Vegan Thai Red Curry
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This Vegan Thai Curry recipe is spicy, delicious, healthy and versatile! Vary the veggies and add tofu or chickpeas for protein. It’s the perfect, satisfying veggie-packed meal that delivers comfort in every bite.
“Excellent recipe! I have it on rotation for my monthly meals. The hubby loves it and everyone who has tried it is a huge fan. Thank you!“
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Has this ever happened to you? You buy a bunch of vegetables that look so beautiful and so fresh and then… Gasp! You have to do something with them or else! Vegan Thai Red Curry is what to make when you have an abundance of vegetables!
That’s how this recipe was born but now it’s one of my go-to’s when I want something healthful, light and flavor-packed!
This vegan Thai curry is:
- Healthy! Loaded with so many vegetables, it has to be!
- Versatile! Vary the veggies and add tofu or chickpeas for protein if you like. Swap out the cauliflower for broccoli, sweet potatoes for the Yukons, baby kale for spinach, etc.
- Easy!
- Make-ahead! Perfect for meal prep, Vegan Thai Red Curry reheats easily in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Gluten-free!
How to Make a Vegan Thai Red Curry Recipe:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this vegan Thai red curry recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities. But of course, use whatever vegetables you have that need to be used!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Oil: Use canola, coconut or your favorite.
- “Fish” Sauce: I’m referring to a vegan “fish” sauce. If you’re not vegan, use conventional fish sauce. Either way, conventional fish or vegan “fish” sauce adds depth and umami to the curry.
- Red Curry Paste: This may be controversial because I cook for a living, but I no longer make my own red curry paste. I don’t care for average grocery store red curry pastes because I find them wimpy with no heat. I discovered Maesri at a local international food market and I don’t see a reason to make my own anymore! It’s vegan, spicy, full of authentic flavor and inexpensive! Make your own red curry paste if you like or use Maesri!
- Diced Tomatoes: I like to use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for another level of flavor.
- Vegetable Broth: Kitchen Accomplice is great to have in your refrigerator when small amounts of vegetable broth are needed so you don’t have to open an entire carton or can.
- Coconut Milk: If you’re counting calories, use reduced-fat coconut milk. However, the curry will be thin. Regular full-fat coconut milk helps to thicken it.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the carrots, red bell pepper and potatoes and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often so the potatoes don’t stick to the pan.
- Add the red curry paste, garlic and ginger and give it a stir.
- Add the coconut milk, tomatoes and vegetable broth.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. (The potatoes should be close to done.)
- Add the cauliflower florets. Cook another 5 minutes or until vegetables are just tender and potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.
- Add the baby spinach by the handful and stir after each addition until wilted.
- Add lime juice and salt or vegan “fish” sauce to taste.
- Garnish the red curry with fresh Thai basil leaves.
Vegan Thai Red Curry is a spicy, healthful, delicious vegan dinner you won’t feel guilty about!
Serve with brown or white jasmine rice. Delish!
Chef Tip:
- Save time for a Thai red curry with vegetables by buying the vegetables already prepped or by visiting the store’s salad bar. Keep in mind, however, you’ll be paying extra for the convenience.
Recipe FAQs:
Not all red curry pastes are vegan; some may contain shrimp paste or fish sauce. Maesri brand red curry paste IS vegan so you can use it here or in all your vegan recipes.
The Maesri red curry paste label states the following ingredients: Chili pepper, garlic, shallot, salt, lemongrass, sugar, kaffir lime, galangal and spices (coriander seed, cumin and cardamom).
Yes! But be sure not to cook the vegetables so they’re super soft since you’ll reheat this dish. A vegan red curry can be reheated in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Yes, anything can be frozen, but it’s the frozen-then-thawed result that you have to think about. After thawing, the vegetables will be more watery, which waters down the curry’s flavor. If freezing is your objective, add more curry paste to start or have some on hand to add after thawing. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave, then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Storage:
- Refrigerate any leftovers. Can be reheated in the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop.
- Can be frozen, but expect it to be more watery after thawing. The vegetables will also be much softer.
Be sure to check out my other vegan Thai meals…
- Vegetables in Thai Red Curry with Sweet Potato Noodles
- Butternut Squash in Fresh Green Curry
- Thai Red Curry Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes
More flavor-packed vegan dinners:
- Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos with Chipotle Lime Slaw
- Vegan Indian Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry
- Cauliflower Red Lentil and Potato Curry
- Curried Roast Vegetables
Get all my vegan and vegetarian recipes at Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Vegan Thai Red Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, or coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick on the diagonal
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, thinly sliced
- 8 small Yukon Gold potatoes, (baby potatoes) sliced
- 1 can (4-ounce) red curry paste, or to taste and tolerance
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 cans (15-ounce) coconut milk
- 1 can (15-ounce) diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 container (5-ounce) baby spinach
- 1 large lime, juiced
- Salt or vegan “fish” sauce, to taste
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, or regular basil, coarsely chopped plus more for garnish
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice
Instructions
- Heat canola or coconut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or saute pan. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until beginning to soften.
- Add the carrots, red bell pepper and potatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often so the potatoes don't stick to the pan.
- Add the red curry paste, garlic and ginger and cook briefly, 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. (The potatoes should be close to done.)
- Add the cauliflower florets. Cook another 5 minutes or until vegetables are just tender and potatoes are easily pierced with a knife.
- Add the baby spinach by the handful and stir after each addition until wilted.
- Add lime juice and salt or vegan "fish" sauce to taste.
- Garnish with fresh Thai basil leaves.
- Serve with cooked jasmine rice.
Video
Notes
- Almost any vegetable can be used in this curry.
- Add tofu or chickpeas for protein.
- Substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes.
- Save time by buying the vegetables already prepped or by visiting the store’s salad bar. Remember, however, you pay extra for the convenience.
- Can be reheated in the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop.
- After thawing, the vegetables will be more watery, which waters down the curry’s flavor. If freezing is your objective, add more curry paste to start or have some on hand to add after thawing. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave, then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are automatically calculated using unbranded products and are estimates only. Actual results may vary based on ingredients used and portion sizes. Adjust as needed for dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Just made this – thought it was really good. I made a few changes based on what I had sitting around – sweet potatoes instead of carrots and potatoes, thai chili peppers instead of red bell pepper, and just 1 can of coconut milk with a bit of water (it was a small head of cauliflower), green beans instead of spinach – but if I had had all of the recipe ingredients on hand I would have used them instead and I bet it would have been even better.
Hi, John, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed! Love that you made it based on what you already had on hand as I’m definitely that kind of cook, too! Thanks again!
BTW for those of us who are limiting our use of oil, i find it’s perfectly acceptable to use a little water in the pan to sauté the onions rather than oil.
Turned out pretty good. Not as thick as I thought it would be. We only used 2 Tbsp of curry paste as ours can get quite hot. We add it in a little at a time and taste as we go. Next time I will salt the onions and potatoes rather than wait until the end for better depth of flavor. Reading the comments above I truly think that lightly salting a couple of vegetable layers will provide the necessary flavor impact but taste as you go. You can’t remove the salt once it’s added. Our batch turned out to be quite large. So I think tomorrow’s leftovers will be fantastic as the flavors soak into the vegetables. Plus the starches will likely thicken the sauce a bit.
Hi, Christina, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed! Salting as you go is a great tip! Thanks again!
Like, so so good. Very happy with this. Don’t skip on fresh basil at the end!!
I followed this recipe exactly with the exception of using Thai kitchen curry paste since that is what was available to me. I don’t know how anyone would get just 6 servings out of this. We have already eaten 4 servings and have filled a 10 cup container with leftovers. And we let the liquid boil down for a bit
Really loved this recipe! I followed it pretty much exactly, but added hot chili oil for spice and miso paste for umami since I did not have fish sauce. I served over basmati rice with soy curls for protein.
I’m really not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe exactly except that I added zucchini instead of cauliflower and only one cup of vegetable broth because it was pretty watery. I only had Thai kitchen paste but I used two jars. It just tasted like spicy tomato soup. I thought it seemed weird to add tomatoes but others said it was really good so I went for it. It just didn’t have that wonderful Thai coconut flavor at all. I couldn’t even taste the coconut flavor and I used two cans like it said to. I’m so bummed. It looked so good! I’ll probably try it again without the tomatoes. If anyone else has any ideas what I could have done wrong please let me know!
Hi, Emily, Thanks so much for your feedback. Did you use light coconut milk by chance? To me, it has very little flavor. Also, I highly, highly recommend using the Maesri red curry paste. I sometimes have to use the Thai Kitchen and find it lacking big time in flavor. So sorry it didn’t work out for you and hope you’ll give it another try. Thanks again!
Going to try again tonight! I did use regular coconut milk last time. Tonight I only have lite actually but I got the curry paste! I’m excited to try it again. I’m going to make a smaller batch in case it doesn’t work LOL. I WILL get this right!
Hi, Emily, Thanks so much! Let me know how it turned out.
Ok so. The curry paste is perfect. It was deffffffinitely spicy. This time I used broccoli, zucchini, red pepper, and onion. I only had lite coconut milk, but I think with the full fat one it will be perfect! I didn’t use the tomatoes and I only used about 1 cup broth. After I eat this up I’ll try it again with the full fat coconut milk. Third time’s the charm!
Thanks so much, Emily! Glad you enjoyed!
I feel the same way. I made the recipe to a T and feel it lacks significantly in flavor. Doesn’t taste like real curry at all, IMO.
Bummer.
Hi, JC, Sorry it didn’t work for you. This recipe has an average 4.6 rating from 231 reviewers. Make sure you’re using a GOOD, authentic red curry paste. Anything you buy in a supermarket is going to be very bland.
Going to try this tonight. Had an idea for this as I had half a cauli and some peppers and mushrooms to use up, carrots and kale in the garden.. Thought I would just see if there was a recipe (not confident at going it alone!!) and came across yours, so thank you.
Thanks, Jan and hope you enjoy! You can definitely use any combination of vegetables. I love that you’re using what you already have on hand. That’s how I cook and that’s how I came up with this recipe! Thanks again!
Thanks for this recipe – I made this last night (with some modifications) as I had some supermarket red curry paste to use up. As discussed in the comments – supermarket bought (in this case, Aldi) curry paste can be so so bland, and I usually avoid making thai curry at home because of this.
This was my first time adding tomatoes to a thai curry, and it was a really welcome addition.
Modifications below:
I only used about half the veg stock (1 cup) in mine, and half the coconut milk (1 can) – I had it on high heat to reduce the liquid for about 15-20 mins. The resulting texture was perfect (I hate watery curries but want enough liquid to go the distance).
Used zucchini and mushrooms instead of bell pepper and spinach, as this is what I had on hand!
Hi, Nikki, Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed! All the modifications you made sound great! Yes, regular supermarket red curry paste is super bland, so does need to be kicked up. Thanks again and hope you’ll try some of my other vegan dishes!
Looking forward to trying this tonight. I only have Thai Kitchen Red Curry paste available. Would you suggest using the same amount (4oz)? Im not sure if they are a 1-for-1 swap.
Thanks!
Hi, Vincent, Thanks so much for your question. I find Thai Kitchen red curry paste extremely mild. If for some reason I’m out of the Maesri, I use the whole jar and then kick it up with Sriracha or Sambal Oelek. Adding some fresh chiles will help, too. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Thanks for the prompt reply! Good to know about the mildness of the curry paste. I am a huge spice lover, so I would like to take your advice. I have Sriracha and Huy Fong Chili Garlic sauce that I can use to give it a kick. Any idea of how much I should add (of one/both) in addition to the 4oz of Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste?
Hi, Vincent, I would just do it to your taste/tolerance. Start with one and see how it tastes. Thanks again!!