Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup Recipe

I’m excited to share my Coconut Dumpling Soup, a vibrant red curry broth with creamy coconut milk, bright vegetables, and soft dumplings that add the perfect finishing touch.

I can never resist a bowl of Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup. I love the way red curry paste and creamy coconut milk pair up, making the broth bold and a little sweet all at once.

The dumplings float like little surprises, each bite giving a chewy pop against the silky soup. Sometimes I over spice it, sometimes I tone it back, but it always keeps me curious enough to sneak another dumpling even when Im full.

It looks like something from a restaurant but you can make it at home without fuss. Soup Recipes Using Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• Red curry paste: spicy aromatic base.

  Adds heat umami little carbs mostly chilies and spices

• Coconut milk: rich and creamy it’s high in fat gives sweet roundness to broth
• Ground pork or chicken: main protein adds texture good source of B vitamins
• Lemongrass: citrusy perfume very low calorie adds bright acidic notes and freshness
• Fish sauce: salty umami punch brings savory depth and funk almost no calories
• Lime juice: bright acid cuts richness adds vitamin C and fresh tang
• Wonton wrappers: primarily carbs give chewy dumplings not much fiber
• Mushrooms: earthy low calorie some fiber and umami soak up curry flavors well

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced (optional)
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can 14 oz full fat coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice, plus wedges to serve
• 1 lb ground pork or ground chicken
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 30 wonton wrappers, store bought ok
• 8 oz raw shrimp, peeled and chopped, optional
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (shiitake or cremini)
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced or julienned
• 2 cups baby bok choy or spinach, roughly chopped
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves, optional
• 1 tbsp cornstarch, optional to firm filling
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 Thai bird chiles or serrano, sliced, optional

How to Make this

1. Make the filling: in a bowl mix 1 lb ground pork or chicken, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch if you want a firmer filling, 3 sliced scallions (reserve some for garnish), salt and pepper to taste, and if using chop the 8 oz raw shrimp and fold it in. Mix until tacky but don’t overwork it.

2. Assemble wontons: place a wonton wrapper on your palm, add about 1 teaspoon to
1.5 teaspoons of filling in the center, wet the edges with water and fold into triangles or little parcels, press to seal. Repeat until you’ve used the wrappers. Store finished dumplings on a floured tray so they don’t stick.

3. Start the soup base: heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat, add 2 tbsp red curry paste and fry for 30 seconds to bloom the flavors, then add 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp grated ginger and the thinly sliced white part of 1 stalk lemongrass if using, stir until fragrant.

4. Add liquids and seasonings: pour in 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth and 1 can (14 oz) full fat coconut milk, stir to combine. Add 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp brown or palm sugar, and 1 tbsp lime juice. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat so it’s not boiling hard.

5. Veggies go in: add 8 oz sliced mushrooms, 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper, and 1 medium thinly sliced or julienned carrot. Simmer until the veggies are just tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.

6. Cook the dumplings: carefully drop the wontons into the simmering soup in batches so they don’t clump. Cook until they float and are cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes for prepped dumplings, a bit longer if they’re frozen. If you didn’t put shrimp in the filling you can add chopped shrimp now and simmer until pink.

7. Finish greens and aromatics: stir in 2 cups baby bok choy or spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, more fish sauce or lime juice as needed.

8. Add final touches: stir in sliced scallions, 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves if using. If you like heat add 1 to 2 sliced Thai bird chiles or serrano.

9. Serve: ladle soup and dumplings into bowls, squeeze extra lime wedges over each bowl and sprinkle more herbs and scallions on top. Offer extra fish sauce, chili and lime at the table.

10. Tips and hacks: don’t boil the coconut milk hard it can separate, keep the soup at a gentle simmer. If you want extra depth fry a little extra curry paste until really aromatic before adding liquids. To save time freeze any unused wontons on a tray then bag them, they cook straight from frozen with a couple extra minutes.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl for the pork or chicken filling
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broths, coconut milk, sauces and lime juice
3. Chef’s knife for chopping shrimp, scallions, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and veg
4. Sturdy cutting board
5. Small bowl or ramekin of water or a pastry brush to wet wonton edges
6. Baking sheet dusted with flour or parchment to rest finished wontons so they dont stick
7. Large heavy pot for frying the curry paste and simmering the soup
8. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to bloom the paste and stir the soup
9. Ladle plus a slotted spoon or spider to drop, lift and serve wontons and soup

FAQ

Thai Red Curry Dumpling Soup Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Red curry paste: Panang or massaman paste (if you want milder, slightly sweeter notes); 1 part sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce + 1 part curry powder (quick pantry fix); store-bought Thai curry powder mixed with a little garlic + grated ginger (if you don’t have paste).
• Full fat coconut milk: coconut cream diluted with water (1:1) to match consistency; light coconut milk (for fewer calories); cashew cream (blend soaked cashews + water) for a richer but less coconutty alternative.
• Fish sauce: soy sauce + a squeeze of lime and tiny pinch of sugar (vegan-ish swap to mimic salty-umami); tamari (gluten-free, less briny); mushroom soy or vegan “fish” sauce (if you want the sea-ish umami without anchovy).
• Wonton wrappers: gyoza/dumpling wrappers (same idea, slightly thicker); egg roll wrappers cut into squares and sealed well; small store-bought ravioli or tortellini (not Thai, but works if you just want dumplings in soup).

Pro Tips

– Bloom the curry paste longer than you think. Fry it in the oil until it actually smells spicy and deep, about 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly. If it starts to brown or stick, turn the heat down. That little bit of browning makes the soup taste way more rounded.

– Keep the filling cool and don’t overwork it. Mix until tacky but stop before it gets rubbery. If you want firmer wontons add a tablespoon of cornstarch and chill the mixture 10 to 15 minutes before wrapping. Chilled filling holds together better and is way easier to handle.

– Never let the coconut milk boil hard. A rolling boil can make it split and get grainy. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, stir occasionally, and save the lime juice and fresh herbs for the end so the flavors stay bright.

– Make extra wontons and freeze them on a tray before bagging. They cook straight from frozen, just give them 2 or 3 extra minutes in the simmering soup. Dust the tray with a little cornstarch or flour so they don’t stick, you’ll thank me later.