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Vegan Red Curry Recipe (with Peanut Coconut Sauce and Tofu)

November 25, 2021 //  by Nicole Stevens//  Leave a Comment

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5 from 1 vote. Leave your review!

This vegan red curry recipe features a richly creamy peanut-coconut sauce. Along with veggies and tofu, it makes a tasty and easy meal.

The sauce uses Thai red curry paste. Packed with spicy flavor, this aromatic ingredient is the easiest way to add a ton of flavor!

Skill: Easy | Time: 60 min | Servings: 4

Plate of vegan tofu red curry with creamy coconut peanut sauce filling most of the plate, along with some rice. A small white bowl of curry sits in the back left and a second plate of rice and curry to the back right. Image decorated with lime wedges, cilantro and dark brown chopsticks.

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Is Red Curry Vegan?

Red curry is a broad term, but generally refers to curries made with Thai red curry paste. These curries are often made with coconut milk and typically feature some type of meat.

To make a vegan red curry, simply replace the meat with a plant-based protein alternative such as tofu!

Red curry paste, the main flavoring ingredient in this recipe, is made with aromatic vegetables and spices. Curry pastes are almost always vegan, but it never hurts to read ingredient labels and be sure.

Top view of two plates each with rice and coconut red curry on them, garnished with cilantro and peanuts. Image decorated with a light brown towel to the left of the plates, lime wedges, cilantro, mini red peppers and a small wood dish of peanuts.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Peanut Coconut Curry

This tasty curry uses basic ingredients that should be available in most grocery stores. If you have trouble finding red curry paste, you may need to try an international/ Asian grocery store or buy it online.

  • Tofu: Extra firm tofu is a delicious vegan protein option that’s easy to use in this recipe. I buy tofu in a vacuum sealed package, which doesn’t need to be pressed. You’ll likely need to press other types of tofu, even if they are extra firm, before you begin.
  • Vegetable oil: To get the curry started, you’ll need some oil to pan-fry the tofu and sauté the vegetables.
  • Onion and ginger: These flavorful vegetables provide a delicious curry base. Use to your taste; my curry paste contains plenty of garlic so I haven’t added it to the recipe, but you certainly could if you like extra garlic!
  • Broccoli, bell pepper, bok choy: While these delicious veggies make for a great curry, you can use almost any vegetables you like. This recipe is great if you have veggies around that need to be used. Cook times may differ for other vegetables so keep that in mind.
  • Coconut milk: For an ultra creamy, rich sauce, coconut milk is the way to go! This ingredient is common in Thai curry recipes.
  • Peanut butter: To make peanut coconut sauce you’ll need some peanut butter. It’s best to use “natural” peanut butter that doesn’t contain sugar unless you want a sweet curry. Chunky peanut butter also works if you like the texture!
  • Red curry paste: This common Thai ingredient is made with aromatic vegetables and spices to create a flavorful paste. Not all brands use the same ingredients, so try a few to find what you like best. If you don’t like spicy food, this may not be the recipe for you as one of the main ingredients in red curry paste is red (hot) chili peppers. This creates a spicy curry and there isn’t a good substitution considering it provides much of the recipe’s flavor.
  • Soy sauce: For some salt and a delicious depth of flavor, I like to add soy sauce to this recipe. Use tamari for a gluten-free option (or some other soy sauce alternative like coconut aminos).
  • Lime juice: I almost never cook without citrus or vinegar. Lime juice brightens heavier flavors in the curry and balances everything for a delicious, mouth-watering meal!
  • Cilantro: While this is optional, fresh herbs always take recipes to the next level. Cilantro is my herb of choice for this curry, but you could use parsley, basil or even mint for new flavor variations.
Top view of an arrangement of ingredients in glass dishes. From top left, moving right then down: mini bok choy; chopped red pepper; chopped red onion; peanut butter; chopped cilantro; broccoli florets; sliced tofu; red curry paste; lime juice; soy sauce; oil; coconut milk; grated ginger.

How to Make Thai-inspired Red Curry with Tofu: Instructions and Tips

This recipe is simple to make and comes together in a few simple steps. While it doesn’t take too long to make, there’s an even faster, alternate cooking method provided below if you’re short on time!

Step 1: Prep Vegetables

Before you cook, prepare all the vegetables including onion, ginger, broccoli, bell pepper, bok choy and cilantro.

You can cut these ingredients however you like, but bite-sized pieces are best for broccoli, peppers and bok choy. Finely mince or grate your ginger.

If you plan to serve with rice, it’s best to start this now as it takes a while to cook.

Step 2: Pan Fry Tofu

When the veggies are ready, it’s time to prep your tofu.

I use extra firm tofu that comes in a vacuum sealed package and doesn’t require pressing. If you buy any other type of tofu, press it first to remove excess liquid.

Slice the block of tofu every ½ cm (¼ inch).

Warm some vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add as many tofu slices as you can; you’ll likely need 2-3 batches to cook all of it.

Pan fry your tofu for about 3 minutes on the first side, or until it’s golden brown in color. Flip the tofu slices, then cook on the second side for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.

Side by side images of a pan with tofu slices cooking in it. Left shows raw tofu. Right shows tongs flipping lightly browned tofu slices.

Remove the tofu from your pan and repeat as needed until all the tofu is cooked.

If the tofu browns too quickly or turns dark brown, lower your heat.

When the tofu slices cool slightly, cut them into bite-sized pieces. For my tofu, I cut each slice into 6 pieces.

Step 3: Cook Curry and Serve

Warm your remaining 1 tbsp of oil in the large pan, over medium heat.

Add the onion and ginger and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the onion softens. This may take longer if you chopped the onion in large pieces.

Side-by-side images showing the cooking of red onion and ginger in a large pot. On the left they are raw, on the right they are partially cooked with a red spoon stirring them.

Next, add the broccoli and bell peppers and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Large pot filled with partially cooked red onion, broccoli, bell peppers and ginger with large red spoon resting in pot.

Then add the remaining ingredients, except for the cilantro. This includes pan-fried tofu, bok choy, coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste, soy sauce and lime juice.

Mix well, fully dissolving the curry paste into your sauce. This takes a few minutes as you wait for the bok choy to cook down.

Cook the curry over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until your vegetables are tender.

Four images showing the cooking of red curry. Top left: ingredients in pot (bok choy, red curry paste and peanut butter visible). Top right: hand stirring ingredients. Bottom left: Bok choy starting to cook down while hand stirs ingredients. Bottom right: Bok choy shrinking so other ingredients visible along with the coconut milk sauce.

Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro.

Serve as-is or alongside cooked rice or rice noodles. Top with extra lime, cilantro and/or peanuts.

Top view of a large pot with red peanut curry in it. Tofu, red pepper, bok choy, broccoli and red onion in a creamy light brown sauce.

Alternate Cooking Method

To save some time, there’s an alternate way to cook this vegan red curry.

Simply follow the directions listed above, but instead of adding pan-fried tofu to your bok choy and sauce ingredients, add cubes of uncooked tofu.

In this method, tofu simmers in sauce and soak up flavors from other ingredients.

This alternative isn’t quite as flavorful as pan-frying the tofu, but it saves time. The tofu has a softer texture when following this method, but if you’re okay with that, save yourself the effort!

Large plate half filled with red tofu curry and the other half filled with rice. Curry made from tofu cubes, red pepper, broccoli and bok choy. Small bowl of curry and small bowl of rice in the back.

How to Serve this Recipe: Create a Balanced Vegan Meal

I consider a balanced meal one that contains a good source of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fats and lots of vegetables or fruits.

This recipe is higher in protein from the tofu. There’s also some protein in peanut butter used for the sauce.

You’ll have plenty of vegetables in this curry as well!

This recipe is higher in fats from coconut milk, peanut butter and tofu. Fats add flavor to meals and are essential to absorb certain vitamins. They also boost satiation and satisfaction!

There’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying higher fat meals. However, if this concerns you, use a lower fat coconut milk. Keep in mind the curry won’t be as rich, creamy or delicious, but do what you like!

Overall, the recipe is lower in carbohydrates. You can easily serve the curry sauce with rice or rice noodles to add some carbohydrates.

Carbs are great to include with meals because they provide energy and are found in nutritious foods like whole grains. Fats also provide plenty of energy so I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to add carbs to this recipe, but you certainly can if you like!

Top view of a plate half filled with rice and the other half with peanut butter red curry (with tofu, bok choy, bell pepper and broccoli). Small bowl of curry in top right corner and image is decorated with cilantro, lime wedges, mini red peppers and a small wood dish of peanuts.

Thai-inspired Curry Variations

There are countless ways to make a tasty, Thai-inspired curry. This includes using any type of vegetables you like, which is perfect for when you need to get some veggies used up.

You can also add flavor variations with how the curry is served. Rice and rice noodles are delicious, but you could also serve with quinoa or cauliflower rice.

Topping your curry with extra peanuts is a delicious way to add a crunchy texture!

You can also play around with different types of curry paste. While I love red curry paste, green and yellow curry pastes are delicious too.

If you want to skip the tofu, rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, beans or lentils instead.

You may also like my red curry pasta recipe. It’s made in one pot with minimal effort and creates the perfect weeknight meal!

Top view of an arrangement of two plates, each with tofu red curry and rice on them, plus a smaller white bowl of curry and small bowl of rice. Image and plates decorated with peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges.

How to Store Leftover Vegan Red Curry

Refrigerate curry leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Warm in your microwave, or in a pot over medium heat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please rate and comment below so others benefit from your experience.

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Two bowls of sweet potato lentil curry served from a slow cooker. Each bowl contains brown rice, curry and cilantro, while the second (back) bowl also contains two lime wedges

Sweet Potato Lentil Curry

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Seitan Ham

Square cropped image of a plate of vegan tofu red curry with creamy coconut peanut sauce filling most of the plate, along with some rice. Curry made from tofu, bok choy, red pepper and broccoli with peanut and cilantro garnish.

Vegan Red Curry (with Peanut Coconut Sauce and Tofu)

This vegan red curry recipe is packed with flavor from a creamy peanut coconut sauce. It’s loaded with veggies and tofu!
5 from 1 vote. Leave your review!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 548 kcal
Cuisine Thai-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Large pot (or pan)
  • Can opener
  • Tongs (optional)

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g extra firm tofu , pressed if needed
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil , divided (into ⅔ and ⅓)
  • 1 C onion , diced (120 g)
  • 1 tbsp ginger , grated or finely minced
  • 2 C broccoli , cut into florets (140 g)
  • 2 C bell pepper , diced (or zucchini) (250 g)
  • 4 C bok choy , chopped (280 g)
  • 400 mL coconut milk (about 1.75 C)
  • ¼ C peanut butter , natural
  • 4 tsp red curry paste
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce *
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • ¼ C cilantro , chopped (10 g)
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Instructions

Step 1: Prep Vegetables

  • Dice the onion and finely mince or grate your ginger.
    1 C onion, 1 tbsp ginger
  • Chop the broccoli, bell peppers and bok choy into bite-sized pieces.
    2 C broccoli, 2 C bell pepper, 4 C bok choy

Step 2: Pan Fry Tofu

  • If needed, press your tofu. Then, slice into ½ cm (¼ inch) thick pieces.
    350 g extra firm tofu
  • Warm ⅔ of your olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
    3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Add your sliced tofu to the pan and cook on one side for about 3 minutes, or until the tofu is golden-brown. Flip the tofu over (tongs work well) and cook for anther 2 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown.
  • If the tofu browns more quickly, or becomes a dark brown color, lower your heat.
  • Remove tofu from the pan and set aside. You may need to work in batches to pan fry all the tofu.
  • After the tofu cools slightly, cut into bite-sized pieces (I cut each slice into 6 pieces).

Step 3: Cook Curry and Serve

  • Warm the remaining ⅓ of your oil in your pan over medium heat.
    3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Add onion and ginger and cook 4-5 minutes, until the onions soften. This may take longer for larger pieces of onion.
    1 C onion, 1 tbsp ginger
  • Add the broccoli and bell peppers, then stir fry for an extra 3-4 minutes.
    2 C broccoli, 2 C bell pepper
  • Add the remaining ingredients excluding the cilantro. This includes pan fried tofu, bok choy, coconut milk, peanut butter, red curry paste, soy sauce and lime juice.
    350 g extra firm tofu, 4 C bok choy, 400 mL coconut milk, ¼ C peanut butter, 4 tsp red curry paste, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice
  • Stir to combine. Make sure all the curry paste is well mixed into the sauce.
  • Cook the curry for about 10 minutes, until your vegetables are tender and the curry has simmered for about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the curry from heat and stir in chopped cilantro.
    ¼ C cilantro
  • Serve with cooked rice or rice noodles. Garnish with extra lime, cilantro and/or peanuts.

Video

Notes

*Can substitute for tamari for a gluten-free option.
Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (1/4 of recipe)Calories: 548 kcalCarbohydrates: 29 gProtein: 22 gFat: 43 gSaturated Fat: 19 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10 gMonounsaturated Fat: 11 gSodium: 914 mgPotassium: 1162 mgFiber: 9 gSugar: 13 gVitamin A: 4842 IUVitamin C: 167 mgCalcium: 494 mgIron: 6 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Filed Under: Vegan and Gluten Free Recipes, Vegan Dinner Recipes, Vegan Recipes Tagged With: Bell pepper, Bok choy, Broccoli, Cilantro, Coconut milk, Dinner, Easy, Ginger, Leafy greens, Legumes, Lime, Nuts and seeds, Onion, Peanut butter, Plant-based protein, Red curry paste, Soy sauce, Thai-inspired, Tofu, Vegetable oil

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out. She provides vegans with balanced meals and easy-to-understand nutrition science.

Having attained a Masters degree and passing a national registration exam, Nicole is a trusted source of nutrition information. She uses this knowledge to educate others about vegan diets and how to thrive as a vegan.

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