Laksa – the iconic Malaysian spicy coconut noodle soup! An incredibly rich, fragrant, complex flavoured broth loaded with all the essential classic toppings. This is an easy Laksa recipe because it’s made with a store bought Laksa paste which is spruced up to make a restaurant quality Laksa.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Laksa recipe
I am obsessed with Laksa.
My Japanese mother will disown me for saying this, but I am pretty sure that Laksa would be my Last Meal.
She will also be able to attest to my obsession with Laksa. Because approximately once a month, I trek wide and far as required to get my Laksa fix. I have been known to drive an hour to a place called Temasek in Parramatta which I think has one the best Laksas in Sydney
Let me put that another way. I drive a 2 hour round trip for a bowl of Laksa that takes 15 minutes to consume and I’m booted out of my seat the minute I finish slurping the soup. This place is in hot demand!
What is Laksa?
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup from Malaysia, also found in other South East Asian counties including Singapore and Indonesia.
Laksa as we know it here in Australia is made with a coconut broth that is spicy and fragrant. However, there are actually quite a few different types of Laksas and those who travel to Malaysia are often surprised to learn that the most popular Laksa has a much stronger curry flavour and is not made with a coconut broth.
So the coconut broth Laksa that is so wildly popular here in Australia is actually not widely available in Malaysia. Nevertheless – doesn’t it look ridiculously delicious??
If the jar instructions says to dump paste into coconut milk – ignore it. Follow my recipe!
Making a Laksa from scratch requires speciality ingredients such as dried shrimp, dried shrimp paste, candlenuts and galangal. I’ve only made it a handful of times. And it’s always a big occasion when I do – I make a big deal of it. “I made that from scratch”, I’ll say smugly, repeatedly.
How to make Laksa
Today, I’m sharing a Laksa recipe that starts with a store bought Laksa paste. If you’ve ever tried to make laksa at home using a store bought paste and just added that to coconut milk like it says to do on the jar, you’ve probably been sorely disappointed with the outcome.
That’s because like all curries (red curry, green curry), Laksa paste benefits greatly from some freshening up. Just a bit of garlic, ginger, lemongrass and chilli sautéed before adding the store bought paste will take this Laksa from meh to mind blowingly delicious!
Best Laksa paste
The best (Asian stores only) – Por Kwan Laksa Paste (A$2.80). At the time of writing, is still only sold at Asian grocery stores. It has more depth of flavour than other brands, the proper Malaysian “funk” that is so addictive about Laksa.
Very good (supermarkets) – Ayam Laksa Paste (Woolworths, Coles 🇦🇺). It’s actually quite good nowadays. I’d happily use it for a Laksa fix if I can’t get to an Asian store.
Avoid – Valcom, the other mainstream brand sold in supermarkets. Remains a no-go zone for me (way, WAY too sweet and westernised)
What’s in Laksa?
For me, the crowning glory of Laksa is the spicy coconut broth. I want it on tap. I could happily drink it every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Here’s what you need for the Laksa broth. What we’re doing here is making a semi-homemade chicken broth by cooking drumsticks (or other bone in, skin on chicken) in chicken broth/stock to inject extra flavour and richness.
Laksa paste – see above for my recommended brands.
And here’s what goes ON and IN Laksa. Just a note on a couple of things:
Noodles – The common noodles found in Laksa is vermicelli noodles (thin white noodles). However, “serious” laksa joints serve laksa with both vermicelli and Hokkien Noodles. Hokkien Noodles are optional – I only use it when making laksa for company.
Fried Tofu Puffs – these are fried tofu pieces. They’re spongey, don’t taste of much and they look weird, but they’re an essential part of the Laksa eating experience!
It’s not the end of the world if you can’t find them….but you’ll miss that glorious moment when you bite into a tofu puff and the laksa soup squirts into your mouth ***and her knees go weak at the thought….***
Crispy Fried Shallots – crunchy, salty, oily bits of fried shallots, a common garnish in dishes across South East Asia.
Nowadays found in large supermarkets, but cheaper in Asian stores. It makes an appearance regularly around here eg Chinese Chicken Salad, Nasi Goreng, Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup, Asian Slaw, Amazing Easy Thai Coconut Soup – to name a few!
And lastly, but certainly not least is the Chilli Paste that is always served on the side (at good Laksa joints!) so you can add more flavour and heat into your Laksa.
The Chilli Paste is made with more than just chilli and I’ve never come across a recipe for it so I made my own up. This stuff is gold, and a little dab of this added into the coconut broth is one of my secrets. 🙂
Phew! Who knew that I would be able to write almost 1,000 words about a humble noodle soup without pausing for a breath??
But honestly, if there is one soup to write an essay about, it’s got to be Laksa.
Big punchy flavours. Fragrant, rich and spicy.
This soup is me in a bowl. – Nagi x
More Asian Soups You’ll Love!
Ham Bone Congee (Chinese Rice Soup)
See all Asian Recipes
Watch How To Make It
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Laksa Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Stock
- 2 cups (500 ml) chicken stock / broth
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 3 chicken drumsticks (Note 1)
Laksa Broth
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 cm / 4/5″ piece of ginger , finely grated
- 1 lemongrass , white part grated, (Note 2)
- 2 birds eye chillis , finely chopped (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup (135g) laksa paste (Note 4)
- 400ml can coconut milk (Note 5)
- 2 tsp fish sauce (sub soy)
Noodles + Toppings
- 50g / 1.5 oz vermicelli noodles , dried
- 100g / 3.5oz hokkien noodles (optional, Note 6)
- 80g / 2.5 oz bean sprouts
- 80g / 2.5 oz tofu puffs , cut in half (Note 7)
Laksa Chilli Sauce (Note 8)
- 1/2 tsp sugar , white
- 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce , light or all purpose
- 1/2 garlic clove , minced
- 1 1/2 tsp Laksa paste (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce , or other chilli sauce
- 1 tbsp chilli paste from jar , or more Sriracha
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (any plain oil)
Garnishes
- Fresh coriander / cilantro (recommended)
- Lime wedges (recommended)
- Crispy fried shallots , optional (Note 8)
- Finely sliced red chilli , optional
Instructions
Chicken Stock
- Place Chicken Stock ingredients in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to simmer, then reduce to medium high.
- Cook for 25 minutes or until chicken flesh is falling off the bone and liquid reduces by about 1/3.
- Discard skin, pull flesh off the bone and place in bowl, discard bone. Set broth aside.
Laksa Chilli Sauce
- Mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Laksa Broth
- Heat oil in a large saucepan or small pot over medium low heat. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 20 seconds, then add lemongrass and chillis. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add laksa paste. Turn heat up to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until fragrant.
- Add chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce and 2 tsp of Laksa Chilli Sauce. Place lid on and simmer on for 10 minutes.
- Adjust to taste using lime juice (for sour) and fish sauce (for saltiness). Add tofu puffs. Leave on turned off stove with lid on for 5 minutes.
Assemble Laksa
- Prepare noodles per packet directions.
- Divide noodles between 2 bowls. Top with shredded chicken.
- Pour broth over chicken. Top with beansprouts. Sprinkle with Garnishes you choose to use. Serve with Laksa Chilli Sauce on the side.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published September 2016. Updated with new photos, new writing, brand new video. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare touch it!
Life of Dozer
I’m sure onlookers were thoroughly unimpressed at the sight of his dusty paws on the park bench that people sit on to watch the sun set over Pittwater…… (I think he jumped up so he could see over the shrubs to watch the pelicans frolicking on the sand flats!)
And from when I first published this Laksa recipe….
Spotted FOOD in the water….(i.e. fish!)
This looks delish! Can you please add the Fiber content to your nutrition details? I have ibs-c & I try to get in 25 gms/day. You don’t need to actually post this. I love Oz! My daughter did her semester abroad there & I was fortunate enough to visit. I’d live there in a heartbeat but my family is all here in the US. Thank you!
I also really enjoy Tean’s Gourmet Curry Laksa paste that comes in a sachet too.
I didn’t even know Laksa existed until I lived in Sydney and someone asked me if I wanted one.
Over a decade later, in a different country, I found myself thinking of Laksa.
I took your advice and rooted out the Por Kwan paste, which is quite hard to find in the UK.
I never knew what on earth the floating things were, I just knew I loved them. Turned out I needed tofu puffs. I’ve tried (and failed) making my own, but again I found somewhere I can buy them in the UK.
The only thing missing from your recipe and the one I was eating in Sydney was wantons. I was looking for a very particular flavour, one that tasted of sesame and spring onions. Turns out that Itsu vegetarian gyoza are exactly what I needed.
Then I just needed prawns, and mussels, to create the ‘mixed laksa’.
So thank you, very much, for enabling me to re-live my past and also create a new laksa addict in my UK partner. So hard to make something when you don’t even know what half the ingredients are called!
That’s the kind of cooking story I LOVE! I am happy you were able to recreate it and if you are keen enough to make your own wontons you can try my ones here! https://discountspot.info/wonton-soup/%3C/a%3E N x
This laksa is as good, or better, than any you will find in a good sydney restaurant. Thank you Nagi for this magical but very easy recipe. I had been searching for years for a recipe like this, even making my own pastes, but your recipe leaves them for dead
I made this using large shrimp and veggie broth. Outstanding! Serving for company this weekend. Thank you again Nagi for another great recipe!
This is a delicious recipe.
Just cooked this laksa recipe and the family loved, especially our teenage son who said we should have it more often. Winner!!! Thank you Nagi – every recipe I’ve tried has been sensational. 😊
Literally just finished eating this and OMG best laksa we have had in Australia. Always love your recipes and stories behind them not to mention the photos of Dozer. Can’t wait to make this for friends. Thank you!
This was fantastic! I’ve tried to make laksa before — not good! — but your recipe is amazeballs. THANK YOU, NAGI! And thanks for the incredible effort you go to in your recipes, posts, and videos. It really is appreciated xo
And to Colin below: you’re not the only person in the world mate. Most of us love reading all of Nagi’s posts — and if you don’t already know, you have the option to go straight to the recipe by pressing the ‘recipe’ button at the top of the post. It’s not hard and it’s not hard to be nice either.
Ditto Julie
I am so glad that you enjoyed it Julie! Thank you for the very nice compliment…it’s not hard to be nice! N x
I don’t suppose you could rattle on anymore and just have the recipe for gods sake don’t drive miles for the laksa
other than that nice recipe
Tell us you don’t know how to use the internet without telling us 🤣
There is a button right at the very top of the page, literally under the heading named “Recipe”. If you click on it, it takes you directly to the recipe instructions.
Best laksa recipe ever, I can’t order it at restaurants anymore because I know it won’t be as good haha.
I have made this multiple times for the family, it’s definitely a favourite, I do tend to add pak choy as well just for a little more greenery. Every recipe I have used from Nagi has been impeccable and I have definitely shared the love of where to get them!
Nagi this blog post was a delight to read. I am inspired. Thank you!
I made this with fish stock and seafood. It was so delicious. Thank you for the recipe Nagi. I will make again.
I cooked this last night for my wife and friends. I added scollops, calamari and deveined king prawns.
It was simply the best tasting Laksa i’ve had/we’ve had outside of a premier Laksa house!
I like heat. I added 3 birdseye chillis (for 4 servings) without the seeds. it was a little under warm, enough to just tingle the lips afterwards. next time ill add the seeds and another chilli.
Asking our guest where improvement could come from, they said NOWHERE!
This dish is a clear 10/10!
Thanks nagi, I only stumbled across your site as I was researching the best Laksa recipes around. A new subscriber here 🙂 Troy.
I cooked this last night for my wife and friends. I added scollops, calamari and deveined king prawns.
It was simply the best tasting Laksa i’ve had/we’ve had outside of a premier Laksa house!
I like heat. I added 3 birdseye chillis (for 4 servings) without the seeds. it was a little under warm, enough to just tingle the lips afterwards. next time ill add the seeds and another chilli.
Asking our guest where improvement could come from, they said NOWHERE!
This dish is a clear 10/10!
Thanks nagi, I only stumbled across your site as I was researching the best Laksa recipes around. A new subscriber here 🙂 Troy.
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I made it as written – no substitutions. I would advise readers to taste the laksa before adding more lime to your bowl. I thought it was perfect without the added lime. I can’t wait to make it again. I love how you write about your recipes and the level of detail you include in your instructions Nagi.. You are very helpful, thorough and entertaining. I am trying your pho recipe tomorrow. I am so happy that I found your site! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us!
Wow! I have tried many of your recipes but have never posted a comment before. This recipe was out of this world! We were craving Laksa from Temasek during lockdown and this recipe turned out better than what we would normally have there, seriously unbelievable! Thanks Nagi
Love the Laksa Noodle Soup recipe, can’t wait to try it. Thank you for full explanation of ingredients!
I loooved Laksa when I first tried it in Singapore two years ago and have been pining for it ever since. Today I took matters into my own hands and made a double batch of this recipe. It was absolutely delicious. My husband, my parents and I are still in Laksa heaven!!
I am so glad you loved it Paula! N x