Authentic Vegan Thai Red Curry – Fragrant and Creamy

A bowl of sumptuous thai red curry with tofu and vegetables.

Authentic Vegan Thai Red Curry – Fragrant and Creamy

A homemade paste of red chilli, aromatics and spices forms the heart of this comforting curry. Coconut milk smooths everything into a rich, gently spiced sauce that wraps beautifully around tofu and crunchy vegetables. It’s fragrant, creamy, and full of warmth – no shortcuts, just real flavour.

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Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Course Dinner, Main

Cuisine Beautiful Thai Flavours

Servings people

Calories/Seving 484 kcal

Ingredients

Paste ingredients

15 g fresh ginger
70 g red chilli | de-seeded
15 g fresh coriander stalks
2 tsp lemongrass purée
6 units garlic cloves
115 g shallots | unpeeled weight
2 tsp white miso paste
1 tsp salt

Sauce ingredients

80 g red curry paste (made above)
400 ml coconut milk
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
10 g stock cube | use gluten-free stock if required
180 ml boiling water
4 tsp lime zest
2 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp ground white pepper

Other ingredients

2 tbsp rapeseed oil
100 g red onion | unpeeled weight; slender petals
100 g broccoli | include some stalk, it's wondeful
100 g courgette | wedges 1cm diameter, ends cut diagonally
60 g sweetcorn
280 g firm tofu
12 units fresh basil leaves | shredded

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Instructions

Prepare the paste

Add all these ingredients to the food processor, and blend to a fine purée. You'll need to keep pushing the ingredients back down the side of the food processor with a spatula.
15 g fresh ginger, 70 g red chilli, 15 g fresh coriander stalks, 2 tsp lemongrass purée, 6 units garlic cloves, 115 g shallots, 2 tsp white miso paste, 1 tsp salt

Stir fry

Heat a wok/large frying pan until very hot (it almost smokes). This will seal the surface of the pan. Then add the oil and wait until it is hot, liquid and shimmering. Add the onion petals and stir-fry for 45 seconds. Add the broccoli and courgette, and stir-fry for 1 minute. When finished, tip the stir-fried veg into a dish. When cooking, ensure you retain the crunchiness of the vegetables.
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, 100 g broccoli, 100 g courgette, 100 g red onion

Finish the dish

In the same pan, heat the oil on low and add the finished paste. Gently stir-fry the paste until you can smell it. Add the sugar and mix and stir through the paste whilst the sugar caramelises.
80 g red curry paste, 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar, 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Add the coconut milk, prepared stock, lime zest, lime juice and white pepper, mix, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken. At this point, you can add the prepared veggies, sweetcorn and the tofu. Warm the vegetables and tofu gently, adding the shredded basil leaves 2 minutes before you serve. Top with torn coriander leaves or more basil. I used coriander because it looks prettier!
400 ml coconut milk, 10 g stock cube, 180 ml boiling water, 4 tsp lime zest, ½ tsp ground white pepper, 60 g sweetcorn, 280 g firm tofu, 12 units fresh basil leaves, 2 tbsp lime juice

Nutrition

Calories: 484kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 12gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 1339mgPotassium: 613mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 3804IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 6mg

Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on specific ingredients used. Nutrition is per serving. Information is for the main recipe, not optional accompaniments.

Keywords basil, comfort for cold times, comforting without heaviness, coriander, creamy coconut curry, lemongrass, make it ahead, spice-led, trust your senses, use your freezer, warming spices

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