Skip to main content
The New Bon Appétit App is Here
Download the App Now
Cookbooks

Nearly Instant Thai Coconut Corn Soup

When I first came up with this soup, I was looking to make something speedy to serve with a main dish salad. And speedy it is, taking only about fifteen minutes from start to finish, yet it tastes like a long-simmering soup. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but I’ve made it many times since, and that’s just how long it takes. The tiny bit of red curry gives it ample heat; if you’d like a spicier soup, use more, and for a less spicy effect, omit the red curry altogether

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

1

tablespoon light olive oil

3

garlic cloves, minced

4 to 5

scallions, thinly sliced

1

medium red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips

Two 14- to 15-ounce cans light coconut milk

1

1/2 cups rice milk

One 16-ounce bag frozen corn

2

teaspoons good-quality curry powder

1

/4 teaspoon Thai red curry paste, or to taste

1

teaspoon salt, or to taste

1

/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oil in a small soup pot. Add the garlic, the white parts of the scallions, and the bell pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat until softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

    Step 2

    Add the coconut milk, rice milk, corn, curry powder, and the green parts of the scallions. If using the curry paste, dissolve it in a small amount of water before adding to the soup.

    Step 3

    Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat.

    Step 4

    Serve, passing around the cilantro for topping.

  2. variation

    Step 5

    If you have more time, this makes a wonderful cold summer soup. Do step 1, but don’t heat after adding the coconut milk and rice milk in step 2. Use 4 to 5 ears lightly cooked fresh corn instead of frozen corn; rinse under cool water and scrape off the kernels. If you’d like, use minced fresh chiles instead of the curry paste. Refrigerate the soup until chilled.

  3. menu suggestions

    Step 6

    For a soup-and-salad meal, this pairs perfectly with Thai Tossed Salad (page 184).

  4. Step 7

    This soup is a good first course for Thai Steamed Green Garden with Coconut-Peanut Sauce (page 54). Serve with a platter of raw vegetables.

  5. Step 8

    I also recommend this soup to begin a meal of Gingery Rice with Sweet Potatoes and Peas (page 88). Start the rice dish first, as it takes longer to cook. Serve with a simple salad of mixed baby greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers.

  6. nutrition information

    Step 9

    Calories: 225

    Step 10

    Total Fat: 12g

    Step 11

    Protein: 3g

    Step 12

    Carbohydrates: 31g

    Step 13

    Fiber: 3g

    Step 14

    Sodium: 435mg

Reprinted with permission from Vegan Express: Featuring 160 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, and Healthy Meals by Nava Atlas. Copyright © 2008 by Nava Atlas. Excerpted by permission of Broadway, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Nava Atlas is the author of nine cookbooks, including The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet, and Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons. She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband and two teenage sons (all vegans).
Explore Bon AppétitSoupSoups and StewsThaiSoutheast AsianAsianCoconut MilkCornVegetableStarterDinnerDairy-FreeVeganVegetarianQuickEasyWeeknight MealsSimmerCookbooksEpicurious