Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This vegan Thai red curry is a creamy and flavourful dish that’s quick and healthy, ready in just 30 minutes. Made with Thai red curry paste, coconut milk and vegetables, it’s much tastier than takeaway and perfect for anyone with dietary restrictions.

Best of all, it’s incredibly easy to make at home, so you can enjoy restaurant-quality food in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (1)

About this Homemade Thai red curry

As someone who loves Thai cuisine and plant-based cooking, this vegan Thai red curry recipe is a go-to in my household. Just like Thai green curry and Thai Pineapple fried rice.

With healthy ingredients like coconut milk, and plenty of veggies, it’s a great way to get in a balanced meal. Plus, the Vegan red curry paste and spices give it a delicious flavour profile that’s unique to Thai food.

Whether you’re looking for a dinner idea or something to meal prep for weeknight meals, this recipe tutorial provides step-by-step instructions to guide you through the process. You can add protein of your choice like tofu or whatever is available at hand.

And the recipe takes just about 30 minutes in total...

Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (2)

Why should you try this recipe?

  • Quick and Easy: This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it a better option than takeout.
  • Fridge clear out meal: It’s also a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you have in your fridge.
  • Customisable: Adjust the spice level and vegetable selection to suit your tastes.
  • Dietary needs: This dish is vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free, making it suitable for a variety of dietary needs.
  • Delicious flavours: This red curry is a perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and spicy flavours, all in one pot.
  • Versatile: It’s usually served with jasmine rice, but also tastes great with coconut rice, basmati rice, or naan bread.
  • Many ways to cook:This recipe can be made in an Instant Pot, pressure cooker, or on the stovetop.
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (3)

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Thai curry paste: This is the base of the dish and provides most of the flavour. Red curry paste is made with red chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, coriander, cumin, and other spices. You can either make your own paste at home or use a store-bought version that is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. I use Tesco brand of Red Curry paste that is suitable for vegans.
  • Coconut milk: This gives the curry its signature creamy texture and a hint of sweetness. It’s important to use full-fat coconut milk for best results.
  • Coconut oil: This is used to sauté the ginger, garlic, and onions, and adds a subtle coconut flavour to the dish. You can sub with any alternative neutral flavour oil.
  • Vegetables: Use any combination of vegetables you like, but some good options include bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and snow peas. Aim for about 2.5 cups of chopped vegetables.
  • Soy sauce or tamari sauce: This adds a rich, umami flavour to the curry.
  • Sugar: A touch of sugar balances out the flavours and helps to cut the spiciness and tanginess of the curry paste.
  • Rice vinegar: This adds a tangy, slightly sour note to the dish.
  • Thai basil and coriander leaves: These fresh herbs add a burst of flavour and aroma to the finished dish.
  • Lime juice: A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving brightens up the flavours and adds a refreshing touch.
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (4)

How to make Vegan Thai Red Curry on Stove Top – Step by Step:

  1. Heat oil in a pan, add finely chopped onions, and ginger-garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until onions are translucent.
  2. Add Thai Red Curry Paste along with 1 tablespoon of coconut milk.
  3. Fry the red curry well until it releases the aroma, for about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Add Coconut milk and 1/4 cup water. Stir the red curry paste and coconut milk.
  5. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Stir well.
  6. Add 2 1/2 cups of vegetables. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are still a little crunchy.
  7. Taste and season more if needed. Tip in Thai basil and a squeeze of lime juice.
  8. Garnish with red chilies, Thai basil, and coriander. Serve authentic Thai red curry with steaming rice.
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (5)
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (6)
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (7)
Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (8)

Serving Suggestions

This aromatic Vegetable Thai red curry can be served with a variety of sides

  1. Rice: Serve the curry with a side of steamed jasmine rice, basmati rice or brown basmati rice.
  2. Noodles: Thai red curry can also be served with noodles, such as rice noodles or egg noodles.
  3. Vegetables: Serve the curry with a side of roasted mixed vegetables or air fryer roasted broccoli, air fried cauliflower, or sautéed bell peppers.
  4. Naan or Roti: If you prefer to have bread with your curry, you can serve it with homemade naan bread or chapatis.

Storing leftover Vegan Thai red curry

Refrigerate: Once the curry has cooled down, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freeze: If you don’t plan to eat the leftover curry within a few days, you can freeze it. Transfer the red curry to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Thaw: Thaw the frozen red curry in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Alternatively defrost in the microwave.

Reheat: To reheat the curry, you can either use the stovetop or microwave. If using the stovetop, transfer the curry to a saucepan and heat it over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If using a microwave, transfer the curry to a microwave-safe bowl, and heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.

Add liquid: When reheating the curry, you may need to add some liquid, such as water or coconut milk, to thin it out and bring it back to its original consistency.

FAQ’s

Where can I buy Vegetarian Thai curry paste in UK?

Supermarkets such as Tesco sell Thai curry paste in their international food aisles or in the Asian food section.

Is Thai red curry vegan?

Thai red curry can be made vegan by using plant-based ingredients such as vegetables, tofu, and plant-based protein instead of meat or seafood.

What vegetables can I add to Thai red curry?

You can add a variety of vegetables to Thai red curry such as bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, and eggplant.

Can I make Thai red curry without coconut milk?

Coconut milk is a traditional ingredient in Thai red curry and adds richness and creaminess to the dish. However, if you are allergic to coconut or prefer not to use it, you can use other plant-based milk such as almond milk or soy milk instead.

Love easy curry recipe, you will also love

Indian aubergine curry (brinjal bhaji)

Chickpeas tikka masala

Red lentil curry

Mushroom bhaji

HAVE YOU MADE THISRECIPE?

Be sure to leave acommentand/orgive this recipe a★ rating!

Post a photo of your creation on myFacebookpage, share it onInstagram, or save it toPinterestwith the tag#sandhyaskitchen. I would love to see your pictures!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletters!

Vegan Vegetarian Thai red curry recipe below

Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (9)

Homemade Vegan Thai red curry

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 People

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Sandhya Hariharan

Our homemade Vegan Thai red curry is creamy, flavourful, aromatic and so easy to make at home. Ready in just 30 minutes, this curry is quick, delicious and healthier than the takeaway.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium white onion finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
  • 1 can coconut milk (400ml)
  • ¼-½ cup water or as needed
  • ¾- 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp soya Sauce
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp lime juice

Vegetables

  • 6 Baby Corn
  • 6 Mangetouts ( Snow peas)
  • 1 carrots peeled and sliced into circles
  • 4 Stalks Broccoli Tenderstem

Garnishes

  • 5-6 Thai Basil
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander leaves
  • Red Chilli or Siracha Sauce optional
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  • Heat Oil, add finely chopped onions along with a pinch of salt. Once onions have softened and translucent, add Ginger- Garlic. Saute for another 2 minutes until raw smell has eliminated. Make sure to stir continuously to avoid burning.

  • Add Red Curry Paste, 1 tbsp coconut milk and stir well until well combined. Fry the curry paste well until the aroma is released.

  • Add the remaining coconut milk, soy sauce,sugar, rice vinegar, salt and 1/4 cup of water and stir.

  • Add all the vegetables and cook covered further for 4-5 minutes until they are a bit soft.

  • Switch off the flame and add thai basil and squeeze of lime juice.

  • Taste and season more with soy sauce, rice vinegar and salt, if you need more punch.

  • Divide the cooked rice and curry into bowls and garnish with basil, red chilli and coriander leaves.

Notes

If you like your curry a bit more spicier, add a drizzle of siracha sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.1g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 24.3g | Saturated Fat: 19.8g | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 777mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 6.6g | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4mg

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: thai red curry, vegan thai red curry, vegetable thai red curry

Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhyaskitchen and Hashtag #sandhyaskitchen!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (10)Alex says

    Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (11)
    Beautiful! I adore Thai curry myself. I always, always love finish it with lots of fresh lime juice 🙂

    Reply

    • Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (12)Sandhya Hariharan says

      That is fabulous…

      Reply

  2. Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (13)Bharathi Ranganathan says

    Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (14)
    Lovely post Sandhya 🙂 the pictures looks extremely delicious ! i am bookmarking this one 🙂

    Reply

    • Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (15)Sandhya Hariharan says

      Hope you enjoy making them Bharathi.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe - Sandhya's Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to Thai curry? ›

The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic. Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won't regret it!). Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.

What's the difference between red curry and Thai curry? ›

Red curry was made with several red chillies for a fiery hot dish, while green curry was made with green chillies, and yellow curry was made with yellow chillies. In Thailand, these chillies have a slightly different taste as well as differing in colour.

How do you thicken Thai red curry? ›

Mix cornstarch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot with cold water or a cup of liquid from the curry sauce to make a slurry. Add this at the end of the cooking process—the sauce should thicken as soon as it returns to a boil.

What is a good substitute for Thai red curry? ›

Other Thai / Malaysian curry pastes such as, yellow curry, laksa or Massaman also work well as substitutes. Indian curry pastes including madras, korma and vindaloo can also be used. Just watch out as the intensity. Start with less than the recipe calls for and taste and add as needed.

How do you add depth to Thai red curry? ›

To further the complexity of flavors, we also add Thai sweet chili sauce, and the classic cast of Thai food characters: soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, dried basil and a bay leaf. Its a somewhat long list of ingredients, but most of them you are just dumping into the sauce.

What are the six ingredients commonly used in Thai curry pastes? ›

Common ingredients used in many Thai curry pastes are:
  • Shrimp paste.
  • Chillies; depending on the curry these can be dried or fresh, red or green.
  • Onions or shallots.
  • Garlic.
  • Lemongrass.
  • Galangal.
  • Coriander (cilantro) root.

Which Thai curry tastes the best? ›

Green curry is considered the most popular curry. With coconut milk as one of the main ingredients, there is a hint of sweet flavoring as well. Because the green curry paste is made with green chilis, it is far hotter than other curries.

Which is nicer red or green Thai curry? ›

The preference of Thai red curry or green curry depends on personal taste. Some people might prefer the spicier and bolder taste of red curry, while others might enjoy the more herbal and fragrant flavor of green curry. Both are delicious in their own ways, and it's worth trying both to see which one you like better.

Which is better, panang or red curry? ›

While it has similar ingredients, Panang curry is a bit stronger, richer, sweeter and thicker than Red Curry, as well as slightly nutty thanks to the addition of ground peanuts in the paste. The curry paste is a quick 30 second stick blender blitz!

How do restaurants make curry so creamy? ›

As we've mentioned, some Indian dishes use a cream-based curry sauce. Usually using a cream is combined with other thickening and flavour-adding ingredients, such as carmelized onions blended into a paste (or simply minced and clarified).

How do you thicken vegan curry? ›

All types of flour work well for thickening, including wheat flour, coconut flour, and chickpea flour. However, you should keep the flavor of your dish in mind when choosing a thickening agent. Coconut flour works well in dishes like Thai curries while chickpea flour melds well with bean stews.

Can you add milk to Thai curry? ›

Making the curry sauce from the paste

Most Thai curries, other than Jungle curry, use coconut milk to add the texture and sweetness to the dish, so it is very important to use a good quality "full fat" coconut milk.

Can I use Tom Yum paste instead of red curry paste? ›

Use tom yum paste as an alternative to red curry paste in vegan tom kha soup.

What is the proper name for Thai red curry? ›

Thai Red Curry (Gaeng Phed),is possibly the most well known of all curries in Thailand.

What are the three types of Thai curry? ›

In general, Thai yellow curry is the mildest, Thai red curry is medium-hot and Thai green curry is spicy, although it can sometimes vary depending on what region of Thailand you are in.

What gives Thai curry its flavor? ›

The flavor base usually consists of green chilies, shrimp paste, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, peppercorns, makrut limes, and cumin seed.

What is the secret ingredient for curry? ›

Whether you may be familiar with the differences between curries from various countries, such as Indian versus Japanese curry, and perhaps even know how to make them at home, there's a special flavor enhancer that you may not have thought to add: honey.

How to make Thai curry more flavourful? ›

Toasting the spices wakes them up and makes the curry more aromatic. Toasting the shrimp paste makes it more pungent and adds a smoky flavour.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kieth Sipes

Last Updated:

Views: 6114

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kieth Sipes

Birthday: 2001-04-14

Address: Suite 492 62479 Champlin Loop, South Catrice, MS 57271

Phone: +9663362133320

Job: District Sales Analyst

Hobby: Digital arts, Dance, Ghost hunting, Worldbuilding, Kayaking, Table tennis, 3D printing

Introduction: My name is Kieth Sipes, I am a zany, rich, courageous, powerful, faithful, jolly, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.