Vegetarian Laksa Soup Recipe

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Malaysian Laksa Soup Recipe without meat purely vegetarian proving that it is possible to get authentic taste with plant-based ingredients.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: adults

Calories: 458kcal

Soak dried red chillies and cashews in hot water for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, combine the rehydrated chilies, fresh red chilli, shallot, garlic, ginger, lime zest, turmeric powder, and coriander seeds. Add a tablespoon or two to help it blend.
Blend until you have a smooth, fragrant paste. Keep it aside. You can store it for a week.

Heat sesame oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the prepared laksa paste and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it is very fragrant and the oil separates from the paste (this indicates it’s properly cooked and will prevent a raw taste). Be patient with this step, as it’s crucial for flavour development.
Pour in the vegetable stock and bring it to a simmer. Add the coconut milk and stir well to combine.
Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously, as it can cause the coconut milk to split).
Add umami ingredients at this stage like soy sauce or miso paste along with brown sugar. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt as needed.
Add the fried tofu puffs and vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the tofu puffs have softened and absorbed the broth. Towards the end add lemon juice.

While the broth is simmering, cook your chosen noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Blanch the bean sprouts quickly in boiling water (or simply add them directly to the hot soup in your bowl just before serving).
Divide the cooked noodles among individual serving bowls.
Ladle the hot Laksa Soup generously over the noodles.
Garnish with fresh cilantro, fried onion, a squeeze of lime juice, and a spoonful of chilli oil or sambal for an extra kick if desired. Serve piping hot.

Dried Shitaki Mushrooms: If you planning to add them to laksa paste for umami flavour. First, soak them in hot water for 10 - 15 minutes. Then blend them with other ingredients to a smooth paste.
Tofu Puff are a type of fried tofu with crispy exterior and soft, chewy interior. You can buy the readymade tofu puff, or air fry/shallow fry the firm tofu cubes at home. Or use bean curd. Bean curd, commonly known as tofu, is a food made from soybeans that have been soaked, ground, cooked, and then pressed into a solid block.
Lemon Zest: While making the laksa paste add lemon zest in case you don't have lemongrass.
Kaffir Lime Leaves are a delicious addition to the soup. Replace them with lemon juice or lemongrass leaves.
Adjust Spice Level: Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of chilies in the paste to suit your preference. This is a spicy laksa soup recipe.
Experiment with Vegetables: While long beans and bean sprouts are traditional, feel free to add other quick-cooking vegetables like carrot, mushrooms, or even spinach.