Khao soi is a northern Thai soup filled with bouncy egg noodles drowned in a rich, hearty coconut curry broth.

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With this recent winter being fairly mild compared to previous seasons, I think the chilly-ish weather still calls for a good ol’ bowl of soup.

Enter khao soi, a northern Thai soup filled with bouncy egg noodles drowned in a rich, hearty coconut curry broth.

What is Khao Soi?

Khao soi consists of Thai curry soup, noodles, and a selection of toppings/condiments which include a crown of crispy fried noodles. Proteins, mainly chicken or beef, are also added into the mix.

While there are significant variations of khao soi that can change from region to region, the most common overlaps you’ll see in those variants include that similar coconut-based curry broth, egg noodles, and various toppings.

Khao soi hails from Northern Thailand, thought to have evolved as a result of Muslim traders from the Yunnan region. This is what makes khao soi uniquely distinct, as the Muslim-Chinese spice trade likely influenced the dish to include black cardamom and sometimes soy sauce into the broth.

Apart from the curry, I find that the charm of this soup really lies within its textural elements. I’m a sucker for anything crispy, so apart from the crunchy noodles we put on top, I always like to fry a little extra on the side to munch on while I’m eating.

You also get a nice crunch from the bits of shallots and pickled mustard greens as well, which brightens up the whole dish and keeps you coming back for more…

Khao Soi Paste?

You can purchase khao soi paste in very niche Asian/SEA markets or via Amazon. There is also a khao soi seasoning mix, but this is in powdered form (NOT a paste).

*Note that I have not tried any of these yet, but one of my audiences informed me of the alternatives!

While most recipes will call for red/yellow curry paste as a convenient substitute, this may not exactly be the most authentic khao soi in that case.

What makes this paste distinct from all other curry pastes is its addition of black cardamom and turmeric, giving the soup a unique smoky, leathery taste (weird description, I know, but it tastes better than it sounds) and that bright orange-yellow color.

There are three routes you can go from here, either:

Make the paste from scratch (see below for recipe),
Use store-bought khao soi paste, or
Use store-bought red curry paste for conveniency. If taking this route, I’d add about a teaspoon of turmeric powder into the soup to emulate a similar color that you’d achieve from a khao soi paste. Note that this method would essentially just create a red curry-type soup, and not authentically a khao soi. In a pinch though, I think it tastes pretty good.

Ingredient Notes

Store-bought curry Paste: Re-iterating from above, using red curry paste is a convenient substitute to make khao soi at home if you don’t want to make your own paste, BUT it is important to watch its salt content.

*Commercial curry pastes tend to come pre-salted as a preservative, so I’d start with about a teaspoon of fish sauce and soy sauce and adjust later if necessary to avoid making your broth too salty. I cover more about red curry pastes here.

Chicken: The protein component of our Khao Soi. While chicken thigh and legs are king for this recipe (due to their tenderness and high fat content), feel free to substitute it with other parts of the chicken, such as chicken breast or wings.

Fresh Egg Noodles: You’ll most likely find these in your local Chinese supermarket, commonly labeled as “wonton noodles”. There might be varieties in cuts, so be sure to go for the flat kind. They also tend to expand a lot when frying, hence why a wok or a wide pan would be ideal when prepping these.

Coconut milk: Be sure to use good quality coconut milk (e.g., Aroy-D) to provide perfect the richness to our soup.

Chicken stock: Chicken stock gives a great savory body to our soup. Feel free to use any kind of stock you have available, such as mushroom, vegetable, or even beef.

Fish sauce: This will help in boosting the umami flavors in our Khao Soi. If using store-bought curry pastes (which already come naturally salty), you may need to use less of this.

Soy sauce: Similar to fish sauce, this will also enhance all the umami notes in our dish. Use less soy sauce if going with store-bought curry pastes.

Palm sugar: This is a common sugar used in many parts of Southeast Asia. It originates from the sap of palm trees, which not only gives the soup a mellow sweetness, but it also balances out all those salty and savory flavors.

Pickled mustard greens: These can also be found in most Chinese/Asian markets. They’re sold vacuum-sealed in clear plastic bags and adds an acidic, tangy crunch to the soup.

Instructions

Prepare the fried egg noodles:

Cut the egg noodles to about 5 inches in length.

Heat your frying oil to 350 F, then briefly fry a small handful of the egg noodles until golden and crispy (be sure to flip the noodles for even browning).

Drain the noodles and let cool on a wire rack. Set aside for later.

Prepare the khao soi:

In a pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and saute the Khao Soi paste over medium heat for about 30 seconds.

Add the chicken and stir to coat in the paste. Pour in the coconut milk, chicken stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, and palm sugar.

Bring to a boil, then let simmer with a lid for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through and fork-tender.

Taste the broth and adjust accordingly. Add more water or coconut milk if necessary to reach desired consistency, and/or season with more fish sauce and sugar to reach desired taste.

Ladle the broth over your boiled and drained egg noodles. Top with cilantro, green onions, and the fried egg noodles. Serve immediately along with the condiments (lime, shallots, pickled mustard greens, and chili crisps) on the side. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Adjust the soup to your preference: While I curated this recipe to replicate my experiences with Khao Soi in various restaurants, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had a different taste palates. Follow the recipe as you see fit, but you can always add more or less of something in the soup to meet your desired tastes.

For example, If you prefer your Khao Soi to not overly be rich and creamy, you can reduce the amount of coconut milk and simply replace it with some kind of stock to thin-out the soup.

You can meal prep Khao Soi: You can store the soup for up to 7 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Keep it separate from all your other ingredients as to prevent the toppings and noodles from getting soggy. If meal prepping, be sure to also fry your noodles in advance and chop up all your toppings for ease of plating.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I use proteins other than chicken?

You definitely can! Feel free to use any kind of meat or protein that can be braised, such as beef and/or pork.

If you prefer seafood, you may also try using shrimp, though the cooking time for these will be much shorter to prevent overcooking.

How do I make this vegan?

To make this Khao Soi vegan, replace the chicken stock with vegetable or any other plant-based stock.

For the fish sauce, you may use either a vegan fish sauce or replace it with standard Kosher salt (add 1/4 tsp at a time and taste as you go).

For the chicken thigh and legs, feel free to use other protein substitutes, such as mushrooms or tofu.

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