtle caramel sweetness with hints of maple to balance the sour and spicy.
• 1 tsp salt: Helps break down the chilies and enhances all the other flavors.

Tom Yum Paste Ingredient Substitutions

• Shrimp paste substitute: if you are vegetarian or vegan, or just can’t find shrimp paste, you can substitute the shrimp paste for the same amount of miso, or just leave it out. 
• Dried red Thai chili peppers substitute:  Fresh or dried cayenne peppers or serrano chiles. They aren’t as spicy, so feel free to add more than the amount you would have added of Thai chili peppers if you still want it spicy.
• Dried Guajillo chilies substitute: The same amount of Dried Ancho chile or the Pasilla Negro chile. In Thailand they use dried Thai Spur chilies, but I have trouble finding them in America.
• Lemongrass substitute: 1 tsp. lemon or lime zest for each stalk. 
• Galangal substitute: There really isn’t another herb that comes close enough to the flavor profile of galangal to substitute. Just leave it out if you can’t find it.
• Shallot substitute: ½ of a small red onion.
• Kaffir lime leaf substitute: ½ tsp lime zest for 1 leaf
• Palm Sugar substitute: the same amount of brown sugar.

How to make Tom Yum Paste: Step by Step

1. Prep the Chilies

Cut 3–7 dried Thai red chilies (depending on spice preference) and 3 dried Guajillo chilies in half and remove seeds (wear gloves if you’re sensitive).

Soak the Thai chilies and Guajillo chilies in hot water for about 10 minutes, or until softened.

Drain, reserving the soaking water to use later when blending if needed.

2. Choose Your Method

Immersion Blender Method (Recommended)

1. Add the softened chilies and all remaining ingredients to an immersion blender cup or deep bowl.
2. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.
3. If needed, add 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved chili soaking water to help the blades catch and make a smooth paste.

---

Food Processor or Mini Food Chopper Method

1. Add all ingredients to the food processor bowl.
2. Pulse a few times to break everything down, then blend continuously until a paste forms.
3. Add the reserved chili soaking water a tablespoon at a time as needed to help the mixture blend smoothly.

---

Mortar and Pestle Method (Traditional)

If you’d like to go the authentic route, use the mortar and pestle, which is my fav since it gets all those beautiful oils in it and puts your heart and soul into the paste, mince all ingredients very finely before starting.

1. Add the softened chilies and 1 tsp coarse sea salt to a large granite mortar and pestle. Pound until the chilies become a smooth paste.
2. Add lemongrass and galangal, pounding until incorporated.
3. Add shallots and garlic, pounding until smooth.
4. Add cilantro stems, kaffir lime leaves, coriander powder, and white pepper powder, pounding between each addition.
5. Finally, mix in tamarind paste, lime juice/zest, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar until fully combined.

---

3. How to Use

One of my favorite things about this paste is how versatile it is! Once you make a batch, you can keep it in the fridge or freezer and quickly add bold, hot-and-sour Tom Yum flavor to almost anything. Here’s how we use it most:

• Shrimp Tom Yum Soup or Chicken Tom Yum Soup: Add about 1/4-1/2 cup of the Tom Yum Paste for a quick, cozy bowl of Tom Yum if you aren’t up for chopping all the fresh herbs. Adjust to taste, we usually go a little extra when we want it really bold and tangy.
• Tom Yum Soup Noodles: Use this paste as the shortcut base for my Tom Yum Soup Noodles recipe. It gives you all the authentic Thai flavor with half the prep time, perfect for one bowl dinner weeknights.
• Tom Yum Fried Rice: This is how we use our paste most often on busy weeknights! Just stir in 2-4 tablespoons or more to your wok with leftover rice, shrimp or chicken, and veggies. Dinner’s done in minutes.
• Tom Yum Pasta: My fusion-loving side loves this one, toss it into noodles with coconut milk and shrimp for a creamy, spicy pasta.
• Tom Yum Chicken Wings: Toss your wings with a few spoonfuls of paste before baking for my Tom Yum Baked Chicken Wings, spicy, tangy, and finger-licking good!
• Soups & Stir-Fries: Add a spoonful to almost any stir-fry or broth-based soup when you want that signature Thai zing.

---

4. Storage

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays or small jars for up to 6 months. Thaw just what you need for easy weeknight cooking.
• Reheat Frozen Tom Yum Paste: If you used the ice cube trays you can just pop them out, and they will thaw quickly in a bowl on the counter, or you can defrost the paste in a microwave on a low (20% setting). 

---

Tom Yum Paste Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Finely Chop First: No matter which method you use, finely chop the lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and kaffir lime leaves first. This makes them much easier to break down into a smooth paste.
• Immersion Blender (Best for Busy Nights): I love using my immersion blender for Tom Yum Paste because you don’t need to add extra water to help it blend (like you usually do with a food processor). The paste stays thick, concentrated, and perfect for freezing — plus cleanup is quick and easy.
• Food Processor or Mini Chopper: If you don’t have an immersion blender, a mini chopper or small food processor works better than a large one. The smaller bowl helps catch all the ingredients so they blend evenly. Just add a little of the chili soaking water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach a paste consistency.
• Mortar and Pestle (My Favorite!): In Thailand, pastes like this are traditionally made with a large 9″ granite mortar and pestle. The heavy pestle releases the natural oils from the herbs, making the flavor even more intense. It also adds a certain heart and soul to the dish — you can feel the ingredients coming together as you pound, just like generations before you did.
  • If you only have a small mortar and pestle, work in batches for the best result.
  • Avoid wooden mortar and pestles for pastes — they’re better for lightly bruising herbs and aren’t heavy enough to fully break down tough ingredients like lemongrass or galangal.

Behind the Tom Yum Paste Recipe

I prefer to make Chicken Tom Yum Soup by chopping up all the fresh herbs and putting them in the soup, so typically I don’t use Tom Yum paste to make Tom Yum soup. 

Tom Yum is such a classic Thai dish, I like to take the time to chop the ingredients and see the herbs floating in the soup, and for us it just feels more like an authentic taste of our other homeland.

But I love Tom Yum paste! If you do want a quick Tom Yum Soup weeknight dinner you can make it by using:

• 2-3 tbsp of the paste per 1 cup of water, add more to taste

I use it the most when I want to give Tom Yum flavors to a quick, weeknight dish, like when making Tom Yum Fried Rice, Tom Yum Pasta, or Tom Yum Wings. 

• Just add a few tablespoons of the paste where you’d normally add the fresh Thai ingredients like lemongrass, galangal, Thai chilies and kaffir limes.

For all those dishes, you really need all the Tom Yum ingredients broken down, and not in their whole form, so the paste works perfectly for that!

Tom Yum Paste Frequently Asked Questions

Other Tom Yum Recipes You’ll Love

• Tom Yum Fried Rice
• Tom Yum Pasta
• Shrimp Tom Yum Soup
• Chicken Tom Yum Soup
• Tom Yum Soup Noodles

Take a pic of what you create and share it on Instagram with me @thaifoodie. I can’t wait to see it! 

Print

This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and I receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you using these links. I appreciate your support dear!