Thai Breakfast Rice Soup
Video
Go
Recipe
Go
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is the soup my mum (most people know her as
Mama Noi
) made for me countless mornings when I was growing up. And even now, it’s one of the most treasured things she makes for me. I still remember waking up to that distinct aroma of rice porridge bubbling away, and the gentle fragrance of whatever broth she was making to go with it. Sometimes it was chicken, sometimes fish and each one had its own kind of magic.
It’s pure comfort in a bowl: warm, gingery and gently savoury. The jasmine rice turns creamy and thick, wrapping around tender garlic pork meatballs and fresh herbs. Then there’s that drizzle of golden garlic oil and a splash of chilli vinegar. They bring the whole thing to life. It’s the Thai breakfast that feels like home, nourishing and soothing in every way.
Special Ingredient Notes
– Garlic oil:
Adds aromatic richness. Fry until pale gold, not brown, for the right flavour.
– Chilli vinegar:
The bright acidity balances the soup’s savouriness.
– Fresh ginger:
Finely julienned ginger gives that signature Thai freshness.
The Secret to Perfect Thai Breakfast Rice Soup
Cook the rice low and slow so it releases starch and turns silky. Pound the garlic into a paste before mixing with the pork. It builds flavour. And watch the garlic when you fry it for the oil; it turns from golden to burnt in seconds. Finish with garlic oil, chilli vinegar and a sprinkle of fish sauce for that authentic Bangkok breakfast vibe.
A Note About the Egg
If you’re adding an egg to your bowl, make sure the soup is
very
hot and bubbling before ladling it over. The heat of the soup should cook the egg through as it sits in the bowl. I like to let it rest for a few minutes before stirring. The result is a silky, just-set egg that adds richness to the broth.
BUT if you’re pregnant or at all concerned about consuming raw or lightly cooked eggs, it’s best to leave it out. The soup is just as delicious without it.
What You Need
long grain rice
pork mince
garlic
ginger
coriander
spring onions
white pepper
fish sauce
vegetable oil
vinegar
red chilli
eggs (optional)
Steps
Place the rice in
a large saucepan
with 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to low and gently simmer for 15 minutes, adding another 2 cups of water as it cooks. The rice should become thick and porridge-like.
While the rice cooks, pound the garlic into a paste using
a mortar and pestle
. Mix it with the pork mince, white pepper and fish sauce. In a separate
pot
, heat 4 cups of water until simmering. Drop in teaspoonfuls of the pork mixture and cook 3-4 minutes until firm and cooked through. Season the broth with fish sauce and white pepper to taste.
For the garlic oil, gently
fry
the chopped garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until just golden. Pour into
a bowl
and set aside. For the chilli vinegar, combine the sliced chilli and vinegar in
a small bowl
and set aside.
Add the rice porridge mixture into the pork soup. You can add more or less of the rice so that the soup is the thickness you prefer. I like it more on the soupy side. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes to allow all the flavours to infuse. Taste and season with more fish sauce or salt if desired.
Crack an egg into each serving bowl if you like, then ladle the hot rice soup over the top. Allow the egg to sit in the hot soup for 3-4 minutes. Finish with coriander, spring onion and ginger. Serve with fish sauce, garlic oil, chilli vinegar and white pepper on the side. Stir to break up the egg and enjoy!
Marion’s Tips
This dish is all about the condiments. Don’t skip them! The chilli vinegar brightens the broth while the garlic oil adds savoury richness. For extra comfort, stir the egg gently through the soup so it ribbons into the broth.
Thai Breakfast Rice Soup
PRINT THIS
PREP TIME
20 minutes
COOK TIME
30 minutes
SERVES
4
PRINT THIS
Ingredients
1 cup long grain rice
4 eggs (optional)
fish sauce, to season and serve
white pepper, to season and serve
finely julienned fresh ginger, to serve
roughly chopped coriander (cilantro), to serve
finely sliced spring onion (scallions), to serve
Pork balls
2 garlic cloves
150 g (5 oz) pork mince
¼ tsp ground white pepper
2 tsp fish sauce
Garlic oil
½ cup vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Chilli vinegar
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
⅓ cup white vinegar
Instructions
1
Cook the Rice
Place the rice in
a large saucepan
with 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to low and gently simmer for 15 minutes, adding another 2 cups of water as it cooks. The rice should become thick and porridge-like.
2
Make the Pork Balls
While the rice cooks, pound the garlic into a paste using
a mortar and pestle
. Mix it with the pork mince, white pepper and fish sauce. In a separate
pot
, heat 4 cups of water until simmering. Drop in teaspoonfuls of the pork mixture and cook 3-4 minutes until firm and cooked through. Season the broth with fish sauce and white pepper to taste.
3
Make the Condiments
For the garlic oil, gently fry the chopped garlic in the vegetable oil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until just golden. Pour into
a bowl
and set aside.
For the chilli vinegar, combine the sliced chilli and vinegar in
a small bowl
and set aside.
4
Combine and Serve
Add the rice porridge mixture into the pork soup. You can add more or less of the rice so that the soup is the thickness you prefer. I like it more on the soupy side. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes to allow all the flavours to infuse. Taste and season with more fish sauce or salt if desired. Crack an egg into each serving bowl if you like, then ladle the hot rice soup over the top. Allow the egg to sit in the hot soup for 3-4 minutes. Finish with coriander, spring onion and ginger. Serve with fish sauce, garlic oil, chilli vinegar and white pepper on the side. Stir to break up the egg and enjoy!
