Name: Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp. vegetable oil; 1 tbsp. freshly minced ginger; 2 lemongrass stalks, halved (so they are easy to pick out of the soup); 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 Thai chili pepper, minced (about 1 tbsp.); 1 medium onion, diced; 1 carrot, cut into small matchsticks; 3 baby bok choy, washed, trimmed, white stems sliced thin, green leaves roughly chopped; 1 red pepper, quartered and thinly sliced; 1 tbsp. oyster sauce (I used a vegetarian version); 8 cups vegetable broth (I used a mix of veggie and mushroom); 1 (400 mL) can coconut milk; 1 lime, juiced + more if desired; 8 oz mushrooms, sliced; 1/4 cup chiffonade basil; Salt and pepper

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I am back today with the vegetarian version of yesterday's post! This (inauthentic) vegetarian Thai basil soup is packed full of nutrients and is SUPER flavorful (no meat necessary!) Gluten-free and vegan-friendly when using the correct noodles/rice to pair the soup with 🙂 #2meals1recipe

Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup in white bowl with spoon, herbs on purple table

Glad to have you back here from yesterday's Inauthentic Thai Basil Turkey Soup post!

Inauthentic Thai Basil Turkey Soup in orange white bowl with spoon held by hand on blue tray with turkey and lemon sliced in half. Mushrooms, lemon and herbs on gray table

(A great way to use up holiday leftovers!)

Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup in white bowl with spoon, Lemon, herbs on purple table

As is the new tradition, I am showcasing the vegetarian/vegan version of our meat recipe. And I am sooooo happy with this vegetarian Thai basil soup! It got better as days went by, and with my husband and daughter having the meat version, I had this pot all to myself!

Perfect timing, too, as I came down with the flu... Yes, the flu, in spring, at the end of March... Don't even ask. This will teach me to NOT brag about how healthy I am and how much my body loves me 😉

Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup in white bowl with spoon on wooden pad with lemon sliced in half. Herbs, lemon on purple table

Thankfully I had this soup before I got sick as I can think of a lot worse coming back up! And while the word "Thai" is in the title, and "Thai chili pepper" is an ingredient, I do not find this soup spicy in the bit. Cooking the pepper really helps, and if you are really concerned, you can remove the seeds, but as I said, none of us noticed spice.

Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup in white bowl with spoon on wooden pad with lemon sliced in half

Another fun point with this vegetarian Thai basil soup is how easy it is to customize. Unlike the meat version, I threw in some carrots for added filler. You can definitely add in more! I went with udon noodles because they are my current favorite, however, Thai noodles or rice are just as great! Surprisingly my husband chose to go with udon noodles as well, and he LOVES rice. Just shows you that you can make anyone happy here 😉

Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup in white bowl with spoon, herbs, lemons on purple table

On a final note, I would like to let you know that I will begin my bi-weekly newsletter again! If you have not already subscribed to my email newsletter, I highly recommend it! I am currently sharing two recipes a week: one meat, one vegetarian. Each newsletter will feature highlights from the past two weeks (meaning 4 new recipes!) as well as some more personal one-on-one questions/discussions. Basically, what do you want me to feature?!

This month you will actually receive an email once a week just so we can introduce readers to the new program, but it will tone down to two emails a month so I don't flood your inboxes 🙂 Let me know what you think!

📖 Recipe

Inauthentic Vegetarian Thai Basil Soup

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

A hearty vegetarian soup that is also vegan! I like adding extra lime juice to my bowl for that authentic Thai taste.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. freshly minced ginger
2 lemongrass stalks, halved (so they are easy to pick out of the soup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Thai chili pepper, minced (about 1 tbsp.)
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, cut into small matchsticks
3 baby bok choy, washed, trimmed, white stems sliced thin, green leaves roughly chopped
1 red pepper, quartered and thinly sliced
1 tbsp. oyster sauce (I used a vegetarian version)
8 cups vegetable broth (I used a mix of veggie and mushroom)
1 (400 mL) can coconut milk
1 lime, juiced + more if desired
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup chiffonade basil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Once shimmering, stir in ginger, lemongrass, garlic, Thai pepper, onion, carrot, and bok choy stems. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in broth and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered.
Add in coconut milk, mushrooms, and red pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add in bok choy greens and basil. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, or until mushrooms are cooked to your liking. Stir in lime juice (add a bit at a time until desired "sourness" is achieved.)
Remove lemongrass and serve over udon or rice noodles!

Notes

I like to simmer my soups as long as possible to get a more concentrated flavor. However, this soup is pretty bold, and even more flavorful the days afterwards!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 289Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1589mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 7gSugar: 9gProtein: 8g