Vegan Laksa Soup

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This Vegan Laksa Soup is fast to make and packed with flavor. A restaurant-quality, plant-based take on Malaysian spicy coconut noodle soup. Made with easy to find ingredients. Ready in 35 minutes. Serve with tofu, noodles, and toppings galore! (Vegan, Gluten Free).

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 stalk finely grated lemongrass (white part only, see note 1)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger (or galangal)
½ cup Thai red curry paste (see note 2)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (14 fl oz / 398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon tamari (or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
1 package halved tofu puffs (about 5.6oz/160g package, see note 3)
7 oz dried vermicelli noodles (see note 4)
other toppings (bean sprouts, cilantro, crispy fried shallots, lime wedges, sambal oelek, see note 5)

Instructions

Cook aromatics: In a medium saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil over medium-low heat. Add 1 stalk finely grated lemongrass, 3 cloves minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon minced ginger. Cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add ½ cup Thai red curry paste, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon ground coriander. Stir well to coat, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.
Simmer: Pour in 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 (14 fl oz / 398 ml) can full-fat coconut milk, 1 tablespoon tamari, and 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Stir, then cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 package halved tofu puffs. Cover with lid and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed (see note 2).
Prepare noodles/toppings: Meanwhile, prepare 7 oz dried vermicelli noodles according to package directions. Assemble your other toppings (e.g. bean sprouts, cilantro, crispy fried shallots, lime wedges, sambal oelek, etc.).
Assemble: Divide prepared noodles into bowls. Ladle soup and tofu puffs over noodles. Add toppings, then enjoy!

Notes

Lemongrass: Peel the outer layer, then use only the white section (the bottom third of the stalk). Use a microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater to finely grate. Or use a food processor. Because the lemongrass is not being removed from the soup, you want it to be very finely grated. You can substitute 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste.
Thai Red Curry Paste: Not all are vegan. Brands like Aroy D, Maesri, and MaeJin don't use shrimp. Every brand tastes a bit different, so make adjustments as needed. Thai Kitchen curry paste is notoriously mild, so you may need 1.5x the quantity (or more) to match the intensity of the more traditional brands listed above.
Tofu Puffs: These fried tofu squares are fully cooked, but you want them to simmer in the broth to soak some of it up. They're usually 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes, so cut in half before using. You can find fried tofu puffs in Asian grocery stores. Often sold in clear packages, in the refrigerated section (but sometimes frozen).
Noodles: You could swap another type of noodle if you prefer. Laksa soup is also often served with Hokkien Noodles, but these typically contain egg (not vegan).
Toppings: Go big with the toppings! Toppings that work well: bean sprouts, lime wedges (for squeezing), cilantro, crispy fried shallots, sambal oelek or sriracha, and steamed veggies.
Storage tips: Best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days. Store the soup and the noodles separately (or make the noodles fresh as you need them).

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