This easy Coconut Lime Fish Soup is seeping with rich and zesty coconut milk broth, bursts of fresh tomatoes, and tender fish. The perfect cozy meal for Thai food lovers!
If you’re a big fan of Thai food and you’re a fish lover too, this quick, simple, and comforting Coconut Lime Fish Soup is made for you!
Featuring tender white fish in a creamy, tangy, rich broth, this unique soup recipe is jam packed with a perfect balance of flavor and health benefits. High in lean protein with healthy fats, it makes a glorious low-carb meal for those times you’re craving something light yet satisfying.
In addition to the amazing flavors and creamy texture, this vibrant soup is quick enough to prepare on any busy weeknight.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this healthy soup recipe! The great news is you can find the full list of ingredients at any grocery store.
Ingredients for Coconut Lime Fish Soup:
White Fish Fillets: Pick your favorite firm white fish, such as halibut, mahi mahi, cod, or tilapia. This lean fish serves as the main ingredient and the protein content for the meal. Any type of fish works here. I plan on trying salmon next!
Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk: Bringing creamy richness to the soup, we need one can of coconut milk. Be sure to pick a brand you have used in the past and trust, as not all canned coconut milk is the same. I use Native Forest, Whole Food’s 365 brand, or Thai Kitchen.
Fresh Lime Zest and Fresh Lime Juice: Bringing a burst of zesty tangy citrus flavor to the soup, we need one fresh lime for its zest and its juice. You can scale the amount up or down according to your taste.
Chicken Broth: In addition to the coconut milk, we need chicken broth for depth of flavor and to add more liquid to the soup. Vegetable broth works too.
Fish Sauce: Fish sauce adds richer umami flavor to the soup. Does it make the soup taste fishy? For me, it adds a depth of flavor but I wouldn’t classify the soup as tasting fishy.
Onion, Garlic, Fresh Ginger: These aromatics bring big flavor to the soup! Scale the amount of each up or down depending on your personal taste.
Red Curry Paste: A little red curry paste brings a subtle kick of spice and adds more nuance to the flavor. You can swap it for green curry paste, yellow curry paste, or yellow curry powder.
Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes bring bursts of juicy tangy flavor. Feel free to add other fresh vegetables to the soup too!
Avocado Oil or Olive Oil: For sautéing.
Recipe Customizations:
- Add uncooked white rice or rice noodles to the soup. If you go this route, I recommend doubling all of the broth ingredients (everything but the fish), as rice and rice noodles absorb liquid,
- Toss in chopped bok choy, zucchini, carrots, red bell pepper, bamboo shoots, or any other fresh tomatoes you love in soup.
- Swap the fish sauce for soy sauce if you prefer.
- For a kick of spice, finely chop one to two chili peppers according to your personal taste.
How to Make Coconut Lime Fish Soup:
Heat the avocado oil in a large thick-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and continue sautéing for a few minutes until aromatic.
Pour in the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, and the fresh chopped tomatoes. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a full boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low (a gentle simmer or controlled boil), and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Add in the fish filets and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the filets have reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use tongs to transfer the fish filets to a cutting board. Break the fish fillets into smaller bite-sized pieces with a fork, then transfer them back to the soup.
Give everything a big stir, then serve soup in bowls with fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges. Enjoy the soup with any side dishes, like crusty bread and salad.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Easy enough to whip up at a moment’s notice after work and fancy enough to serve for a special occasion, this versatile recipe is here to serve.
The creamy coconut milk and the zesty lime make this delightful dish so dreamy!
If you love making homemade soups, also try some of my other favorite soup recipes!
More Soup Recipes:
- Crock Pot Sausage and Cabbage Soup
- Avgolemono Soup (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
- Creamy Chicken Soup with Potatoes and Bacon
- Hearty Ground Turkey Soup with Vegetables
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup
Your next culinary adventure!
Coconut Lime Fish Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 medium-sized yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 2-inch nub ginger thinly sliced, or minced
- 1 (14-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 to 2 tbsp red curry paste to taste
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes chopped
- 10 ounces white fish fillets cod, halibut, or tilapia
- Salt and pepper to taste
For Serving
- fresh cilantro
- lime wedges
- green onions chopped
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large thick-bottomed pot such as a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and continue sautéing for a few minutes until aromatic.
- Pour in the can of coconut milk, chicken broth, red curry paste, fish sauce, lime zest, lime juice, and chopped fresh tomatoes. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a full boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low (a gentle simmer or controlled boil), and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Add in the fish filets and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the filets have reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of each filet.
- Use tongs to transfer the fish filets to a cutting board. Break the fish fillets into smaller bite-sized pieces with a fork, then transfer them back to the soup. Give everything a big stir, then serve soup in bowls with fresh cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges. Enjoy the soup with any side dishes, like crusty bread and salad.
