Basic Tom Yum Soup for any Leftover Meats

Pailin Chongchitnant • December 18, 2020

Thai Tom Yum Goong soup is famous the world over, but did you know you can make a tom yum soup with just about any meat you have on hand or as leftovers? It's the perfect way to use up that leftover holiday Turkey, or even a leftover rotisserie chicken!

If you want something creamier and more comforting, check out my tom kha soup recipe ! It uses all the same herbs as a tom yum , but it's enriched with coconut milk and is a little bit milder and more comforting. It's more kid-friendly, and an equally great way to use up your leftover turkey or chicken!

Love tom yum? Try these dishes!

This recipe here is a basic tom yum soup, but every variation of tom yum is a little bit different depending on the protein used. So if you love these flavours of lemongrass, galangal and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, be sure to check out some of my other tom yum recipes!

4 Other Ways to Thai Up Your Leftovers

This recipe is part of the 4 Ways to Thai Up Your Leftovers article. Be sure to check that post out for 3 other leftover ideas!

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success! And if you enjoy the show, please consider  subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!


A pot of Thai soup with turkey, mushrooms, and tomatoes with cilantro on top

Leftover Roast Tom Yum Soup

  • Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Description

Turn your leftover roast into a hot and sour Thai lemongrass scented soup. Be sure to check out other soup variations in the post above!


Ingredients

  • 3 ½ cups unsalted stock (see note)
  • 3 - 4 Thai chilies, to taste
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (bottom half only), smashed until broken and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 10 - 15 slices galangal
  • 5 makrut lime leaves
  • 1 - 2 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 - 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup oyster, beech, or another Asian mushrooms (optional)
  • 2 cups leftover cooked meat, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • ¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes (do not add if making tom ka)
  • 3 - 4 Tbsp lime juice
  • Chopped cilantro or green onions
  • Jasmine rice for serving

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, bring the stock to a boil.
  2. Meanwhile, smash the Thai chilies with a pestle so they are broken but still hold together as 1 piece, or cut them into large chunks.
  3. Once the stock is boiling, add chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves; simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Season with the lower amount of fish sauce and sugar within the range above (you can ramp it up later), then add mushrooms and simmer for another 2 minutes to cook. 
  5. Add the meat and tomatoes and cook just until the meat is heated through. Turn off the heat, add lime juice, then taste and adjust seasoning. 
  6. Stir in fresh herbs.

Note: The lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves are not meant to be eaten. You can remove them before serving or be sure to tell your guests not to eat them.


Notes

You can make a basic stock from the bones of your roast by simply simmering them in water for a few hours. This will work for chicken, turkey, or beef bones. You can add some aromatic vegetables such as onions, carrots, garlic, and lemongrass tops if you wish, but it is not necessary. If you don't have any bones, use store bought unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock. Do not use store bought beef stock for this as it has too strong a flavour.

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