Vegan thai red curry with crisp tofu, sweet bell peppers, and a creamy coconut broth in 30 minutes. ♡
This vegan thai red curry brings the cozy takeout flavor home without any dairy or fish sauce. Crisp pan fried tofu soaks up a fragrant coconut red curry broth loaded with bell peppers, snap peas, and fresh basil for a weeknight dinner that tastes like a thai restaurant deep dive. For more ideas, see our Vegan Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta.
Plant based comfort food in one pot. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Vegan Thai Red Curry
- 14 oz extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 tbsp thai red curry paste
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup snap peas, trimmed
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus wedges to serve
- 1/2 cup fresh thai basil, torn
How to Make Vegan Thai Red Curry
- **Crisp.** Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add cubed tofu and sear 3 minutes per side until golden on all faces. Transfer to a plate.
- **Soften.** Add the remaining oil with onion. Cook 3 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds.
- **Bloom.** Add red curry paste and fry 60 seconds in the oil until fragrant and a shade darker.
- **Simmer.** Pour in coconut milk and broth, whisking until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- **Vegetables.** Add bell peppers and snap peas. Cook 5 minutes until just tender but still crisp.
- **Finish.** Return tofu to the pan with soy sauce, maple syrup, and lime juice. Simmer 2 minutes to coat the tofu.
- **Serve.** Off heat stir in thai basil. Spoon over rice with extra lime wedges on the side.
Why This Recipe Works
Frying the curry paste in oil before adding liquid is the rule that pulls professional flavor out of a humble jar. Red curry paste is packed with chilies, lemongrass, and galangal locked into a fatty base, and 60 seconds in hot oil unlocks all those aromatics so the broth tastes layered instead of one note.
Pressing and cubing the tofu before frying gives it a real meaty bite. Most cooks toss tofu straight into the curry and end up with sad waterlogged squares. Pressing for 10 minutes squeezes out moisture, and a quick sear in oil builds a golden skin that holds shape in the broth and absorbs sauce like a sponge.
Finishing with maple syrup and lime balances the heat at the end. Coconut milk reads sweet, red curry paste reads salty and spicy, and a teaspoon of maple plus a squeeze of lime juice rounds out the four corners of thai cooking: salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. The curry tastes flat without that final lift. For more ideas, see our Vegan Crispy Buffalo Chickpeas.
Tips
- Press tofu for 10 minutes between paper towels with a heavy skillet on top.
- Use full fat coconut milk for the richest broth. Light coconut milk thins out the curry.
- Buy red curry paste from the asian aisle, not the spice aisle. Maesri and Mae Ploy are the gold standard.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of coconut milk to bring the sauce back.
- Common mistake: do not add the basil early. Stir it in off heat to keep the leaves fresh and bright.
Variations
- Swap tofu for chickpeas for an even faster shortcut.
- Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms with the bell peppers for a meaty bite.
- Use butternut squash cubes instead of bell peppers in fall.
- Stir in 2 cups baby spinach in the last minute for extra greens.
- Add 1 thai chili sliced if you want extra heat.
- Swap basil for cilantro if thai basil is hard to find.
Looking for more recipes? Try our Vegan Chocolate Chia Pudding or Cheesy Garlic Bread Chicken next.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the tofu press: Wet tofu will not crisp. Press 10 minutes minimum to draw out the water.
- Adding curry paste to liquid: Bloom the paste in oil first. Tossing it straight into coconut milk gives flat curry.
- Using light coconut milk: Light coconut milk has too much water. Full fat is what makes the broth silky.
- Cooking the basil: Stir basil in off heat. Boiled basil turns brown and loses its bright thai aroma.
Vegan Thai Red Curry
Ingredients
Method
- **Crisp.** Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add cubed tofu and sear 3 minutes per side until golden on all faces. Transfer to a plate.
- **Soften.** Add the remaining oil with onion. Cook 3 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds.
- **Bloom.** Add red curry paste and fry 60 seconds in the oil until fragrant and a shade darker.
- **Simmer.** Pour in coconut milk and broth, whisking until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- **Vegetables.** Add bell peppers and snap peas. Cook 5 minutes until just tender but still crisp.
- **Finish.** Return tofu to the pan with soy sauce, maple syrup, and lime juice. Simmer 2 minutes to coat the tofu.
- **Serve.** Off heat stir in thai basil. Spoon over rice with extra lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on plant based protein.
