This vegan Thai red curry might just be better than the real thing

An explosion of fresh Asian flavors, chili, lemongrass, fresh lime, Thai eggplant, mushrooms, and coconut milk. When we tasted this sitting on the beach in Koh Samui, we knew we had to make it when we came home. We’ve been making it for years now and we think you’re going to love this Thai red curry vegan style!

A delicious taste of Thailand in your own home

There’s something quite magical about this vegan Thai red curry.

It’s got the ability to transport you to an exquisite Thai beach, to a family-run Thai restaurant.

All of a sudden, you’re sitting at your table, sand between your toes, and then your Thai red curry is served.

So, what if we told you that you can make the same vegan Thai red curry in the comfort of your own home, wherever you are in the world?

And do you want to know what’s even better?

You can do make it all in just 25 minutes.

It is so simple and easy to make!

This has got to be one of the best Thai curries on your menu and is great if you are a meat-eater, vegetarian, or vegan.

Homemade or store bought red curry paste?

The only reason to use store-bought curry paste is for speed. Nothing else.

Would it surprise you to learn that you can make an authentic red paste in just 10 minutes?

And what’s better is that it will freeze well, so that you can make it ahead and use it when you need it.

The Thai flavors that you recreate when you make your own red curry paste cannot be recreated by store-bought, trust us, take the 10 minutes to make it and you’ll soon see.

You’ll never buy red paste again!

Check out our homemade vegan red Thai curry paste here.

Our paste includes wonderful ingredients like white peppercorns, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilies, salt, cloves of garlic, shallots, lemongrass, fresh coriander (cilantro), galangal, lime, and soy sauce – it’s bursting with Thai flavor!

Does it have fish sauce in it?

No, this Thai red curry is definitely 100% vegan and contains no fish sauce or shrimp paste.

By making our own Thai red curry paste, we can ensure that there are no surprises and also, no compromises on the flavor.

Is it gluten free?

It definitely can be.

If you are making our homemade Thai red curry paste, then the one ingredient to look out for is the soy sauce.

Soy sauce can contain gluten but there are brands that are gluten-free, so make sure you check the label to make sure.

Is this curry spicy?

Yes, our vegan Thai red curry is spicy.

It’s a beautiful burst of Thai spice and we love it.

How can I make it less spicy?

Not everyone can take the heat of a really spicy red curry but it’s easy to cool it down a little.

The first thing to do is when you are adding the red Thai curry paste, taste it after each spoonful, by adding the paste slowly and tasting, you can control the heat.

Another way you can cool it down is to add additional canned coconut milk which naturally cools down the curry spiciness, just add a little coconut milk at a time until you get it to the right heat for you.

How can I make it spicier?

Feel the need for heat eh?

There are many ways you can spice this Thai red curry up but we’d still recommend tasting it as you add the curry paste.

Give an extra spice boost by adding sliced fresh red chili’s – leave the seeds in if you’re feeling brave!

Add Sriracha hot chili sauce to turn the heat up even more.

You’ll still need to add coconut milk for the soupy consistency, so make sure you still add it.

Thai red curry vs Thai green curry

Generally speaking, Thai red curry is hotter than Thai green curry.

There are many more chillis in red curry which gives a distinct color.

Thai green curry is a milder curry but it’s all a little subjective and depends on the chef who’s cooking the dish!

What vegetables go in this curry?

We’ve used mushrooms, mangetout, Thai eggplant, and baby corn, and they all work perfectly in conjunction with the spices and coconut milk.

Other vegetables that work really well in vegan Thai red curry are butternut squash, broccoli, sweet potato, Pak choi, carrot, green beans, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cauliflower, or cabbage.

So feel free to substitute veggies depending on your personal preference or whatever you have in the fridge.

If you prefer more than just veggies, you could also include tofu or vegan chicken substitute.

What rice should I use?

We’ve used jasmine rice which is a long grain rice, but you could also use sticky rice which is popular in Thailand.

Alternatively, you could use basmati rice or brown rice if that’s what you have in your store cupboard.

How do I store it?

If you have leftovers then make sure you cover the pan and let the Thai red curry cool down, you can then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You can also freeze your curry and it will be good for 3 months. You may notice a slightly grainy texture to the coconut milk but it’s still fine to eat.

Tips

• Use coconut oil to give an extra coconut taste boost.
  
• Freeze leftovers in portion sizes in airtight containers, so all you need to do is grab one when you fancy a quick vegan Thai red curry.
  
• If you prefer your red curry more like a soup, then simply add more canned coconut milk and red curry paste until you get the consistency and flavor that you prefer.

How do I make it?

This delicious vegan Thai red curry recipe is deceptively simple to make, you’re going to find that it becomes a ‘go to‘ tasty meal.

You’ll find a measurement converter in our recipe card.

First, you’ll need to make your Thai red curry paste.

Then prepare your vegetables.

Clean and slice in half 200g of button mushrooms.

Then take 6 green Thai eggplants, wash them and quarter them.

Next are 6 purple Thai eggplants, wash them and slice them into chunky slices.

Wash and chop the ends from your baby corn and then slice them lengthways in half.

Wash your mangetout.

Remove the stalk and finely slice 2 red chilli peppers.

Place a wok or large pan on high heat and then add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, when it’s hot enough add in 3 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste.

Stir constantly for 2 minutes and you’ll notice how great it smells.

Next, you’ll need to add 1 can (400g) of full fat coconut milk, if you want to keep the calories down use reduced fat coconut milk.

Mix the Thai red curry paste into the coconut milk until it’s fully combined.

Now add 2 tbsp of agave syrup and 1 tbsp of palm sugar (brown or regular sugar will do fine if you don’t have palm sugar).

Stir to cover all of the vegetables with sauce and bring to the boil.

Once boiling turn down the heat and simmer for approximately 8 – 10 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked.

Once cooked, taste and if you need a little more agave syrup, salt or sugar then add to taste.

Serve your vegan red Thai curry in bowls along with jasmine rice.

Garnish with fresh Thai basil and a squeeze of kaffir lime juice if you have it, but regular lime will be fine.

A pure Thai delight – enjoy your amazingly delicious red Thai curry!

Have you tried our vegan Thai red curry recipe? We’d love to hear from you if you have, so please leave a comment below.

If you are an international visitor and would like to convert our measurements, then please press the toggle button underneath the list of ingredients in the recipe card.

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