Tom Yum

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallyCrustaceansPrawns in tom yum goong; dried shrimp in the roasted chilli paste.
• UsuallyFishFish sauce seasons the broth.
• OftenMilkThe creamy nam khon style is usually made with evaporated milk.
• SometimesMolluscsSquid and mussels in the mixed seafood version.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Not vegetarian as standard: fish sauce and a shrimp-based chilli paste even in chicken versions.
• Usually wheat-free by recipe, but ask what chilli paste and stock the kitchen uses.
• Creamy (nam khon) tom yum is often dairy; clear (nam sai) usually isn't.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is tom yum?

Tom yum is a sour, spicy broth built on lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves, seasoned at the end with lime juice and fish sauce. Tom means boiled and yam means a mixed, tangy salad, which is a fair summary of the flavour. The best known version is tom yum goong, with prawns.

What's in it

• Stock, sometimes made from prawn heads and shells
• Lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and bird's eye chilli
• Mushrooms (usually straw or oyster mushrooms) and sometimes tomato
• Lime juice, fish sauce and, in many kitchens, nam phrik phao, a roasted chilli paste
• Prawns, chicken, fish or mixed seafood

There are two main styles. Nam sai is clear and sharp. Nam khon is creamy and orange, enriched with evaporated milk (some cooks use coconut milk or a non-dairy creamer instead). Don't confuse either with tom kha, the coconut milk soup with galangal.

Allergens and diets

Crustaceans are the main concern. Prawns are the default protein, the stock is often made from their shells, and nam phrik phao is normally made with dried shrimp, so even tom yum with chicken can contain shellfish. Fish sauce is in every bowl.

The creamy nam khon style usually means milk from evaporated milk. Non-dairy creamer isn't a safe swap if you're avoiding milk: many brands contain milk protein (caseinate). Ask what the kitchen uses.

Mixed seafood (thale) adds molluscs, usually squid and mussels. The recipe has no wheat, though some jarred chilli pastes and stock powders include other ingredients, so coeliac (celiac) diners should ask to see the label. A vegetarian version needs a different paste and no fish sauce, which few restaurants offer.

On the menu

The lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves are left in for flavour and aren't meant to be eaten. In Thailand tom yum is shared at the table with rice rather than served as a starter.

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.