Spring-y rice noodles are a perfect vehicle for soaking up and carrying the creamy, fragrant and flavourful Thai red curry broth between its strands for the perfect slurp! Bouncy and delicious shrimp balls are simple to make and add hearty protein to the bowl.

I love the marriage of aromatic heat from the curry paste, richness from the coconut milk, and the bright lift from fresh lime and herbs at the end. The broth tastes fragrant and layered but comes together fast — thanks to superstar ingredient curry paste — making this a strong weeknight option when you want something cozy and tasty.

The shrimp balls are pan-fried first in the same pot used to cook the curry broth, so the leftover brown bits (fond) at the bottom deglazes into the broth for an extra bit of yum. As you can imagine, it’s easy to switch up your toppings with a different mushroom or add other things like zucchini or tofu. Tofu soaks ups the tasty broth sooo well — 10/10 recommend it for an alternate or addition protein.

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Let me know what you think about this recipe or let me know if you have any questions about it — I’m happy to help!

Eat well and be well,

Sonia x

what you’ll need:

Ingredients for Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls (scroll down to recipe card for full printable recipe)

Noodles — I use thin rice vermicelli, often labeled “dry rice sticks” for their light texture and quick cook time. You can swap in wheat noodles or other rice noodles based on what you have. Scroll down to Tips and FAQs section for brand recommendations and alternatives.
Thai red curry paste — This concentrated paste forms the base of the soup, bringing chili heat, spices and aromatics like lemongrass, garlic, shallots and galangal in one spoonful. It saves time while building layered flavor.
Shrimp — Use frozen raw shrimp of any size for the shrimp balls. “Large” size shrimp work well since they are easy to peel and keep a firm bite.
Enoki mushrooms — These delicate mushrooms cook in seconds and are so good in this or any soup. Feel free to sub other quick cooking mushrooms.
Shallots, garlic, ginger — These aromatics build the savory foundation of the broth. They add sweetness, warmth, and depth once sautéed.
Scallions — Mixed into the shrimp balls, they add a fresh aromatic flavour.
Tomato paste — A small amount deepens the broth with rich umami. It also adds subtle sweetness and colour.
Fish sauce — This fermented sauce adds umami, salinity and depth to the broth.
Kaffir lime leaves (optional) — These leaves infuse the soup with a bright citrus aroma. Leave them out if unavailable. Adding a squeeze of lime at the end!
Honey or sugar — A touch of sweetness balances the spices and aromatics to create a full and rounded flavour.
Chicken or vegetable broth — Forms the liquid base of the soup. Use a quality broth and low-sodium for better salt control.
Coconut milk — Adds creaminess and a mild coconut aroma, which softens the heat of the curry paste.
Egg white — Egg white helps bind the shrimp mixture. It creates a lighter, springy texture in the finished balls.
Cornstarch — Cornstarch firms up the shrimp mixture. It gives the balls a smooth, bouncy bite.
For serving — Fresh Thai basil, cilantro, sliced Thai bird’s eye chilies, and lime wedges add freshness and heat to finish.
Salt, white pepper, cooking oil

Steps at a glance:

How to make Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls (scroll down to recipe card for full printable recipe)

Place vermicelli noodles in cold tap water to soak 15 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Prepare shrimp ball mixture in a food processor to create light, fluffy shrimp balls. Divide and roll into 12 balls.
Panfry shrimp balls on all sides, and set aside.

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Using the same Dutch oven, sauté shallots, garlic, ginger and kaffir lime leaves (if using) until fragrant, scraping the fond from pan-frying the shrimp to capture all the flavour in those bits.
Add curry paste, tomato paste and fish sauce. Add a splash of water if the pot is too dry, to prevent burning the pastes. Scrape and cook to caramelize and fully develop flavours, 1 minute.
Deglaze with broth, bring to a simmer. Add honey/sugar and taste the soup. Add salt and/or fish sauce to taste.

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Cook noodles according to package directions or until tender but slightly chewy (soft but not overcooked). Mine requires a 15-minute soak in water, then cooked for 3 minutes. Do not overcook these noodles – they are thin and easily overcook (like angel hair pasta). Drain and rinse noodles under tap water to rid excess starch. Divide among serving bowls.
Add shrimp balls and enoki mushrooms to the simmering soup until heated through.
Add coconut milk and return to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously to avoid coconut milk splitting). Taste a final time and adjust seasoning.

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Ladle soup and divide shrimp balls and mushrooms among the serving bowls on top of the noodles. Garnish with Thai basil, cilantro, sliced Thai chilis and a lime wedge.

Tips & FAQs

Thai Curry Pastes
Real, authentic Thai curry begins with a labor-intensive step of grinding a paste from fresh ingredients. Nothing can compare to that. But for those of us desiring to enjoy a steaming bowl of curry noodle soup at home, without the time to scratch-make the curry, the best shortcut of all is a quality, store-bought curry paste. Curry pastes come in either small jars or vacuum packs. Here, I used Aroy-D Red Curry paste which is made from red chilis, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, galangal, Kefir lime peels, coriander seeds, cumin powder and aromatics. There are other equally delicious varieties like green or yellow Thai curry pastes, any of which can be found easily at Asian grocery stores or in the international aisle of well-stocked supermarkets. Use your favourite Thai curry paste in this recipe.

What types of noodles go well in this dish?
I am very partial to using thin vermicelli rice noodles (aka “dried rice sticks”) in this dish. These are different from the Vietnamese variety used in Pho. My recommended brands of vermicelli rice noodles that cook up with a good bouncy texture and doesn’t fall apart are “Chewy” or “Swan”. Still, make sure not to overcook them because soggy noodles are sad. Soak the noodles 15-20 minutes in cold water to hydrate and get the best texture out of them. Find Chewy or Swan brand vermicelli noodles in the dried noodles aisle of Chinese supermarkets. Alternatives: If you can’t find this specific kind of noodle, sub any rice or wheat noodles you enjoy including Chinese or Korean dry or fresh wheat noodles, Japanese somen or ramen or udon, Thai or Vietnamese rice noodles, etc. It’s hard to go wrong!

“Chewy” and “Swan” brands are my favourite because they cook up with a spring-y texture and doesn’t fall apart.

What is Kaffir lime leaf?

Kaffir lime or makrut lime, is a citrus fruit native to tropical Southeast Asia. Its fruit and leaves are used in Southeast Asian cuisine. The leaves can be ground up in the paste, or used whole and discarded at the end of cooking. They impart a wonderfully fragrant, citrusy note to curries unlike anything else. Tossing a few fresh or dried kefir lime leaves instantly amps up both flavor and authenticity. If you can’t source it, simply omit from this recipe.

Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls

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Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Shrimp Balls