Laksa Noodle Soup

A Bowl of Spicy Comfort

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/19/24
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Laksa Noodle Soup in bowls

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 21 mins
Total: 41 mins
Servings: 4 servings

There are a few things most laksas have in common: noodles, a main topping such as prawn or chicken, and a bold, flavorful broth. That's sometimes where the similarities end—like many dishes, laksas differ by region, taking on a slightly different form depending on where it's being made and who's making it.

This makes perfect sense considering laksa's origins. The noodle soup is thought to be a blending of Chinese and Malaysian or Javanese cuisines, either through the merging of cultures or intermarriage.

Laksa: A Noodle Soup That's Bold on Flavor

There are two significant kinds of laksa, each with even more regional variants. The most well-known version of laksa is sometimes called curry laksa and it's made from a paste that combines shallots, garlic, turmeric, lemongrass, candlenut or cashew, and galangal. Coconut cream or coconut milk, stock or broth, lime juice, and bean sprouts balance the bold paste with chicken, shrimp, tofu, or some combination thereof. Garnishes can include crispy fried shallots, cilantro, sambal, or a similar chili paste, and sliced hard-boiled eggs.  

Asam (or Assam) laksa is the other variation. It's a fish-based soup made with a sour-flavored paste, tamarind, chile peppers, shrimp paste, turmeric, and galangal. Shredded fish—usually mackerel or sardines—is included in this version. It is commonly garnished with julienned pineapple, cucumber, sliced onion, lettuce, and mint leaves.

Both laksas are now known as classic Malaysian dishes but can be found in other Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. Though store-bought laksa paste is available and makes it quick and easy to pull the dish together, its complex flavors truly shine when made from scratch. This recipe for prawn curry laksa includes a homemade spice paste that makes all the difference.

Tips for Making Laksa Noodle Soup

  • Add tofu puffs - Tofu puffs can be found in the refrigerated section of Asian markets. They absorb the flavorful broth and add protein to the dish.
  • DIY fried shallots - Crispy fried shallots are popular in some Asian countries and can be purchased at Asian markets. To make them at home, slice 3 or 4 shallots thinly. Heat 1 cup of peanut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown. Transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain thoroughly.
  • Coconut cream and not "cream of coconut" - Cream of coconut is a sweetened product and is used in cocktails (such as a piña colada) and desserts. Coconut cream, on the other hand, is unsweetened and like a very thick, rich coconut milk. Coconut cream can usually be found next to cans of coconut milk in the supermarket.


What You'll Need to Make This Laksa Noodle Soup Recipe
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A Handy Dandy Microplane
Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer
A NIfty Citrus Juicer
group photo of dutch ovens on a kitchen counter next to vegetables on a wooden cutting board
A Heavy Dutch Oven

“Laksa Noodle Soup is like a little piece of Southeast Asia in a bowl. Wonderfully aromatic with spicy, rich, deep flavors of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, shrimp paste, and more from the laksa paste. The soup came together quickly and tasted deep and flavorful. The chicken, shrimp, and noodles made it a hearty meal.” —Diana Andrews 

Laksa Noodle Soup/Tester Image

 

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil, or other neutral oil

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

  • 1 (7-ounce) jar laksa paste, about 3/4 cup

  • 3 cups chicken stock, unsalted or low sodium

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 8 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined, or more chicken

  • 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut cream, or full-fat coconut milk

  • 1 cup tofu puffs, optional

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

  • Fish sauce, to taste

  • 8 ounces rice noodles, flat or vermicelli

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts

  • Lime wedges, for garnish, optional

  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish, optional

  • Fried shallots, for garnish, optional

  • Sambal oelek, for garnish, optional

  • Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Laksa Noodle Soup ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil (or other neutral oil) in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat until it shimmers.

    Oil in a Dutch oven on the burner

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add 1 clove garlic (minced) and 1 teaspoon grated ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Garlic and ginger with oil in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add 1 (7-ounce) laksa paste and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the ingredients are well combined, about 2 minutes.

    Garlic, ginger, and laksa paste in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Raise the heat to high, add 3 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Bring to a boil.

    Laksa paste mixture with chicken stock and brown sugar in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Lower the heat to low, add 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs (boneless, skinless, and cut into bite-sized pieces), and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add 8 ounces large shrimp (peeled and deveined) or more chicken and continue to simmer until the shrimp and chicken are just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes longer.

    Shrimp cooking with the laksa soup in the Dutch oven on the burner

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk and 1 cup tofu puffs, if using, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Add 3 tablespoons lime juice and fish sauce, to taste. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.

    Laksa soup with tofu puffs cooking in a Dutch oven on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions.

    Rice noodle balls in a bowl with water

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Drain the noodles and divide them among 4 bowls.

    Rice noodles in a colander with tongs and in small bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Ladle the soup over the noodles and then top with the bean sprouts. 

    Laksa Noodle Soup in a pot with a ladle and in 4 small bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Garnish with 1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro leaves, fried shallots, sambal oelek, and thinly sliced scallions as desired, and serve immediately.

    Laksa Noodle Soup in bowls, garnished with cilantro

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
851 Calories
50g Fat
41g Carbs
62g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 851
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 50g 65%
Saturated Fat 32g 160%
Cholesterol 235mg 78%
Sodium 1421mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 5g 19%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 62g
Vitamin C 15mg 76%
Calcium 139mg 11%
Iron 7mg 39%
Potassium 1096mg 23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)