This easy Thai Red Curry recipe with vegetables is ready in just 30 minutes on the stovetop. Play around with your favorite veggies, and even add tofu if you’d like!
One of my favorite restaurants from when I lived in Pennsylvania was a place called Cafe East. They had a huge menu, with all kinds of amazing Asian and Thai dishes.
It’s where I first fell in love with Thai red curry. Up until that point, I probably didn’t even know you could make it at home.
In my early to mid-twenties I was still learning all about cooking from scratch, opening my mind to new flavors, and trying various cuisines for the first time.
Sometimes the biggest thing you can do is open your mind to trying new things.
Homemade Thai Vegetable Curry
I honestly didn’t even know what curry was until I was studying abroad in Australia, and this small-town girl was introduced to all kinds of cuisine.
Fast forward years later and thank goodness my attitude towards new foods changed – life would be so boring without the wonderful flavors of red curry! Thai food is now easily one of my favorite things.
This Red Curry recipe is so easy and can be easily customized using the vegetables of your liking.
Simplified Thai Curry Ingredients
- ghee, or coconut oil if making vegan curry.
- canned coconut milk
- almond or cashew milk
- red curry paste
- salt
- cayenne
To make a red curry at home, you don’t need much but red curry paste is a must. I typically use Thai Kitchen brand.
Vegetables
For this vegan Thai curry recipe you can really use whichever vegetables you have on hand. Just be mindful to cook the veggies in a way that isn’t going to over-cook one vegetable type versus the other.
For example, if you were going to add carrots to this dish, you’d want to cook the carrots down first before the rest of the vegetables get added.
I used onion, garlic, bell peppers, snow peas (or sugar snap peas) and kale.
For Serving
Rice is the traditional way to serve vegetable curry. You can use white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, etc. But I love using quinoa because it’s super easy and quick to make using an electric pressure cooker.
Feel free to use cauliflower rice for a vegetable boost, or traditional brown or white rice.
I love a little fresh cilantro for garnishing too.
Make it in 30 Minutes
This is such a great dinner to whip up during the week and enjoy a flavorful plant based meal.
It comes together in just a few simple steps.
First prepare the vegetable curry
- Chop all the veggies.
- In a pot or skillet, add in ghee or coconut oil, minced garlic and diced onion. Stir frequently for about 2 minutes.
- Add bell peppers, peas, and sliced kale; stir until mixed then gently pour in canned coconut milk and unsweetened almond or cashew milk. Add in red Thai curry paste, turmeric, salt, and cayenne. Gently stir until evenly combined. Allow mixture to come to a simmer, then simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.
Then make the rice or quinoa
While pot is simmering make rice (or quinoa), according to package instructions.
Once everything is done, add your grains into serving bowls, a heaping spoonful of the Thai red curry and garnish with cilantro, if desired.
This dish is so simple but full of flavor!
FAQs about vegetable curry
- Can I use different vegetables? – YES you can use carrots, cauliflower, pretty much whatever you’d like! The cook time will depend on when the vegetables have softened.
- Can I use Green Curry paste? – You could, but the flavors of the dishes would change entirely. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it here.
- Can I add tofu or chicken if not vegetarian? YES. I have a Chicken Curry recipe here you can use. If adding tofu, cook tofu first then add in the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Can this be reheated? – YES. Just reheat in microwave or stovetop. This vegetable curry recipe makes great meal prep/leftovers.
- How long will this recipe keep? – Enjoy within 3-4 days for best flavor and textures.
More Thai Inspired Dishes
Don’t forget to comment and review below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
How to Make…
Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
A flavorful, easy vegetarian dish everyone will love. This Thai Red Curry with vegetables only takes about 30 minutes on the stovetop. Serve with brown rice or quinoa for a healthy dinner recipe. Play around with your favorite vegetables. Vegan friendly and gluten-free recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
- 1/2 TBS ghee or coconut oil
- 1/2 TBS minced garlic
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced, about 1 cup
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, sliced, about 1 cup
- 10 ounce package snow peas (or sugar snap peas)
- 1 ½ cups thinly sliced lacinato kale
- 1 13.5oz canned coconut milk (full-fat is best but lite also works)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk
- 3 TBS red curry paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/4 tsp pink salt
- 1/8 tsp cayenne, or to taste
- brown rice or quinoa for serving
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot on medium heat, add in ghee or coconut oil, minced garlic and diced onion. Stir frequently for about 2 minutes
- Add bell peppers, peas, and sliced kale; stir until mixed then gently pour in canned coconut milk and unsweetened almond or cashew milk. Then add curry paste, turmeric, salt, and cayenne. Gently stir until evenly combined. Allow mixture to come to a simmer on medium-high heat, then simmer on low for 10-15 minutes, until vegetables have softened.
- While pot is simmering make rice (or quinoa), according to package instructions.
- Transfer rice into serving bowls. Use large serving spoon to serve red curry into bowls, garnish with cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
Recipes Notes:
Feel free to add cooked tofu to this recipe as well. Make sure the tofu is cooked first, then stir in during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
Full-fat coconut milk will yield the best creamy texture for this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1/4th without rice
- Calories: 99
- Sugar: 11
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 1mg
photography by: Roberta Dall’Alba
Cassie Thuvan Tran says
OMG, I LOVE Thai red curry! Anything with glorious flavors, richness, and a nice palette cleanser with the brown rice, is right up my alley. I have to make red curry again–great job, Ashley!
Ashley says
Thanks Cassie!