This spicy Thai-inspired vegan red curry will knock your socks off! Made with pan-fried tofu and vegetables in a spicy coconut sauce, this is an intensely flavorful dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight!
Thai curry comes in so many delicious flavors, and I’ve never been able to pick a favorite. Each has its own flavor profile and suits a different mood. Yellow curry is comforting and comforting, massaman is spicy and warm, green curry is fresh, and red curry is spicy. So spicy!
Vegan red curry is my go-to Thai dish when I want something hot. You can practically see how spicy it is in the vibrant red color of the sauce.
Traditional red curry may not be vegetarian, so be careful if you order it at a restaurant. Many versions of red curry (and basically all Thai curries for that matter) are made with non-vegan ingredients like fish sauce and shrimp paste.
So today I am sharing my very own delicious vegan Thai red curry recipe. It tastes just like what you would find in a restaurant, but is guaranteed to be 100% animal product if you follow the recipe and my guidelines in this post.
Read on to find out how it’s made!
Jump:
Ingredients you will need
- Coconut oil. Feel free to substitute whatever high-heat oil you have on hand in its place. Peanut oil, avocado oil and corn oil are all fine alternatives.
- tofu Super firm tofu is the easiest variety to work with, so that’s what I’m using. You can use firm or extra-firm tofu instead, but it must be pressed first.
- onion
- curry paste Make sure you buy a vegan brand of red curry paste. Many brands are made with shrimp paste. Thai cuisine is vegan and available in most supermarkets, but too bland for my taste. If you like more heat, Maesri is another vegetarian brand to try. It is quite spicy! Try mixing brands if your taste is somewhere in between.
- Coconut milk. I like to use a mixture of light and full fat coconut milk for just the right consistency and creaminess. You can absolutely pierce with one or the other. Full fat coconut milk will give you a very rich curry, while light coconut milk will give you a curry that is lower in fat and calories, but has a rancid base.
- Potatoes. The recipe calls for a plain old russet potato, but you’re welcome to substitute red potatoes, golden potatoes, or even a sweet potato.
- Broccoli.
- Red pepper bells.
- the carrot
- Lemonade. Fresh lime juice will give your curry the best flavor. Please do not use bottles. It’s just blah!
- Brown sugar. Make sure you use organic brown sugar. Conventional brown sugar can be processed with animal bone meal.
- Fresh mint. If you can get your hands on Thai basil, use it! If not, Italian basil works just fine.
- Salt.
- the rice Serve your Thai curry over rice. Jasmine rice works especially well, but any kind will do.
How is it made?
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. If you want to skip the recipe, scroll all the way down!
Start by pan-frying your tofu cubes in a skillet. Heat some oil and add chopped tofu in an even layer. Cook the tofu pieces for a few minutes on each side, until they turn golden brown.
Heat oil in a large pot and add chopped onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the slices are soft.
Stir in the curry paste and fry with the onions for a few minutes. Be sure to stir constantly to prevent it from burning.
Stir in coconut milk and potatoes. Increase the heat and bring the sauce to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover the pot and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften.
Suggestion: Make sure you uncover the pot and stir it frequently, scraping the bottom of the pot with your spoon. Otherwise the sauce may burn.
Uncover the pot and stir in the remaining vegetables: broccoli, bell peppers and carrots. Let the curry simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in the tofu and cook a minute longer, just to warm it through.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice, brown sugar, and salt to taste. Add the basil and stir until it wilts.
Suggestion: Different brands of red curry paste will vary in the ingredients they use, so you may need to adjust the seasonings in your curry based on the flavor profile of the paste you’re using. This may mean adding more lime juice, brown sugar or salt.
Your curry is ready to enjoy! Serve with some rice.
Remaining and storage
Leftover vegan red curry will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days.
Like this recipe? if so, Stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook , Pinterest or Instagram , or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this!
Vegan Red Curry with Tofu and Vegetables
This spicy Thai-inspired vegan red curry will knock your socks off! Made with pan-fried tofu and vegetables in a spicy coconut sauce, this is an intensely flavorful dish that’s easy enough for a weeknight!
material
-
2
table spoon
coconut oil,
divided -
8
ounce
Super Farm Tofu,
Cut into ½ inch cubes -
1
medium onion,
Cut into strips -
¼
the cup
Vegan Red Curry Paste,
Plus more flavor (Note 1) -
1
(14 oz/400 ml) can
Light coconut milk -
1
the cup
Full fat coconut milk
(Note 2) -
1
medium russet potatoes,
Scrub and cut into half inch pieces -
2
the cup
Broccoli flowers
(about 1 small broccoli crown) -
1
medium red bell pepper,
roughly cut -
1
medium carrot,
to cut -
2
table spoon
Lemon juice -
2
teaspoon
Organic brown sugar -
¼
the cup
Chopped fresh basil leaves -
salt,
to test -
cooked rice,
to serve
instructions
-
Melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a medium nonstick skillet. Gently swirl the skillet to coat the bottom with oil.
-
Add the tofu to the pan. Cook the pieces for about 10 minutes, turning them once or twice, until they are golden brown and crispy. When done, transfer the tofu to a plate.
-
While the tofu is cooking, melt the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
-
Add onion. Cook it for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it softens and starts to brown.
-
Stir in the curry paste and fry with the onions for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
-
Stir in coconut milk (both light and full fat) and potatoes. Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil.
-
Reduce the heat so that the sauce simmers. Cover the pot and let the curry simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften. Make sure to uncover the pot every few minutes and give it a stir, scraping the bottom with a spoon to prevent the curry from burning.
-
Uncover the pot and stir in the broccoli, peppers and carrots. Continue to simmer the curry, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
-
Stir in the tofu and simmer the curry for about 1 minute.
-
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice and brown sugar. Stir in the basil and season the curry with salt to taste.
Recipe notes
- Use 2 tablespoons of paste for a mild flavor, or up to â…“ cup for a more intense flavor.
- You can optionally use all light coconut milk for a lighter curry, or all fat coconut milk for a richer and creamier curry.
nutrients
Vegan Red Curry with Tofu and Vegetables
No. per job
calories 426
Calories from fat are 254
% Daily Value*
thick 28.2 grams43%
20.9 grams of saturated fat105%
Sodium 441mg18%
potassium 690mg20%
carbohydrates 32.1 grams11%
7.1 grams of fiber28%
10.1 grams of sugar11%
protein 14.6 grams29%
calcium 227 mg23%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.