If you’re craving bold Thai flavours and need a quick, gluten-free meal, this Thai noodle soup ticks all the boxes. It’s bursting with fragrant spices, crisp vegetables, and soft rice noodles. It’s comforting, balanced and ready in under 20 minutes!
That familiar craving for a fragrant, spicy Thai takeaway hits, but the thought of hidden sugars and trying to carb-count a complex dish can feel like too much hassle. I completely get it.
This is where my Quick Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup with Prawns comes in. It delivers all the rich, aromatic flavours you love in a meal that’s genuinely simple to make and, most importantly, easy to manage. Bursting with juicy prawns, crisp vegetables, and soft rice noodles in a creamy coconut broth, this is a recipe that proves a diabetes-friendly diet is anything but restrictive.
Why this is a must-try Diabetes friendly recipe
This Thai soup is a firm favourite in our house for a reason. It ticks every box for a successful diabetes-friendly meal that’s full of flavour, comfort and satisfaction.
- Incredibly Quick: From kitchen to table in 20 minutes flat. All this dish requires is a little chopping, boiling of the kettle, and a little stir-frying, and you have a really tasty, healthy, and balanced meal on the table. Perfect for those busy weeknights when you need something nourishing, quickly.
- Packed with Flavour: A rich, aromatic, and satisfying broth that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours, proving that diabetes-friendly cooking never has to mean bland or boring.
- Blood-Sugar Friendly: Don’t be put off by the fact that the noodles need to be carb-counted. My foolproof carb-counting method ensures that the correct amount of noodles is served per person, making carb counting precise and completely stress-free.
🔗 Read more about my foolproof method along with other great tips in Carb Counting for Type 1 Diabetes: 5 Real-Life Tips That Actually Help
- Completely Customisable: Easily adapt it with different proteins or whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. Making it a great dish for using up odds and ends whilst keeping everyone happy at the dinner table.
💡 You can even get younger kids involved by letting them choose their vegetables and/or protein to add!
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’ve streamlined this recipe to use easy-to-find ingredients without compromising on that authentic Thai taste. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Aromatic Broth:
Red Thai Curry Paste: I use a red curry paste for its deep, fragrant flavour that isn’t overly spicy. It’s readily available in most UK supermarkets and creates a wonderful, rich base. Use a Green Curry paste if you prefer.
Vegetable Stock: This forms the savoury foundation of our broth. I find the Kallo low-sodium stock cubes dissolve well and have a great flavour.
Coconut Milk: Adds that signature creaminess and balances the spice. Full-fat will give a richer broth, but a reduced-fat version works perfectly well too.
Fish Sauce: Don’t skip this! It adds a deep, savoury “umami” flavour that is essential in Thai cooking.
Lime Juice: The fresh lime at the end brightens everything up, cutting through the richness of the coconut milk.
Spring Onions: For a mild, fresh onion flavour that complements the other ingredients.
For the Soup:
Instant Rice Noodles: I opt for instant rice noodles as they cook quickly just by soaking. This makes carb counting much easier, as you can prepare each portion separately. (More on this in the Diabetes Note below!). I recommend Mama Instant Rice Noodles as they are ready in 2 minutes.
⚠️ However, be aware that some rice noodles can take up to 10-15 minutes to soften, so follow the instructions on the packet. I have even had to boil some of them as they just don’t want to cook, sitting in boiling water!
Large Raw Prawns: A fantastic source of lean protein. I often buy them frozen and just defrost them in a bowl of cool water before I start cooking. You can also use pre-cooked prawns and add them at the very end to heat through.
Fresh Vegetables: I love the combination of sweet red pepper, crunchy sugar snaps, grated carrot, and peppery watercress. They add colour, texture, and nutrients.
Ingredient saving tip for this Thai Noodle Soup
You can buy Thai curry kits, which are perfect for this Thai-inspired noodle soup. The packs contain most of the ingredients above, with some extras which you can use to add extra flavour to your broth. The kits usually include:
- Thai curry paste
- coconut milk or cream
- kaffir lime leaves
- dried chillies
- peppercorns
Buying a kit, which is widely available in UK supermarkets, means you don’t have to buy and store a lot of the individual ingredients. However, I have found the kits do vary with regard to the ingredients they include as well as in flavour and spiciness. Nevertheless, they are very handy when you have found the one you like.
Three of my favourites are by Blue Dragon, Spice Tailor & Thai Taste
How to Make Thai Noodle Soup (Step-by-Step)
A quick tip: This recipe comes together very quickly, so I highly recommend chopping all your vegetables and having your ingredients measured out before you start cooking. It makes the process feel calm and effortless.
- Simmer the Broth: In a large saucepan, combine the vegetable stock cube, boiling water, coconut milk, red curry paste, and fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve the paste and stock cube. Add the chopped spring onions and let it simmer gently on a medium-low heat while you prepare everything else.
- Prepare the Noodles: Place your desired portion of uncooked rice noodles into individual serving bowls (we find 1 and a half sheets per person is about right). Pour boiling water over them until they are fully submerged. Let them stand for 2-3 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until soft.
- Cook the Prawns & Veg: While the noodles are soaking, heat the sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the raw prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes until they start to turn pink. Add the sliced sugar snaps and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the prawns are fully cooked and the snaps are tender-crisp.
- Assemble Your Bowls: Drain the water from the softened noodles. Add the fresh watercress, sliced red pepper, and grated carrot to the bowls. Top with the cooked prawns and sugar snaps.
- Serve: Carefully ladle the hot, fragrant broth over the noodles and vegetables in each bowl. Garnish with a final squeeze of lime juice and some fresh coriander, if you like.
Versatility and Swaps
This recipe is a brilliant template. Feel free to make it your own!
- Protein: Not a fan of prawns? Swap them for sliced chicken breast, strips of beef, or even a fillet of salmon.
- Vegetarian/Vegan: For a delicious plant-based version, use firm tofu or edamame beans instead of prawns, and swap the fish sauce for tamari or soy sauce. My Easy Vegan Thai Noodle Soup with roasted cauliflower is another great option.
- Vegetables: This is the perfect meal for a fridge clear-out. Tenderstem broccoli, mushrooms, baby corn, or spinach would all be wonderful additions.
Diabetes Note – A Note on Carb Counting for This Noodle Soup
The main ingredient that impacts blood sugar here is the rice noodles. To make carb counting simple and accurate, I never cook the noodles in the main pot of soup.
Here is my foolproof method:
- Weigh your desired portion of uncooked noodles and place them in your individual serving bowl.
- Cook them in the bowl by covering them with boiling water.
- Drain and serve the soup directly on top.
This ensures the portion you’ve counted is exactly the portion you’re eating. Rice noodles also have a relatively low glycemic index compared to other noodles, meaning they tend to cause a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar.
Don’t forget the paste! Most shop-bought curry pastes contain a small amount of sugar. The quantity used in this recipe adds around 2g of carbs per serving. As always, check the label on your specific brand and account for it if you need to.
Type 1 Carb Counting
The estimated carbohydrate content of a serving of this Thai Noodle Soup with Prawns is based on the countable ingredients that contribute to the total carbs. Here’s the breakdown:
- 1 1/2 raw portions Mama Instant Rice Noodles= 55.4g of carbs
Learn More About Type 1 Diabetes Carb Counting
Please note this carb count per portion is based on the standard ingredients listed above and may differ depending on what you use and how much you choose to eat.
Did you try this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it went! Leave a star rating or a quick comment below. Your feedback means the world and helps others find the recipe too.
20-minute Thai Prawn Noodle Soup
Quick 20-minute Thai red curry noodle soup with prawns. Diabetes-friendly, fragrant, satisfying & family-approved!
2
servings10
minutes10
minutes20
minutesIngredients for the Broth
1 cube 1 cube vegetable stock
2 2 spring onions, chopped
50 g 1 3/4 oz Red Thai curry paste
250 ml 1 cup tinned coconut milk
400 ml 1 2/3 cup boiling water
2 tbsp 2 tbsp fish sauce
1 1 lime, squeezed
- Ingredients for the Soup
3 sheets 3 sheets Instant rice noodles
1/2 medium 1/2 medium red pepper, sliced
1 large 1 large carrot, grated or julienned
2 handfuls 2 handfuls watercress
1 tsp 1 tsp sesame oil
180 g 6 1/3 oz large frozen raw prawns
100 g 3 1/2 oz sugar snap peas, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 1/2 lime, squeezed
Directions
- In a large saucepan, combine the vegetable stock cube, boiling water, coconut milk, red curry paste, and fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve the paste and stock cube.
- Add the chopped spring onions and let the broth simmer gently on a medium-low heat while you prepare everything else.
- Place your desired portion of uncooked rice noodles into individual serving bowls (we find 1 and a half sheets per person is about right). Pour boiling water over them until they are fully submerged.
- Let them stand for 2-3 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until soft.
- While the noodles are soaking, heat the sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the raw prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes until they start to turn pink.
- Add the sliced sugar snaps and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the prawns are fully cooked and the snaps are tender-crisp.
- Drain the water from the softened noodles. Add the fresh watercress, sliced red pepper, and grated carrot to the bowls. Top with the cooked prawns and sugar snaps.
- Carefully ladle the hot, fragrant broth over the noodles and vegetables in each bowl.
- Garnish with a final squeeze of lime juice and some fresh coriander, if you like.
Tips and Notes
- I highly recommend chopping all your vegetables and having your ingredients measured out before you start cooking.
- Instant noodles work best for this recipe, as other types may require different cooking times.
- Diabetes Note – For support with carb counting this recipe, scroll up to the foolproof method I’ve shared above. Rice noodles also have a relatively low glycemic index, which means they’re less likely to cause a sharp spike in blood sugar levels, making them a balanced choice when portioned mindfully.
- The nutritional information provided is based on the ingredients I use and should be used as a guideline only. The carbohydrate content may vary depending on the specific brands and measurements you use. If you are counting carbs for insulin dosing, always calculate the amount based on your own ingredients and portion sizes to ensure accuracy.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 640kcal
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 19g
- Carbohydrates: 71g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 27g
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