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Tom Yum Spaghetti with Shrimp

A delightful fusion of Thai Tom Yum flavors and Italian spaghetti, featuring shrimp in a tangy, spicy sauce for a comforting and exotic meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian, Thai
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Tom Yum Sauce
  • 1 stalk lemongrass (bottom half only, thinly sliced) Look for fresh lemongrass at your local Asian market.
  • 6 slices galangal, chopped Use ginger if galangal is unavailable, but the taste will differ.
  • 6 pieces kaffir lime leaves, finely julienned A must for that distinctive flavor; don’t skip this!
  • 1 to 3 pieces Thai chilies, to taste Adjust the heat level to your liking.
  • 0.5 medium onion, chopped Yellow or white onion works, add more for sweetness.
  • 2 Tbsp Thai chili paste Nam Prik Pao is recommended.
  • 1.5 Tbsp fish sauce Look for high-quality fish sauce.
  • 14 oz whole peeled plum tomatoes San Marzano tomatoes are a great choice.
  • 150 g shimeji mushrooms Can substitute with shiitake or button mushrooms.
  • 12 to 15 pieces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Fresh is best, frozen shrimp works too.
  • 250 g spaghetti Spaghetti holds the sauce beautifully.
  • 1.5 to 2 Tbsp lime juice Freshly squeezed is essential.
  • Chopped cilantro For garnish.
  • Grated parmesan cheese Optional; adds richness.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for your pasta. Add salt.
  2. Pound lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, and Thai chilies in a mortar until fine. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, chop everything as finely as possible.
Cooking
  1. Cook shrimp in a wok until done, about 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat.
  2. Drop spaghetti into boiling water and start cooking sauce simultaneously, following package instructions.
  3. Sauté onion in the same wok until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add mushrooms and a splash of fish sauce, cooking until tender.
  5. Add your herb paste and tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes into small chunks.
  6. Stir in chili paste and fish sauce, and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
  7. Combine finished spaghetti with the sauce, adding shrimp back in for one more minute.
  8. Stir in lime juice and cilantro, adjusting flavor as desired.
  9. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

Notes

Chef’s Tip: Add pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce if it feels too thick. Fresh, high-quality ingredients make all the difference. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.