Vegan Thai Red Curry
Get ready to ignite your taste buds with this vibrant vegan Thai red curry! Creamy coconut milk, punchy red curry paste, and fresh veggies come together in a dish that’s comforting, aromatic, and bursting with irresistible flavor—no passport required.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste. look for Maesri brand for a vegan. Try my homemade curry paste, omit the shrimp paste, and it's vegan!
- 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk, use full-fat to get a rich, creamy texture.
- 1.5 cup water
- 3 large stalks lemongrass. Chop into 5-inch pieces and smashed to release oils
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped into long 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots: Provide a crunchy texture—one of my favorite additions to Thai curries!
- 1.5 cup yellow potatoes, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 3 cup total mixed vegetables: Red bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, snow peas, snap peas, baby corn, green beans, and sweet red peppers all are excellent.
- 8 oz extra-firm tofu, cut into 2x2 inch thick pieces: Crispy, pan-fried tofu or deep-fried tofu add extra flavors, they are great for curries. Make your own with this simple recipe.
- 4 kaffir (makrut) limeleaves, julienned
- 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce: Adds umami depth. (Feel free to experiment if you have vegan fish sauce, though I haven’t tested it in this recipe.)
- 2.5 tbsp sugar: Palm, white, brown, or coconut sugar. Dark brown sugar is my choice for this dish.
- 1.5 cup Thai basil leaves
- chili flakes or red chili peppers, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Warm some oil in a large pot, wok, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for just a few seconds until fragrant and lightly golden brown.
- 2
Add the Curry Paste: Stir in the Thai red curry paste, breaking up any clumps, and cook for 1–2 minutes until it becomes fragrant.
- 3
Incorporate Coconut Milk: Scoop out about ½ cup of the thick coconut cream from the top of the can. Cook it until it separates and begins to bubble, forming a rich, reddish curry sauce base. Add the smashed lemongrass to build more flavors.
- 4
Cook the Vegetables (Hardest First): Add tougher veggies first—such as potatoes, onions, and bamboo shoots—along with the lemongrass stalks. Onions will help flavor the sauce as they cook.
- 5
Pour in the remaining coconut milk and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium high heat, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 10–12 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender
- 6
Stir in the tofu, tamari soy sauce, sugar, kaffir lime leaves and any remaining vegetables. Cook for another 3–4 minutes until the veggies are tender but still crisp.
- 7
Turn off the heat and add in the fresh basil leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more soy sauce or sugar if needed. Serve it hot with steamed jasmine rice. For other rice options, try basmati, cauliflower rice, brown rice—or even noodles. For spicy food lovers, add chili flakes for an extra kick.