One-pot Vegan Thai Red Curry with tofu and vegetables is an easy weeknight dinner. This nutritious and comforting dinner is super easy-to-make and is customizable with whatever veggies or proteins you happen to have on hand.
It comes together in less than 30 minutes and tastes fantastic!
Thai cuisine is delicious!
Its curries (red or green) are a culinary delight – bursting with flavor, delicious spices and has a fantastic scent always wafting around it. Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables
My family and I enjoy Thai food, and our nearby Thai restaurant offers an extensive choice of options, but I stick to my favorite one: Thai Red Curry with tofu and vegetables.
Thai Red curry is very smooth and creamy.
The veggies in the curry are cooked to near perfection, and the tofu cubes are entirely soaked in the curry, making it even tastier.
What makes this Vegan Thai Red Curry different?
The answer is simple. The original and authentic Thai curry uses fish sauce and is very spicy.
I cannot handle spicy food, and that’s the reason I came up with this version of Thai curry that is less spicy, utterly scrumptious, and the best part is – it’s vegetarian made without fish sauce and eggs.
It delivers the same color, flavor, and texture.
If you have never tried making Thai curry at home, then you need to try this one. Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables
You will be amazed at the simplicity of this dish. This quick and easy Thai curry takes 20 minutes and a handful of ingredients.
Ingredients required to make Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables
To make this delicious red Thai curry, you will need –
» Firm Tofu – tofu is a great way to add protein to your diet. For this recipe, use firm tofu. Silken tofu will not work.
» The staples -onion, ginger, and garlic. Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables
» Bell peppers – use whatever color of bell peppers you like. I have added yellow and red bell peppers as they lend a distinctive sweet touch to this Thai curry.
» Vegetables – zucchini and bamboo shoots. For extra nutrition, feel free to improvise. Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables
» Thai Red curry paste – I have used ‘Thai Kitchen Gluten-free Red Curry Paste.’ Vegan red curry paste is readily available at your nearby grocery stores.
» And of course, coconut milk – for that ultimate creamy texture.
How to Make Vegan Thai Curry With Tofu And Vegetables?
The prep-work is what takes up most of your time. Once you have all your veggies sliced, from thereon, the recipe comes together pretty fast.
Begin by making a coconut-based curry.
1. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion-ginger and garlic to the pan.
2. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on a medium-low flame.
3. Adjust the heat to the ‘medium’ setting and pour in the coconut milk. Stir in tomato paste, red curry paste, chili sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and lime zest. Stir to combine.
4. Add spices (salt, chili flakes, and black pepper) and mix to combine. Allow it to simmer on a medium flame.
5. Next, comes the central part of the dish – tofu! Squeeze water out of tofu and cut tofu into small cube-shaped pieces, giving it an appealing look. Set aside.
6. Now, add a large assortment of vegetables such as bamboo shoots, red and yellow bell pepper, onions, zucchini, and basil.
PROTIP- I prefer to keep my veggies tender-crisp and not soft. So, I have cooked them for only a few seconds.
7. Finally, add tofu into the curry. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes letting the appetizing smell spread through the entirety of your house.
8. Add fresh basil leaves and take the pan off the heat.
PROTIP – If you prefer crunchy veggies, then I would suggest adding vegetables after tofu soaks in all the curry flavor. Add vegetables and allow it to simmer for a minute or two.
YOU WILL LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS THAI RED CURRY. IT’S
- wholesome,
- hearty,
- comforting,
- intensely flavorful,
- nutrient-packed, and
- Leftovers make a perfect lunch the next day! It freezes well too!
CUSTOMIZE the vegan Thai Curry TO YOUR LIKING!
This recipe is extremely versatile, and you can customize to your taste.
» Can’t find a vegetable listed in the recipe, no worries. There are many other tested and tried colorful vegetables that go well with this curry. Like –
- Water chestnut
- Broccoli
- Whole baby corn
- Thinly sliced carrots, and
- Bok choy
» You can swap tofu for paneer or protein of your choice. Pair with white rice or brown rice for a healthy dinner tonight.
» This recipe, as written, is not spicy at all. But you can always up the spice level by adding an extra teaspoon of sriracha sauce.
» Once cooked and cooled, this Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables will stay well in the fridge for 4-5 days.
» This Vegan Thai curry produces a good amount of sauce, but if you like extra saucy, then you can add an extra 1/2 cup of coconut milk to the curry.
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe. Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them.
CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY THESE OTHER OPTIONS –
Vegan Thai Red Curry With Tofu And Vegetables
INGREDIENTS
VEGETABLES
- 14 oz Firm Tofu rinsed, patted dry, and cut into cubes
- 1 small Red onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons Garlic paste
- 1 medium Yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium Red Bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small Zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons Bamboo shoots, drained and washed
- 1½ tablespoons Olive oil
THAI RED CURRY SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- 14 oz Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste (prefer a deeper color – add a tablespoon more)
- 2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste
- ½ tablespoon Chili sauce (adjust according to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar or Maple syrup
- 1½ tablespoons Soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce (adjust according to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Lime zest or Chopped Kaffir lime leaves or
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili flakes (adjust according to taste)
- – – Salt and pepper to taste
- – – Handful of Chopped Fresh Basil leaves to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Begin by making a coconut-based curry. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion-ginger and garlic to the pan.
- Sauté for 2-3 minutes on a medium-low flame.
- Adjust the heat to the ‘medium’ setting and pour in the coconut milk. Stir in tomato paste, red curry paste, chili sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and lime zest. Stir to combine.
- Add spices (salt, chili flakes, and black pepper) and mix to combine. Allow it to simmer on a medium flame.
- Next, comes the central part of the dish – tofu! Squeeze water out of tofu and cut tofu into small cube-shaped pieces, giving it an appealing look. Set aside.
- Now, add a large assortment of vegetables such as bamboo shoots, red and yellow bell pepper, onions, zucchini, and basil.PROTIP- I prefer to keep my veggies tender-crisp and not soft. So, I have cooked them for only a few seconds.
- Finally, add tofu into the curry. Allow it to simmer for 2-3 minutes letting the appetizing smell spread through the entirety of your house.
- Add fresh basil leaves and take the pan off the heat. PROTIP – If you prefer crunchy veggies, then I would suggest adding vegetables after tofu soaks in all the curry flavor. Add vegetables and allow it to simmer for a minute or two.
- Serve with white rice and enjoy.
RECIPE NOTES
- Water chestnut
- Broccoli
- Whole baby corn
- Thinly sliced carrots, and
- Bok choy
Tina says
Amazing recipe! Thank you so much. I’ll definitely be making this often.
Ruchi says
Thank you, Tina!
cinda says
I made this two days in a row, using different vegetables. A winner ! I like how you layer the flavors, as I was just using the red curry paste, fish sauce and soy. The onions with garlic and ginger is a step not to miss! Then I garnished with basil, cilantro.
Ruchi says
Yay! So glad you liked the recipe, Cinda!
Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Sheetal says
Your recipe looks great. I would like to try but just one question. Can we skip tomato paste, sriracha and soy sauce? or any of these ingredients is must?
Ruchi says
Thank you, Sheetal.
You can skip sriracha but I would not suggest leaving out tomato paste and soy sauce. Tomato paste lends rich color to the sauce and soy sauce deepens the overall flavor of the dish.
KC says
Great recipe! This is the first red curry I actually love! My only question is, how can I make it saucier? Thanks!
Ruchi says
Thank you, KC!
You can double up on the sauce ingredients to make it saucier.
dmitri says
Thee says n the instructions to “add spices” but there are no spices listed in the ingredients?
Ruchi says
Dmitri, its mentioned in the ingredient list under ‘Thai Red curry ingredients’- Salt and pepper and red chili flakes.
JS says
Amazing red curry! I left out the chili sauce and Sriracha, but it was still delicious!
Ruchi says
Thanks for your Feedback, JS!
Glad you liked the recipe.
Gayatri says
Thank you so much for the detailed recipe. Really appreciate.
Ruchi says
Pleasure is all mine. 🙂
GAyatri says
How do you make red Curry paste?? Recipe sounds and looks great ! Can you please post some thsi veggie soups ( with those greens)….. my daughter loves Thai food as but as we are pure vegetarians hesitate to eat out.
Ruchi says
Thanks, Gayatri! Will definitely put your request on my calendar.
To make Thai red curry paste at home, take –
10-15 Large dried chilies
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns
1/4 cup shallots
3 tablespoons chopped lemongrass
1 tablespoon chopped galangal (you can find this in any Oriental store – looks like ginger but has a more pronounced citrusy taste)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 teaspoon chopped kafir lime leaves
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
METHOD –
1. Remove seeds from chilies. Soak chilies in water until softened.
2. Drain and pat dry the chilies with a paper towel.
3. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine.
4. Pulse until it looks like a fine paste.
5. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
6. Good for 2 months.
MrsG says
Dear Ruchi,
Is 1/4 teaspoon shallots correct? It seems like a very small amount. Do you mean 1/4 cup? Thank you 🙏🏼
Ruchi says
Yes, please use 1/4 cup. Thanks!
MrsG says
Dear Ruchi,
Thank you for this paste recipe. How much should we use for the curry recipe? Is it the full amount? Thank you 🙏🏼
Ruchi says
Mrs. G, please clarify, what paste recipe are you referring to?
Sonal says
Absolutely loved how you prepped it! So flavorful and delicious. Love the curry color too!
Ruchi says
Thank you, Sonal.
I agree Thai Red curry is absolutely delicious!