Enjoy this delectable Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup with fried fish fillets. A twist on the Malaysian and Singaporean classic — fish head noodle soup.
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Back in 2018, my husband took me around to a lot of the restaurants he frequented to while growing up in Sabah. It was really nice to experience all his old food haunts, and I could definitely see why they were his favorites. One place in particular though stood out from the rest. They served tom yum fish noodle soup that was so good, I was dreaming about it for days after!
Thanks to the addition of Thai tom yum paste in the dish, it adds a sour and spicy flair to the traditional fish head noodle soup enjoyed by those from Malaysia and Singapore. Fun fact: It’s a breakfast specialty for those in Sabah and Labuan.

Tom Yum Delight
This creamy tom yum noodle soup recipe is one inspired by the delectable gem I encountered in Sabah. For this version, it’s topped with fried fish fillets for its side.
If you’d like to make it vegan, skip the fish fillets and add on your choice of veggies to the dish.
Notes for Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup
- Noodles – Traditionally, we use rice vermicelli noodles for this dish. But I ran out and used what I had on hand, which is canton noodles. You can substitute it with any noodle of your choice.
- Tom Yum paste – Some Tom Yum paste are spicier than others. Adjust the amount of Tom Yum paste according to your heat preference. Taste and adjust.
- Sugar – Sugar rounds out the flavor. Adjust the amount of sugar based on your preference.
- Additional protein options – Shrimp is a good addition to this too.
- Vegan option – Skip the fish if you’re vegan and add whatever veggies you want.

Here are more noodle recipes for you to try:
- Malaysian Chili Pan Noodles
- Garlic Chili Oil Noodles (10 minutes)
- Beef Chow Fun (30 minutes)
- Mee Goreng (Stir Fried Noodles)
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Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 3.5 tbsp Tom Yum paste see notes
- 1 lemongrass optional
- 1/4 small cabbage sliced
- 1 tomato quartered
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- sugar see notes
Fried Fish Fillet
- 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tbsp turmeric powder optional
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 white fish fillet sliced
Others
- noodle of choice
- green onions for garnishing
Instructions
Tom Yum Broth
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil and add lemongrass, Tom Yum paste, tomatoes and cabbage.
- Stir and cover. Bring it to a boil again.
- Add sugar and evaporated milk. Stir.
- Turn off heat once it boils.
Fried Fish Fillets
- Slice fish fillets into bite sized pieces.
- Marinate the fish with rice vinegar and sugar. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- Rinse the fish and add to a bowl.
- Add salt, cornstarch and turmeric. Make sure the fish fillets are coated.
- Fry till it's cooked/Air fry at 375 F for 10-15 minutes.
Assembling
- Boil noodles and drain.
- Add noodles into a boil and pour in half of the broth.
- Add fish fillets and garnish with green onions. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.my family loved it.will be sharing this recipe with my friends.they will like it.
So happy to hear that! Thanks for trying it! 🙂