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My Thai noodle casserole is the definition of low-effort, high-reward cooking! Everything goes straight into one casserole dish, bakes hands-off, and comes out as a creamy, spicy, coconut-rich noodle dinner that tastes like takeout (without the work).
save this recipe!This recipe is exactly the kind of dinner I lean on when I want big flavor without babysitting a pan. It is cozy, creamy, and a little spicy, and it fed our whole team during testing more times than I can count.
And while I love a good cheesy cozy weeknight dinner, the unique flavors in this one make it feel like ✨magic✨ while still being a true dump-and-bake dinner. I hope it becomes one of your weeknight heroes, too!
A weeknight winner
- Dump and bake Thai noodles with zero sautéing
- Tofu, veggies, and noodles all cook together (less clean up!)
- Tested numerous times, so it works in your kitchen every time
Reader rating
★★★★★
“This was so tasty and easy!!! My partner kept commenting on the wonderful flavor. Thank you for sharing this.” —Elizabeth
Key Ingredients
Jump to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Coconut Milk: Provides richness and creaminess. Use canned full-fat for the best texture, but light coconut milk will work in a pinch.
- Vegetable Broth: Adds depth and ensures the noodles hydrate properly. Make homemade veggie broth or use store-bought.
- Thai Red Curry Paste: I always use the Thai Kitchen brand. Add more before baking if you like it spicy!
- Soy Sauce and Chili Garlic Sauce: A salty, spicy combo that boosts the sauce’s savory backbone.
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger brightens the sauce and keeps it from feeling too heavy. Use a microplane to quickly grate it (skin and all).
- Udon Noodles: Thick, chewy, and perfect for soaking up creamy sauces. Shelf-stable or vacuum-packed, both work. Rice noodles should work, but the bake time will vary.
- Extra-Firm Tofu: Holds its shape while absorbing the flavor of this vegetarian curry bake in the oven.
- Veggies: Bell pepper, edamame, and water chestnuts add sweetness, crunch, and color to balance the creamy coconut base. Spinach is stirred in at the end for freshness and color.
plays well with
This is a weeknight vegetarian casserole, so the pairing should be equally as easy to make!
- Jicama Rice: This is a low-carb alternative to rice. Its slightly sweet flavor is the best with spicy Thai curry!
- Miso Baked Sushi Cups: These can be baked alongside your curry (or in the air fryer). Plus, they use a lot of similar ingredients, making them an easy appetizer to add to dinner.
- Thai Cucumber Salad: This light and refreshing recipe helps balance out the cozy and slightly spicy noodle casserole. Plus, you can make it ahead of time to just pull it out of the fridge for dinner!
If you prefer using a pot instead of this one-pan Thai noodle bake, try our stove-top Thai coconut noodle soup.
Thai Noodle Casserole (Dump & Bake!)
This creamy vegetarian Thai noodle casserole is a one-dish, dump-and-bake dinner packed with spicy coconut flavor. Ready with just 10 minutes of hands-on time using simple ingredients. Weeknight win!
Ingredients
- 2 13-oz cans coconut milk, 760 mL
- 1 cup vegetable broth, 236 mL
- 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste, 30 g
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 30 mL
- 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce, 15 g
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 8 oz udon noodles, 226 g
- 1 14-oz package extra firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes, 400 g
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 8-oz can water chestnuts, drained, 226 g
- 2 handfuls roughly chopped fresh spinach
- Serve with chopped green onions and fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Sauce: Into a large (9×13 inch or similar) casserole dish, dump 2 13-oz cans coconut milk, 1 cup vegetable broth, 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce, and 1 Tbsp grated ginger. Whisk to combine.
- Fillings: Add 8 oz udon noodles, using a spoon to separate the noodles from each other (they'll stick together if they're touching while cooking–if needed, layer some noodles on bottom and some above the other ingredients to fully separate them). Add 1 14-oz package extra firm tofu (cubed), 1 red bell pepper (chopped), 1 cup shelled edamame, and 1 8-oz can water chestnuts (drained). Gently stir to combine.
- Bake: Tightly cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until noodles are al dente (mostly tender but still have a little firmness in the middle).
- Spinach: Stir in 2 handfuls roughly chopped fresh spinach and return to the oven for 10 minutes, uncovered, until noodles are tender.
- Serve warm, finishing with fresh lime juice and chopped green onions.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Reheat gently in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth if the noodles have thickened.
Leftovers will not freeze well because of the coconut base and noodles.
Can I make it ahead of time? This makes a great prep ahead casserole! Assemble everything up until Step 3, then tightly cover. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just wait to add the noodles until just before baking.
Adjusting the spice level: If you are sensitive to spiciness, reduce the amount of Thai curry paste added. However, if you prefer it spicier, you can always add more. Be sure to taste and adjust as desired. If it’s too spicy after baking, add a bit more coconut milk to tone it down.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 1180mg | Potassium: 720mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2600IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 5.6mg
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
I didn’t have udon noodles so I used linguine. It came out great!
So glad it worked out, thanks Noel!
Could I swap chopped cabbage or broccoli for spinach since my spouse is not a spinach fan?
Yes, those should work! You might just want to stir them in a little earlier since they take a bit longer to cook. I would love to hear how it goes. Happy eating!
Are the Udon Noodles pre cooked before adding to bake pan?
Nope, the noodles cook in the sauce in the oven, no pre-cooking required!
My husband is not a vegetarian fan but absolutely loved this recipe. I think we won him over.
So thrilled to hear it was a hit, Megan! Happy eating!
I loved this dish. SO easy to make with some of my favorite ingredients. I found I needed to add a bit of salt and more soy sauce at the end for a flavor boost. But otherwise delicious!
Do you think I could sub in rice noodles?
I haven’t tested this recipe with rice noodles so I really can’t say for sure, but you might need to adjust the cooking times a bit!
Excellent recipe. Easy to put together, just had to be careful not to ‘slosh’ it into the oven with the liquid. 🤭
Glad you enjoyed it Sheryl, thanks so much for trying it!
If i use sliced chicken for this would I need to cook apart from the dish or could it be cooked in the dish? What do you think?
I haven’t tested this one with chicken so I really can’t say for sure. To be safe I would probably cook it separately to make sure it reaches a safe temperature.
I cubed 2 chicken breasts and cooked it right in. My oven runs a bit hot, so I took 5 minutes off the recipe timing.
I like this, and wanna play with it more. My house likes meat, and not a lot of sauce so I made the following changes:
– 1/2 coconut milk and veggies stock.
– 1 tbsp each soy sauce, fish sauce and ginger
– 2 chicken breasts, roughly cubbed
– frozen edamame, fresh red cabbage and carrots (1 cup each) because I had those on hand.
– subbed spinach for Bok Choy.
– added 3 bundles of uncooked vermicelli noodles and left those soften in directly before serving.
Next time I’ll do that, plus garlic. I think a little peanut butter would make a great addition too, but then my husband won’t eat it 😭
Happy you enjoyed it Heather, thanks for sharing your feedback!
This was really tasty and so easy to put together. I was afraid it would be too spicy but it was perfect (although I used green curry paste because that’s what I had). I could not find dried udon so I used the Thai Kitchen vacuum sealed packs of udon and it worked great. My whole family loved it and didn’t seem to notice the spinach! Nice mix of veggies in the recipe as written but I think a little broccoli would be nice but I wonder if it would it cook properly?
Thrilled you loved it Karen, thanks for sharing your feedback!