This easy Vegan Thai Red Curry recipe simmers a medley of colorful vegetables in a dreamy, creamy, and aromatic sauce. Totally customizable and ready in just 30 minutes!
Craving more easy vegan curry recipes? You’ll also love my Easy Vegan Curry, One Pan Tofu Curry, Lentil Curry, and Easy Chickpea Curry recipes.
If you’re looking for a change from your everyday stir fry or curry recipe, then you’ll love Vegan Thai Red Curry. It’s another easy and flexible one-pan weeknight meal that doesn’t skimp on flavor!
This easy dish is a lot like my Vegan Thai Green Curry recipe. Both dishes are bursting with outstanding Thai-inspired flavors thanks to a medley of vegetables and a creamy and aromatic sauce. The only difference is that this dish uses red curry paste instead of green curry paste.
What I love most about this vegan red Thai curry recipe is that it’s so flexible! Change up the vegetables based on what you have on hand, add tofu or tempeh for protein, or serve it over rice or noodles. Whatever changes you make, you’ll still be left with a simple meal with to-die-for flavors.
Why you’ll love this easy Thai red curry recipe
- An easy one-pan dinner – Just simmer the easy ingredients together in a large skillet and in 30 minutes, you have an incredible dinner the whole family will love.
- The best clean-out-your-fridge recipe – I especially love that this recipe is so flexible. Mix and match the vegetables, make it easier with frozen veggies, add tofu for protein, or lower the spice—almost anything goes!
- Bursting with flavor – Store-bought red curry paste, simple aromatics, and fresh vegetables pack this dish with vibrant and bold Thai-inspired flavors.
How to make vegan Thai red curry
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and saute until translucent. Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the cut vegetables to the skillet with the aromatics.
Tip: Make sure all of the vegetables are chopped before you start cooking since this recipe moves fast. Or, to save yourself the hassle, buy pre-chopped or frozen veggies instead (no need to thaw them).
Stir the red curry paste, coconut milk, and water into the veggie mix until the paste is dissolved. Next, stir in the kale.
Heat the curry sauce to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover the skillet, and cook until the vegetables are soft.
To finish, stir the chopped tomatoes, maple syrup, soy sauce, and fresh lime juice into the curry and take the pan off the heat.
Serve the red curry in bowls over cooked basmati rice or noodles and garnish with sriracha, fresh basil or cilantro, and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Variations
There are plenty of changes you can make to this recipe to make it easier to prepare or more accessible:
- Mix and match the veggies – Almost any vegetable you like can be tossed in this easy curry recipe! Add zucchini, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, or anything else that’s already in your fridge.
- Or use frozen vegetables – Toss a bag of your favorite mixed frozen vegetables in this curry instead of using fresh veggies. They’re pre-chopped and don’t need to be thawed ahead of time, helping you get this meal on the table even faster.
- For a boost of plant protein – You can add baked or pan-fried tofu, fried tempeh, soy curls, diced seitan chicken, or a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas to the curry with the chopped tomatoes to make this dish even more filling.
- To make it less spicy – Make this recipe with mild red curry paste and/or reduce the amount to only 2 tablespoons.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the red curry paste does give this curry a mild to medium amount of heat; however, the intensity will vary based on the brand of curry paste you use and your spice tolerance. Some readers found this recipe spicy, while others found that the tomatoes and coconut milk tempered most of the heat well.
Authentic red curry paste is made from dried red chili peppers, shrimp paste, lemongrass, spices, and aromatics, so it’s not always vegan-friendly. My favorite red curry paste is by the Thai Kitchen brand because it’s vegan, delicious, and easy to find in most well-stocked grocery stores. Remember to check the ingredients on the jar you buy to make sure it’s vegan-friendly.
You can find vegan red curry paste in Asian grocery stores, in the international aisle of most major grocery stores, or online.
You can thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (made by mixing 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water). Pour the slurry into the sauce at the very end and stir until it’s thickened to your liking.
Once cool, transfer the leftover curry to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months!
Let the leftover curry thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it for a few minutes in the microwave or a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.
Vegan Thai Red Curry
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 2 inch slices
- 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced into 2 inch slices
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks or small rounds
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 15-oz can full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups thinly sliced kale OR spinach
- 2 medium roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 4 cups cooked white or brown rice
- Optional: Sriracha hot sauce, fresh chopped basil or cilantro
Instructions
- First, prepare all of the vegetables and have them close by before you heat the pan. To make the recipe easier, purchase pre-chopped vegetables or frozen. Cook your rice according to package instructions.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it's warm, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
- Now add the bell peppers, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes.
- To the pan, add the red curry paste, coconut milk, and water. Stir well for a few minutes, until the curry paste is dissolved in the coconut milk/water. Now add the kale or spinach and stir it in. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and cook covered for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
- Stir in the chopped tomatoes, pure maple syrup, soy sauce and fresh lime juice. Remove from heat.
- Serve immediately with cooked rice and optional Sriracha and fresh basil/cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use many different vegetables in this curry. Switch it up with zucchini, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or make it easier by using frozen mixed vegetables such as broccoli-cauliflower-carrot mix. Use what you have on hand.
- You could also add a protein such as fried tofu, tempeh or vegan chicken. I would stir fry them separately first, then add to the final mix. Or throw in a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas with the tomatoes at the end.
- You can use light canned coconut milk if you prefer, it just won’t be nearly as creamy.
- For a thicker sauce, at the end of cooking, stir 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 1/4 cup water, then add to the curry and stir until thickened.
- Nutrition facts do not include rice, only the curry.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally published March 2018 and has been reposted with new photos.
Keeper
The sauce is to die for!
Thank you for sharing your fantastic review!
Thank you Nora – another keeper! For our taste, I had to almost double the amount of red curry paste and also added some cayenne for a little kick. After that, it was perfect for us.
My family found it too spicy, but not me. It may have been because I didn’t have tomatoes and they may have diluted the spiciness . In any case it was delicious. I have been doing something similar for some time. I cooked the tofu first to firm it up a bit . The lime hoped compensate for the lack of tomatoes
I have a relative who is severely allergic to coconut and nuts. Will this recipe work with heavy cream?
Yes, it will work with heavy cream.
This was very yummy, and quite easy to make. I forgot the tomatoes and soy sauce and fresh lime juice, didn’t bother with the maple syrup, as the coconut milk was sweet enough for me, but it turned out very well. I chopped my tofu into small cubes and added it after the onions and garlic. Also, I didn’t have curry paste, so used Madras curry powder and white pepper. I don’t eat rice, yet the dish was good without it. I’ll be making this again.
Hi Julia. Great to hear the recipe turned out great with the changes! Thanks for taking time to share your fabulous review and feedback!
Very good! I didn’t add water, added basil, and substituted nectar coconut aminos instead of maple syrup! Yummmm