Go Back

Tom Yum Spaghetti with Shrimp

A delightful fusion of Thai Tom Yum flavors and Italian spaghetti, creating a dish that’s bursting with zesty herbs, fresh shrimp, and comforting pasta.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Thai
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Herb Paste
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, bottom half only, thinly sliced
  • 6 slices galangal, chopped (or substitute with ginger if unavailable)
  • 6 leaves kaffir lime leaves, finely julienned
  • 1 to 3 pieces Thai chilies, to taste (adjust based on heat preference)
Sauce Base
  • 0.5 medium onion chopped (yellow onion works best)
  • 2 Tbsp Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao adds a nice smoky flavor)
  • 1.5 Tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegetarian option)
  • 14 oz good quality whole peeled plum tomatoes (half of a 28oz can)
  • 150 g shimeji mushrooms (or any mushrooms available, such as shiitake)
Main Ingredients
  • 12 to 15 pieces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (fresh or frozen works)
  • 250 g spaghetti (or your preferred pasta)
  • 1.5 to 2 Tbsp lime juice (fresh is best)
  • Chopped for garnish cilantro
  • to taste optional grated parmesan cheese for serving

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt per liter of water.
  2. In a mortar and pestle, pound together the sliced lemongrass, chopped galangal, julienned kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chilies until you get a fine paste.
Cooking
  1. In a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the shrimp until just pink and opaque (about 2–3 minutes). Remove and set aside.
  2. Drop spaghetti into boiling water and set your timer for 1 minute less than indicated on the package.
  3. In the same wok used for the shrimp, sauté the chopped onion until it becomes translucent, around 2 minutes.
  4. Toss in the shimeji mushrooms with a splash of fish sauce. Cook for about a minute until they soften.
  5. Add the herb paste and canned tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with a spatula or spoon. Let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes to combine the flavors.
  6. Mix in the Thai chili paste and more fish sauce to taste, and let it simmer until it thickens slightly (around 3-5 minutes).
  7. Once the spaghetti is done, drain it (saving a bit of pasta water) and toss it right into the sauce without rinsing it. Stir to coat evenly.
  8. Add the cooked shrimp back into the pasta mix and toss for about 1 more minute. If the sauce feels too dry, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
  9. Off the heat, stir in freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped cilantro.
  10. Plate your Tom Yum Spaghetti with grated parmesan, if desired, and some extra cilantro on top for a burst of color.

Notes

For best flavors, use genuine Thai ingredients. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can make the sauce in advance (up to 2 days) and just add cooked pasta and shrimp before serving.