Thukpa (Nepali Noodle Soup)

About This Recipe

Thukpa is the definitive cold-weather comfort food of Nepal and the broader Himalayan region, shared with Tibetan and North Indian traditions. Originally a Tibetan dish, it was enthusiastically adopted in Nepal's mountain communities where it provides warmth and sustenance at altitude. The soup base is built on aromatics and mild spices, and the thick, chewy noodles are either hand-pulled or made from fresh dough. Thukpa is deeply customisable — it can be vegetarian or loaded with chicken or yak meat — and every household has its own version. In Kathmandu, dedicated thukpa restaurants stay packed through winter months.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 250 gfresh or dried wheat noodles
• 300 gchicken breast, thinly sliced
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 mediumonion, sliced
• 4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tspginger, grated
• 2 mediumtomatoes, chopped
• 1 tspturmeric powder
• 1 tspcumin powder
• 0.5 tspcoriander powder
• 1.5 litreschicken or vegetable stock
• 1 mediumcarrot, julienned
• 1 cupcabbage, shredded
• 2 stalksspring onions, sliced
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• Salt and pepper(to taste)
• Fresh corianderto garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the broth

   Heat oil in a large pot. Fry onion until translucent. Add garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, turmeric, cumin, and coriander powder; cook until tomatoes break down, about 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Add stock and chicken

   Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add sliced chicken, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

3. 3

   Add vegetables

   Add carrots and cabbage; simmer for 5 minutes until just tender but retaining some bite.

4. 4

   Cook noodles and serve

   Cook noodles according to package instructions in a separate pot; drain and divide into bowls. Ladle hot broth, chicken, and vegetables over the noodles. Garnish with spring onions and fresh coriander.

Variations

• •

  Vegetable thukpa: omit chicken, use vegetable stock, and add tofu.

• •

  Thenthuk: a variation with hand-pulled flat noodles, traditional in Tibet.

• •

  Add a tablespoon of peanut butter for a creamy, nutty broth.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Store broth and noodles separately; keeps refrigerated for 3 days. Reheat broth and pour over freshly cooked noodles.

Frequently Asked Questions