Homemade Tom Yum Paste

Name: Homemade Tom Yum Paste
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 2–3 dried frozen Thai chilies, thawed and chopped; 1 fresh jalapeño, seeded and chopped; 1 oz (about 3 tbsp) lemongrass, chopped; 1 oz (about 3 tbsp) ginger; 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 1/3 cup shallots, chopped; 5 tbsp fish sauce; 3 tbsp white sugar; 2/3 cup neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, or vegetable); 5 tbsp tamarind paste; 1 tsp salt

A spicy, sour and deeply aromatic homemade Tom Yum paste made with lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots, chilies and tamarind. Keep it in the refrigerator or freezer to quickly add bold flavor to soups and other meals.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 8 min

Servings:

Easy

Measurements

Homemade Tom Yum paste in a small bowl surrounded by fresh aromatics

Ingredients

Aromatics & Paste

Related Recipes

Slow Cooker Tamarind-Lemon Tom Yum

A bright, spicy and deeply savory slow-cooker Tom Yum with lemongrass, tamarind, mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh herbs. Choose your preferred protein and the recipe will automatically adjust the ingredients and cooking instructions.

Kitchen Converter

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Nutrition Facts

Per serving

Calories35

Protein1g

Carbs4g

Fat2g

Fiber0g

Sugar3g

Sodium520mg

Macro Breakdown

Protein1g

Carbs4g

Fat2g

Great Fit For

Meal Prep

Addiction Recovery

Healthy Recipes

Gluten-Free

Dairy-Free

Nut-Free

Cooking Timer

10:00

Minutes

Seconds

Instructions

1
Char the aromatics: Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the shallots, garlic, jalapeño, and Thai chilies for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant and slightly blackened.
2
Blend: Transfer the charred ingredients to a food processor or blender. Add the lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, and salt. Process until a thick, coarse paste forms.
3
Fry the paste: Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the blended paste and fry, stirring frequently, for approximately 5–8 minutes. The paste should darken and the oil may begin separating from the mixture.
4
Cool and store: Allow the paste to cool completely before transferring it to a clean airtight container. Store refrigerated for up to approximately two weeks, or freeze in individual portions for longer storage.

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Ingredient Substitutions

fish sauce→vegetarian fish sauce alternative or soy sauce + umami seasoning(Use a vegetarian fish sauce alternative (or a mix of soy sauce with a pinch of dried mushroom powder) to make this paste vegetarian or vegan.)

neutral oil→coconut oil(Coconut oil adds a faint tropical note and works well for storage.)

Tips

•For a vegetarian or vegan version, swap the fish sauce for a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative, or a mix of soy sauce with a pinch of dried mushroom umami powder. The recipe is automatically labeled vegetarian only when a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative is used.
•Freeze the paste in ice-cube trays so each cube is one quick-start portion of single-serving soup base.
•Char aromatics close to but not fully blackened — gentle charring adds depth; fully burnt aromatics turn bitter.

FAQ

Is this recipe vegetarian?

No — traditional fish sauce makes this paste non-vegetarian. To make it vegetarian or vegan, swap the fish sauce for a vegetarian fish sauce alternative or a savory soy-based substitute.