From the roundup: 22 Instant Pot Soup Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners
This Instant Pot Thai coconut curry soup is the one I make when it is already 5:45 and I forgot to thaw anything impressive. Ten minutes of actual work, chicken thighs straight from the fridge, and the Instant Pot handles the rest while I help with homework. The whole thing is on the table in about 30 minutes.
The step that matters most is the first one: blooming the red curry paste in hot oil for 60 seconds before anything else goes in. I skipped it the first time I made this because I was in a rush, and the broth tasted flat compared to every time I did it right. It is one minute and it is worth it.
The coconut milk goes in after the pressure release, not before. That keeps the broth smooth instead of grainy, and the rice noodles soak in the hot broth off-heat for a few minutes so you are not washing an extra pot. My kids eat this with bean sprouts if I put them out, without if I do not, and either way it disappears.
Why you will love this
- Only 10 minutes of prep before the lid goes on, and the pot comes to pressure in about 5 to 8 minutes on its own.
- One pot from saute through noodles, so cleanup is a single insert and a cutting board.
- Chicken thighs or firm tofu both work, which means meat-eaters and vegetarians can eat from the same pot.
- The rice noodles soften right in the hot broth after the lid comes off, no separate boiling step.
- Fresh lime juice stirred in at the very end keeps the broth bright instead of heavy.
Tips for success
- Do not rush the curry paste bloom. Stir it constantly in the hot oil for a full 60 seconds until it darkens slightly. This is where most of the flavor comes from.
- Add the coconut milk only after the pressure releases. Pressure cooking full-fat coconut milk causes the fat to separate and the broth turns grainy. Stirring it into the hot broth off-heat keeps it silky.
- Watch your noodle thickness. Thin rice vermicelli will be soft in 4 minutes. Flat pad thai-style noodles need closer to 6. Check them at 4 and stir once so they do not clump at the bottom.
- Deglaze before you seal the lid. After the garlic and ginger, pour in a splash of broth and scrape the bottom of the pot. Any stuck curry paste will trigger a burn warning during pressure cooking if you skip this.
If the broth tastes off or thin
- Broth tastes flat: add fish sauce a half teaspoon at a time, not more lime. Lime brightens, but fish sauce is what adds depth.
- Broth is too spicy for the table: stir in an extra splash of coconut milk and a small pinch of brown sugar to pull the heat back.
- Broth looks thin: full-fat coconut milk makes a noticeably richer result than light. If you used light and want more body, let it simmer on saute for 2 minutes after the noodles are done.
- Noodles soaked up all the broth by the second day: add a half cup of broth or water when reheating and taste for seasoning before serving.
Substitutions
For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken thighs for 14 oz of firm tofu cut into cubes, use vegetable broth, and replace the fish sauce with soy sauce or coconut aminos in the same amount. The timing and method stay exactly the same. Green or yellow curry paste works in place of red if that is what you have, just know green runs hotter and yellow is milder and slightly sweeter.
If you cannot find pad thai-style rice noodles, rice vermicelli works fine and softens a little faster. Cooked ramen noodles stirred in at the end are a reasonable backup on a night when the pantry is bare. Light coconut milk is a swap if calories matter to you, but the broth will be noticeably thinner.
Make-ahead and storage
The broth base, with chicken and vegetables but without noodles or lime juice, keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you are ready to eat, reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat, add fresh dry rice noodles, and let them soak for 4 to 6 minutes before stirring in the lime juice. This is a much better result than storing noodles in the broth, where they turn soft and bloated overnight.
The soup base without noodles freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop, then add fresh noodles and lime juice when it is hot. Do not freeze the soup with noodles already in it.
Instant Pot Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute on Normal. Add the vegetable oil and let it heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the red curry paste and stir it constantly for about 60 seconds. It will darken slightly and smell very fragrant. This step blooms the paste and is worth not skipping.
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir for another 30 seconds. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and stir to lift any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the sliced chicken strips, remaining chicken broth, fish sauce, brown sugar, and sliced bell pepper. Stir everything together. Do not add the coconut milk yet.
- Press Cancel to turn off Saute mode. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook on High for 8 minutes. The pot will take about 5 to 8 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts.
- When the timer ends, carefully turn the valve to Venting for a quick pressure release. Keep your hand and face away from the steam vent. When the pin drops, open the lid.
- Pour in the coconut milk now and stir it into the hot broth. Adding it after pressure cooking keeps the broth smooth and silky rather than grainy. Taste and add more fish sauce or a pinch of salt if needed.
- Add the dry rice noodles directly to the pot, pressing them under the surface of the broth. Put the lid back on loosely, without sealing, and let the noodles soak in the hot broth for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Thin rice vermicelli will soften faster than flat pad thai noodles.
- Stir in the fresh lime juice right before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge on the side.
Notes
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