Coconut Curry Chick’n Soup – Vegan
Vegan coconut curry chick’n soup is a Thai-inspired one-pot soup built on a base of coconut milk and red curry paste, with meaty soy protein cubes, shiitake mushrooms, and crisp veggies simmered in fragrant vegetable stock. It comes together in about half an hour, needs no fancy technique, and delivers big, warming flavor — perfect for a weeknight when you want something comforting without the takeaway wait.
Heh, I have an excellent idea for a weekday dinner that doesn’t require a lot of effort or an endless list of complicated ingredients. And not just any soup, my friends. Just think about it: green onions, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, soy sauce, curry paste, cilantro… I’m already drooling, I swear! For the toppings I chose soy cubes, shiitake mushrooms, and red bell peppers, and I think they make an incredible combo that’s very hard to compete with.
The first time I tried this recipe, I was a bit unsure if my family would love it as much as I do. Turns out everyone asked for seconds, so I can say it was a real success. Even non-vegans will love it, I’m sure of that, as the flavored soy cubes perfectly compensate for the lack of meat.
What you’ll need for this coconut curry soup
Every ingredient here earns its place, so let me walk you through the ones worth knowing about before you start:
- Textured soy protein cubes are the “chick’n” in the bowl. Once they soak up the curry broth they turn tender and savory, which is exactly why they stand in so well for meat. If you’re curious how they fit into a balanced plate, I break it down in my guide to proteins in the vegan diet.
- Red curry paste carries most of the heat and depth. One important note: many supermarket brands hide shrimp paste or fish sauce in the mix, so check the label and pick a certified vegan paste to keep this soup fully plant-based.
- Coconut milk gives the soup its silky, rich body. Reach for full-fat canned coconut milk rather than the thin carton kind. If you cook with it often, you’ll find plenty more ideas among my vegan recipes with coconut milk.
- Fresh aromatics — garlic, ginger, and lemongrass — are what make the broth taste restaurant-worthy. Use them fresh whenever you can; their fragrance is what dried versions can’t match.
- Shiitake, red bell pepper, and zucchini add texture, color, and a little bite. The shiitake in particular bring a deep, savory note that rounds everything out.
How to build the flavor step by step
The order of operations is what makes this soup sing. Start by sauteing the red pepper and mushrooms in coconut oil for a few minutes, then add the ginger, garlic, and curry paste and cook them for another three minutes before any liquid goes in. That short fry is the step people skip, and it matters: heating the curry paste in fat blooms its spices and releases the fat-soluble aromatics, so the whole pot tastes deeper and less raw.
From there, pour in the vegetable stock along with the soy cubes, green onion, lemongrass, lemon juice, tamari, and coconut milk. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, adding the zucchini halfway through so it stays tender instead of turning to mush. Keeping the simmer low and slow also protects the coconut milk from splitting. Season with salt to taste at the very end, and finish each bowl with fresh cilantro.
The hands-off crockpot version
Ah, before I forget: if you’re really short on time or you simply HATE cooking, here’s a workaround for you. Just throw the ingredients in a crockpot while you’re out doing your chores or working from home, and your dinner will be ready with practically no effort. You lose the extra depth that comes from sauteing the paste first, so if you have two spare minutes, bloom the curry paste in a little coconut oil before it all goes into the slow cooker. Add the zucchini toward the end of the cook time so it doesn’t overcook.
Easy swaps and add-ins
- Dial the heat up or down by adjusting how much red curry paste you use. Start with a little; you can always stir in more.
- No lemongrass? A strip of lemon or lime zest gives a similar citrusy lift, and the lemon juice already in the recipe keeps things bright.
- Swap the veggies for what you have on hand. Baby corn, snap peas, or spinach all slot in nicely without changing the character of the soup.
- Tamari vs. soy sauce is your call. Tamari keeps it gluten-free; regular soy sauce works just as well for flavor.
What to serve with coconut curry chick’n soup
This soup is filling enough to stand on its own, but it loves a side of noodles or rice to soak up all that curried broth. A bowl of vegan garlic noodles alongside makes it a proper feast. And if you fall for this style of cooking the way I have, dig into my whole collection of Asian soup recipes or the earthy, cozy mixed mushroom soup for your next bowl.
How to store and reheat leftovers
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days, and the flavor actually deepens overnight as the soy cubes drink up more of the broth. The coconut milk will thicken as it chills, so reheat gently over low heat and loosen with a splash of stock or water if needed — avoid a hard boil so the coconut milk stays smooth. I don’t love freezing this one, since coconut-based broths can turn slightly grainy once thawed, so it’s best made fresh or kept in the fridge. Craving more like it? My pumpkin curry and the rest of my coconut milk recipes are a good place to look next.
If you simmer up a pot of this coconut curry chick’n soup, I’d love to know how it turned out — did your soy cubes win over the non-vegans at your table too? Give the recipe a star rating below and drop a comment with any swaps you tried. It always makes my day to read them.
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Coconut Curry Chick’n Soup – Vegan
Ingredients
- 30 g textured soy protein cubes
- 1-2 shiitake mushrooms sliced
- ½ red bell pepper sliced
- 1 Tbsp green onion sliced
- ½ zucchini sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1 tsp lemongrass chopped
- ½ Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp red curry paste
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 Tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 L vegetable stock or water
- 400 ml coconut milk
- Salt
Instructions
- In a pot, add the coconut oil, red pepper, and mushrooms and sautee for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and curry paste, stir and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the veggie stock, soy cubes, green onion, lemongrass, lemon juice, tamari/soy sauce, and coconut milk.
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, adding the zucchini half-way through.
- Season with salt to taste. Serve with fresh cilantro.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Every ingredient in the recipe is plant-based, from the textured soy protein cubes to the coconut milk and vegetable stock. The one thing to double-check is your red curry paste, since some brands include shrimp paste or fish sauce. Pick a certified vegan paste and the whole soup stays fully plant-based.
They’re textured soy protein cubes, a dry soy product that rehydrates as it simmers in the broth. Once they soak up the curry stock they turn tender and savory, which is why they stand in so convincingly for meat. They also add plant protein to the bowl.
Absolutely. Add all the ingredients to a crockpot and let it cook while you’re out or working from home. For the best flavor, take two minutes to bloom the red curry paste in a little coconut oil first, and add the zucchini toward the end so it doesn’t overcook.
Red curry paste gives this soup its signature heat and depth, so it’s the star ingredient. If you only have green or yellow curry paste, either will work with a slightly different flavor profile. Start with a small amount and add more to taste, since heat levels vary a lot between brands.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days; the flavor actually deepens overnight. The coconut milk thickens as it chills, so reheat gently over low heat and loosen with a splash of stock or water. Avoid a hard boil so the coconut milk stays smooth rather than splitting.
The heat comes entirely from the red curry paste, so you’re in full control. Use less paste for a mild, aromatic broth or more for a fiery bowl. Because brands differ so much in strength, it’s smart to start conservative and adjust at the end.
Marvellous soup! But, because soy is not healthy, I prefer mushrooms (portobello, pleurotus…)
Glad you liked it! Soy is very nutritious and high in proteins but it is best to use only non-GMO soy products. The ones I use are non-GMO.
SO easy and delicious, I love it! 🙂