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Vegetarian Burmese Khow Suey – One Pot Comfort

By Urvi Dalal

4.98 from 38 votes

on Sep 03, 2020, Updated Nov 27, 2025

Here’s my vegetarian version of the hearty Burmese khow suey! Learn how to get the authentic Burmese curry broth flavours, so you can tuck into this warm bowl of comfort food whenever you want a pick-me-up!

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Whenever we visit an Asian restaurant, I insist on ordering the Khow Suey (curry noodle soup) just because it’s one of those meal experiences that I can build on my own. So it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that I had to try recreating my very own Burmese khow suey recipe at home for you guys!

This Khow Suey recipe looks a mellow yellow but it’s bursting with flavour! Featuring bold Southeast Asian flavours from the curry paste, the creaminess from the coconut milk and lots of texture from the fried noodles – this Burmese Khow Suey is a complete flavour bomb in a bowl!

Khow Suey Elements

This Vegetarian Burmese Khow Suey has a bunch of elements in it, which need to be made separately. I am breaking it down for you so that you can see that while the ingredient list looks long, the dish is actually quite easy to put together!

• Curry Paste for Khow Suey: This paste forms the base of the Khow Suey and gives it that distinct flavour. It typically uses Asian fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, coriander stems (don’t throw them away, they pack in so much flavour!), peppercorn and green chillies that pack a punch.
• Coconut Broth: This broth is what delivers the body and soupy consistency to this Burmese Khow Suey. It makes the dish hearty and comforting.
• The Noodles: By far the simplest part of the process. I like using egg noodles, which are easily available both online and in Indian supermarkets. You can easily use plain flour or rice noodles to make it vegan. You can also choose options like ramen noodles or angel hair noodles.
• Toppings: The toppings are my favourite part and I usually go crazy with these! Here’s a list of toppings you can add to your Khow Suey:
  • Fried shallots or onions
  • Sliced Onions
  • Fried or fresh Ginger
  • Fried Garlic Chips
  • Finely chopped green chillies
  • Lemon wedges
  • Spring onions
  • Crushed chilli flakes
  • Chopped coriander or cilantro
  • Crispy fried noodles or wonton strips
  • Chopped or coarsely powdered groundnuts (Whole groundnuts will also do)

Richa’s Top Tips

• Feel free to add your choice of protein like chicken, prawns and boiled, halved eggs
• Drizzle a bit of chilli oil if want more heat in your khow suey
• Make sure you splash some cold water on the noodles after draining them. Mushy noodles are never nice to eat, so don’t overcook them
• Use fresh aromatics, especially fresh lemongrass, ginger, garlic and coriander stems. They add so much depth of flavour in the coconut-curry broth
• Since coconut milk makes this dish lush and creamy, don’t skip lemon wedges or a squeeze of lime before serving to cut through the richness beautifully
• Offer toppings separately (DIY-style). I love serving noodles, broth and a platter of toppings separately so everyone can build their bowl to their taste. It makes the meal super interactive and fun!

Storage & Leftover Tips

• Refresh toppings before serving again. Crispy elements lose their crunch over time. If possible, re-fry a small batch just before serving to bring the “crisp alive” again.
• Store components separately. Keep the coconut-curry broth in one airtight container and noodles in another. This prevents the noodles from getting soggy or mushy. When reheating, warm the broth and pour over freshly heated noodles.
• Reheat gently. Reheat the broth on low to medium flame; avoid boiling vigorously because it can curdle/alter texture.
• Add a splash of water or more coconut milk when reheating. The gravy tends to thicken or tighten on cooling; a little extra water or coconut milk helps loosen it up and restore creaminess.
• Consume within 2–3 days. Because of coconut milk and vegetables, it’s best eaten within a few days when stored in the fridge.

Customisation Ideas

Because this dish is so versatile, you can play around depending on what you have or what you’re craving. Here are some fun twists:

• Toss in cubes of tofu, cooked chicken, shrimp, prawns, or even a halved boiled egg for a protein boost
• Swap traditional egg noodles for rice noodles for a gluten-free version. Or feel free to experiment with spiralized zucchini / other vegetable noodles if you want low-carb.
• Add extra green chillies, a drizzle of chilli oil, or serve with chilli flakes on the side for those who like it fiery
• If you are allergic to peanuts/groundnuts, try roasted seeds (pumpkin, sunflower or mixed) to recreate that same crunchy texture
• Besides carrot, beans, mushrooms and bell pepper, you could add zucchini, spinach, baby corn, cauliflower florets — almost any veggie that soaks up the curry will work

This dish is great for both situations – when you have a big gang over or if it’s date night with your loved one. Tell me your happy and hearty Khow Suey experiences in the comments section!

Watch Burmese Khow Suey Recipe Video

4.98 from 38 votes

Vegan Khow Suey

By: Richa

Burmese Khow Suey or khao soi is easier than you think! The curry paste is really simple and you can add veggies, chicken or any other meat of choice. Its comfort food and kid friendly.

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

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Ingredients 

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Curry Paste

• ▢ 8-10 cloves Garlic
• ▢ ½ tbsp Ginger
• ▢ 3 tbsp Coriander, stems only
• ▢ ½ tsp Whole Coriander Seeds
• ▢ 2 tsp Fresh Turmeric
• ▢ 2 Shallots
• ▢ ½ tsp Whole Peppercorns
• ▢ 2 Green Chillies

Coconut Broth

• ▢ 2 tbsp Oil
• ▢ 4-6 Garlic, sliced
• ▢ 3-4 Shallots, sliced
• ▢ 2 Birds Eye Chillies, slit lengthwise
• ▢ 8-10 Curry Leaves
• ▢ 4 cup Vegetable Broth/Water
• ▢ 2 tbsp Besan , Gram flour
• ▢ 2 stalks Lemongrass, white part only
• ▢ ⅓ cup Carrot, thickly sliced
• ▢ ¼ cup Green Beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ▢ ⅓ cup Bell Pepper, diced
• ▢ ½ cup Mushroom, quartered
• ▢ 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp Salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup cubed Tofu
• ▢ 1½ cups Thick Coconut Milk

Noodles

• ▢ 250 gram Noodles
• ▢ 1 tbsp Oil
• ▢ 1 tsp Salt

Toppings

• ▢ 2-3 tbsp Coconut Oil
• ▢ ¼ cup Shallots, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 inch piece Ginger, julienned
• ▢ 1 tbsp Garlic, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1/3 cup cooked Noodles
• ▢ ¼ cup Groundnuts (peeled)
• ▢ 3 Green Chillies, thinly sliced (optional)

Metric – US Customary

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

Curry Paste

• Grind all the ingredients into a smooth paste using a blender or food processor. Add a little water while blending. Set aside.

Coconut Broth

• Use a mortar and pestle to lightly crush the lemongrass for the broth.
• Heat oil in a large pot or wok. Add the garlic and sauté lightly. As the garlic begins to gain colour, add the shallots, fresh red chilli and curry leaves. Stir and sauté for 2-4 minutes until the shallots become slightly translucent.
• Add the ground paste and cook over a medium flame for 4-5 minutes or until the raw smell goes away. Add the gram flour and stir to combine. Cook further for 2 more minutes, stirring continuously. Slowly add the vegetable broth and keep mixing till there are no lumps.
• Add the vegetables, crushed lemongrass, soy sauce, salt and simmer for 20 minutes and let the flavours infuse well in the broth. You can simmer it for longer for a more intense flavour.
• Add tofu and coconut milk and mix well. Turn off the flame and set aside to serve.

Noodles

• In a stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add some salt and oil to the water to prevent noodles from sticking. Add the noodles and follow the package instructions to cook it.
• In the absence of cooking instructions, simply add the noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the noodles are soft but still have a slight bite to it. Drain the noodles and give it a quick rinse in cold running water and set aside.

Toppings

• Heat coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add sliced shallots and fry till it becomes golden brown. Use a skimmer to remove the shallots and place over a paper towel to remove excess oil.
• In the same pan, add garlic and fry till it browns. Remove and place over a paper towel.
• Now add ginger and fry it for a minute till the ginger softens. Remove and place over a paper towel.
• Next fry the noodles till golden brown to make it crunchy. Remove and place over a paper towel.
• Wipe down the pan and add the groundnuts and lightly dry roast them for 1-2 minutes and keep aside.

Serving

• To serve, assemble all the toppings on a serving platter. Arrange a bowl with fresh noodles, top it over with the coconut milk broth and add your choice of toppings and enjoy it hot!

Video

Notes

1. Lemongrass use fresh lemongrass to make the broth as it is imperative to the flavour of the dish. If you can’t get your hands on fresh lemongrass, use dry lemongrass leaves. Tie them up in a muslin cloth and simmer along with the broth, discard before serving. 
2. Toppings the toppings can vary based on your taste. You can also add sautéed chicken or prawns if you like to make it a whole meal. 
3. Gram flour is used in this recipe not just for thickening but also adds to the flavour. If you don’t have gram flour, you can use cornflour. 
4. Vegetable Broth as this is a vegan recipe, I’ve used vegetable broth. It can be substituted with chicken broth as well. You can even use ready store-bought boullion or stock cubes, dissolved in water. 

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Sodium: 1104mg, Potassium: 628mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1685IU, Vitamin C: 71mg, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 4mg

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This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.