Looking for a comforting, spicy, and deeply satisfying meal that comes together in 30 to 60 minutes? This easy laksa soup recipe is exactly what you need. Laksa is a popular Southeast Asian noodle soup known for its bold, aromatic flavours, creamy coconut broth, and generous toppings. It’s street food at its best but it’s also incredibly easy to make at home. In this post you will get both my speedy 30 minute version and also amazing 60 minute laksa soup.
About this Easy Laksa Soup recipe
Whether you’re craving a weeknight dinner or planning an Asian-inspired dinner party, this laksa will impress without stress. It’s quick, customisable, and full of flavour—perfect for anyone wanting to recreate restaurant-style laksa at home.
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Ingredients
Although this is a really easy laksa soup, there are still quite a few ingredients. I recommend getting them all together before you start cooking. It's easier that way.
- Dried Red Chinese Chillies
- Dried Baby Shrimp
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Galangal
- Lemongrass Stalks
- Ground Tumeric
- Makrun Lime Leaves
- Cashew Nuts
- Shrimp Paste
- Ground Coriander
- Rapeseed ( Canola ) or Coconut Oil
- Chicken Stock (optional)
- Salt
- Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar
- Coconut Milk
- Juice of 2 Limes
- Skinned Salmon Fillets
- Chicken Breasts
- Prawns or Shrimp
- Rice Noodles
- Coriander ( Cilantro )
- Spring Onions ( Scallions )
- Bean Sprouts
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Photos
Check out my step by step photos to see how easy it is to make an authentic laksa soup. You can substitute chicken or seafood stock if you don't want to make the prawn stock.
- Step 1: Making the prawn stock is optional. You could substitute chicken or seafood stock. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pot over a medium-high heat. Add the prawn shells and heads.
- Step 2: Fry the shells and heads until they turn a reddish colour and become fragrant. This should only take a few minutes.
- Step 3: Add 6 cups (1.5 litres) water to the shells ad heads and bring to a simmer. Skim off the foam if you like but it’s not essential that you do.
- Step 4: Cover the pot and let the stock simmer gently over a medium heat for about 30 minutes. Then strain it all into a bowl and set aside.
- Step 5: Meanwhile, blend the laksa paste ingredients until smooth. You can add a drop of water to assist blending if necessary but try to keep it to a minimum.
- Step 6: Using the same pot you made your prawn stock in or another large pot, heat 2 tablespoon oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil begins to glisten, stir in your laksa paste and fry for a couple minutes or until fragrant.
- Step 7: Add your stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. Then add the juice of about two limes.
- Step 8: Add the fish sauce to the stock. The fish sauce and lime juice should be added to taste.
- Step 9: Now stir in the coconut milk.
- Step 10: Add the chicken and let it simmer in the hot stock for about 5 minutes to cook through.
- Step 11: Then add the salmon and prawns and let them simmer gently over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the salmon or it will fall apart.
- Step 12: Taste it and adjust the flavours to taste. Add a mound of cooked rice noodles to a bowl and top with the laksa soup. Garnish with spring onions (scallions), coriander (cilantro), crispy chilli oil and bean sprouts.
What Is Laksa?
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup originating from Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. There are several regional varieties, but most fall into two main categories:
- Curry Laksa (sometimes called laksa lemak): A creamy, spicy soup made with coconut milk and red curry paste.
- Asam Laksa: A sour tamarind-based broth, typically made with fish and herbs.
This recipe is a curry laksa, which features a rich coconut curry broth, rice noodles, and your choice of toppings—usually prawns, chicken, or tofu. It’s comforting, fragrant, and surprisingly simple to make with just a few pantry staples and store-bought curry paste but I do hope you try making my lasksa paste below.
Can you make laksa soup ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the broth ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month.
Pro tip:
Keep the noodles and toppings separate until you’re ready to serve. Reheat the broth and assemble fresh for the best texture and flavour.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Laksa Recipe
- 30 to 60 minute meal: Quick and satisfying
- Restaurant-style flavour at home
- Customizable with chicken, prawns, tofu, or veggies
- Comforting and filling with coconut milk and noodles
- Gluten-free & dairy-free (with the right noodles and paste)
Substitutions
This and all of my recipes can be changed to taste and preference. Here are a few ideas. Don't worry if you can find all of the ingredients. Laksa soup is all about flixibility!
- Prawn Stock - If you don't want to make the prawn stock or can't get prawns with the shell on, you can substitute with chicken or another seafood stock.
- No Prawns/Shrimp - If you don't like or have a shell fish allergy, you can leave them out. Add other proteins of choice. Even red meat like beef tastes amazing in a laksa soup.
- Vegetarian - Leave out the prawns, baby shrimp, shrimp paste, salmon and chicken. The laksa paste has an amazing flavor even without them. Use a nice vegetable stock or water instead of meat or seafood stock. You could add tofu for a bit of protein and also chunky vegetables.
Useful Equipment
1. Large Saucepan or Soup Pot: Essential for building the laksa broth and simmering everything together. Choose one with a wide base and lid.
2. Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula: Perfect for stirring the curry paste and scraping the bottom of the pan without damaging non-stick surfaces.
3. Noodle Strainer or Sieve: Great for boiling and draining rice noodles without overcooking them. A mesh sieve or noodle basket makes handling easier.
4. Mortar & Pestle or Small Blender (optional): If you want to make your own laksa paste from scratch, these are invaluable for grinding spices and aromatics.
5. Ladle: Helps portion the hot broth cleanly over noodles and toppings in each bowl.
6. Tongs or Chopsticks: Useful for portioning noodles into bowls and placing toppings neatly.
7. Deep Serving Bowls: Laksa is a meal-in-a-bowl dish. Use wide, deep bowls to hold noodles, broth, and all the toppings without overflow.
Storage
You can store the laksa soup in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Pro tip:
Keep the noodles and toppings separate until you’re ready to serve. Reheat the broth and assemble fresh for the best texture and flavour.
Top Tip
It's all in the stock! Make the prawn stock as in the recipe or use another homemade chicken or seafood stock. Stock cubes will work but homemade will always be the best opion.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never made laksa at home, now’s the time to try. This easy laksa soup recipe gives you all the bold, authentic flavour with none of the hassle. Whether you love it with prawns, chicken, or tofu, it’s a hearty, spicy, and soul-warming bowl of comfort that’s ready in just 30 to 60 minutes.
Save this recipe, share it, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social!
FAQ
Yes, traditionally laksa soup is spicy but you can make it milder by using fewer or no chillies in your laksa paste.
It’s a rich mix of spicy, creamy, tangy, and savoury flavours. The coconut milk balances out the heat beautifully.
This laksa soup is gluten free. Rice noodles contain no gluten. Some fish sauces contain gluten so read the label if this is of concern to you.
Rice vermicelli or flat rice noodles are best but you could also use egg noodles.
Yes. I think you will prefer your laksa soup with homemade paste though. You can use shop bought laksa paste or Thai red curry paste if you want to sped things up.
More Deliciously Spiced Recipes.
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Recipe
Recipe
Laksa Soup
This Laksa Soup recipe is exactly the way I make it at home. For the best flavor, be sure to make the laksa paste below and use a homemade stock for the broth. You can, however cheat a bit if time is an issue and use a shop-bought paste and stock. Cook the rice noodles as per the package instructions which should only take about 10 minutes and can be done ahead of time.
Ingredients
- FOR THE LAKSA PASTE
- 4 Dried Red Kashmiri Chillies, soaked in water for 20 minutes
- 2 tablespoon Dried Shrimp, soaked with the chillies
- 4 Shallots roughly chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 3 tablespoon Galangal
- 8 Kefir Lime Leaves, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 2 Lemongrass Stalks finely chopped with hard outer layer removed
- 2 teaspoon fresh tumeric or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 12 Cashew Nuts soaked for at least 15 minutes in hot water
- 1 tablespoon Shrimp Paste
- 2 teaspoon Ground Coriander ( Cilantro )
- Juice of two limes
- FOR THE STOCK
- 4 tablespoon Rapeseed ( Canola ) oil or coconut oil
- 450g (1 lb.) prawns (shrimp) with heads and shells
- 6 cups (1.5L) water
- 1 tablespoon Palm Sugar or Brown Sugar
- 1 16oz (400ml) can Coconut Milk
- Juice of 2 Limes
- 10.5oz (300g) skinned salmon fillets, cut into bite sized pieces
- 10.5oz (300g) chicken breasts or thight, cut into bite sized pieces
- To Serve
- 500 g ( 1 Ib ) Rice Noodles
Instructions
- Making the prawn stock is optional. You could substitute chicken or seafood stock. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a pot over a medium-high heat. Add the prawn shells and heads.
- Fry the shells and heads until they turn a reddish colour and become fragrant. This should only take a few minutes.
- Add 6 cups (1.5 litres) water to the shells ad heads and bring to a simmer. Skim off the foam if you like but it’s not essential that you do.
- Cover the pot and let the stock simmer gently over a medium heat for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blend the laksa paste ingredients until smooth. You can add a drop of water to assist blending if necessary but try to keep it to a minimum.
- Using the same pot you made your prawn stock in or another large pot, heat 2 tablespoon oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil begins to glisten, stir in your laksa paste and fry for a couple minutes or until fragrant.
- Add your stock to the pot and bring to a simmer. Then add the juice of about two limes and sugar.
- Add the fish sauce to the stock. The fish sauce and lime juice should be added to taste.
- Now stir in the coconut milk. Add the chicken and let it simmer in the hot stock for about 5 minutes to cook through. Then add the salmon and prawns and let them simmer gently over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the salmon or it will fall apart.
- Taste it and adjust the flavours to taste. Add a mound of cooked rice noodles to a bowl and top with the laksa soup. Garnish with spring onions (scallions), coriander (cilantro), crispy chilli oil and bean sprouts.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 500