Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry

This Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry recipe is an easy, flexible Thai curry recipe that transforms boring weeknight dinner into an exciting meal!

So I’ve had this love/hate relationship with Thai curries for a while now. Our rocky history goes something like this:

Age 0-18: Hate (due to a faulty assumption that all Thai food contained peanuts)
Age 18-23: Love (discover the perfect Thai restaurant at college, may or may not have contributed to my Freshman 15)
Age 24.2: Love (go to Thailand, learn to cook authentic Thai curry at a little cooking school in Chiang Mai)
Age 24.5: Hate (come home, realize that I, in fact, suck at cooking Thai curry from scratch)
Age 24.6 Love (come to the realization that using store bought curry paste is not cheating, learn to make this Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry, proceed to eat it for dinner at least 2x a week from then on out) How’s that for a love story?

Ingredients in this Thai coconut curry recipe

• Flavor Makers: Shallots, ginger, and curry paste lay down a foundation of serious flavor.
• Coconut Milk: Use canned coconut milk here! Full and low fat both work.
• Broth: Vegetable broth keeps things flavorful while thinning out the rich coconut milk.
• Seasoners: Soy sauce, honey, and chili garlic sauce balance out the salty, sweet, and spiciness of this curry!

• Veggies: I love crunchy veggies in this coconut curry, like cabbage, carrots, and snap peas. You could also use broccoli, bell pepper, cauliflower, bamboo shoots (or whatever veggies you have in your fridge!)
  
• Tofu: We’ll saute it until crispy and throw it in at the end.
  
• Rice Noodles: Finally, the noodles! I use rice noodles, which have a lighter feeling, but you could also use ramen or udon.

We make this coconut curry recipe all the time (we’re talking weekly dinner rotation, folks). It’s so flexible to whatever you happen to have in your fridge and quick to whip up on weeknights. I hope you’ll love it as much as we do!

Weeknight Vegetarian Coconut Curry

This Weeknight Vegetarian Coconut Curry recipe is an easy, flexible Thai curry recipe that transforms boring weeknight dinner into an exciting, exotic meal!

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Course: Main Dishes, Soups

Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Time: 30 minutes or less

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Total: 30 mins

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Sarah Bond

5 from 3 votes

INGREDIENTS

Curry

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 15 mL, or any high heat oil
• 2 Tbsp chopped shallots
• 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 2 14-oz cans full-fat coconut milk 414 mL each, unshaken and chilled*
• 1 cup vegetable broth 236 mL
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce 30 mL, or tamari for GF option
• 2 Tbsp honey 30 mL, or sugar for vegan option
• 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce 30 mL

Fillings

• 4 oz rice noodles 113 g
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil 15 mL, or regular high heat oil
• 1 block firm tofu 400 g
• 1 cup thinly chopped carrot 50 g
• 1 cup thinly chopped red cabbage 50 g
• 1 cup snap peas 50 g

INSTRUCTIONS

• Cut tofu into 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick slabs. Set on a few layers of paper towels, top with a few more layers, and set a heavy plate on top to squeeze out water. Set aside.
• Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium/high heat. Add shallots and ginger, cooking for a few minutes until shallots are translucent. Add curry paste and cook a few minutes more.
• Without shaking the can of coconut milk, open it and skim off the firm layer of cream at the top. Add the cream to your pan, along with the broth, soy, honey, and chili garlic sauce. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let slowly cook while you prepare the rest.
• Prepare rice noodles according to instructions on package, strain, and set aside.
• Cut your tofu slabs into 1 inch cubes. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large wok or saute pan over medium/high heat, then add in the tofu. Cook until sides are slightly browned, then add in a few spoonfuls of your curry soup. Cook for a minute or two, until curry has evaporated, then remove tofu from pan.
• Add your carrots, cabbage, and snap peas to the pan the tofu was just in, and stir fry over medium/high heat until colors are vibrant, about 5 minutes.
• Combine curry soup, tofu, noodles, and vegetables in a bowl, or assemble in individual serving bowls. Optionally top with Thai basil and sesame seeds.

NOTES

*You’ll want to use a quality brand of coconut milk that contains only coconut and water if possible. Lower quality brands sometimes add in stabilizers, which prevent the cream (the stuff we want!) from separating. Use the leftover coconut water for smoothies!

NUTRITION

Serving: 1serving – Calories: 386kcal – Carbohydrates: 32.9g – Protein: 13.8g – Fat: 24g – Sodium: 1081mg – Fiber: 5.3g

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