I’m absolutely enamored with the bright, fresh flavors found in Thai food. Tangy noodles, creamy coconut-milk curries, everything finished with a bit of cilantro and a squeeze of lime—I eat it often, and I eat it gladly (gotta check out Panang if you’re in OKC). 

In his book “The Principles of Thai Cookery,” famed Thai Chef McDang characterises Thai food as demonstrating "intricacy; attention to detail; texture; color; taste; and the use of ingredients with medicinal benefits, as well as good flavor, as well as care being given to the food's appearance, smell and context.” I think all of that aptly characterizes this Thai Curry Noodle Soup, which is loaded with ginger (known for its anti-inflammatory properties), garlic (boosts immunity), Thai red curry paste (spicy foods can speed up metabolism) and is topped with beautiful, colorful veggies.

The broth is really the most important part of this soup; otherwise, feel free to mix in veggies that suit your personal tastes. The sweet potatoes add some heft to an otherwise pretty light soup, which I enjoy. Other vegetables that might be good in this include snow peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts or even broccoli. I’ve made this recipe twice now and both times stuck with what you see below, but I would love to branch out next time! Serve this Thai Curry Noodle Soup with some crispy naan bread for dipping if you want, too—I think naan makes this meal extra satisfying.

Side note: if you love this meal, be sure to check out my recipe for Thai Curry Naan Pizza!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 T. grapeseed oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 T. freshly grated ginger

• 3 T. Thai red curry paste

• 1 sweet potato, peeled & cut into chunks

• 1 bunch baby bok choy, cleaned & cut

• 4 c. vegetable broth

• 13 oz. can lite coconut milk

• 2 T. Korean black bean paste

• 2 T. brown sugar

• 1 T. soy sauce

• 3.5 oz. vermicelli noodles

• Lime wedges, cilantro, sriracha and red & green onions for garnishing

STEPS

1) Start with the veggies. Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, slice the red onion, chop the green onions, cut the limes into wedges and peel and slice the sweet potato into cubes. Thoroughly wash the bok choy and cut into strips, separating the stalks from the green ends.

2) Add the grapeseed oil to a large pot over medium-high heat and allow to get hot. Add in the garlic, ginger and Thai red curry paste. Sauté for a couple of minutes.

3) Add the sweet potato and bok choy stalks to the pot (save the green parts for later). Pour in the vegetable broth and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

4) While the main pot is boiling, cook the vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

4) In a bowl, mix together the black bean paste, brown sugar and soy sauce. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, add the contents of this bowl to the pot, along with the coconut milk. Stir to combine, then add the bok choy greens to the pot and allow them to wilt.

5) To serve, add some noodles to each bowl and top with a couple ladles-full of the soup. Garnish with cilantro, green & red onions, lime wedges and sriracha. Serve with naan for dipping if desired!