While I love eating out and trying new restaurants, I have an equal passion for cooking especially when it’s too cold outside for me to want to freeze my face off in 5 degree weather.

I love Thai food so much but I don’t live close to good Thai places.  If I want to eat high quality, authentic Thai cuisine, I have to venture out to the Northeast part of the city, which I am happy to do in warmer temperatures, but in the winter, I just want to eat delicious Thai food in the comfort of my own home.

The delivery options around here have been disappointing me with a watery, bland dish that they call Red Thai Curry.  This is why I make my own Red Thai Curry – it is much more flavorful, cheaper, and healthier than ordering it out!  I prefer a thicker Thai curry sauce and I think this recipe has given me the best results.

Print Recipe

Vegetarian Red Thai Curry with Tofu Recipe

Savory Red Thai Curry sauce with a perfect consistency and crispy tofu. This is far more flavorful and healthier than ordering out.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: Vegan recipe, Vegetarian recipe, Vegetarian Thai Red Curry

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 cups of Jasmine Rice
• 2 tbsp of olive oil for frying
• Half of a diced yellow onion
• 1 lb of fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 medium zucchini chopped
• 1 pepper - red or poblano are the most flavorful in my opinion
• 2 carrots chopped - optional
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 2 tbsp of red curry paste
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp of ginger
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch
• 1 tbsp of Thai sweet chili sauce or Chili oil
• 2 tbsp of Tamari
• 2 tbsp of vegan mushroom sauce
• 1-2 tbsp of lime juice
• 1 tbsp of brown sugar
• 1 bayleaf
• 1 tsp of fresh or dried basil.
• 1 tsp of sea salt.
• 1 tsp of pepper.
• 2 green onions for garnish.
• 1/4 of a cilantro bunch for garnish.

Instructions

• In a large saucepan on medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
• Add a piece of the chopped onion and when it sizzles, add the rest of the onions.  Fry for 2 minutes until they are translucent.
• Add the mushrooms, zucchini, and optional carrots.  Fry for about 3-4 minutes until they look sautéed. Then add the curry paste and stir until the veggies are coated in it.
• Then add the garlic and ginger, sauté and stir for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add half of the coconut milk to the pan and stir.  Add the rest of the sauces/ingredients, add the rest of the coconut milk, cornstarch, and stir.  
• Once everything comes to a boil, simmer on very low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Once it’s done simmering, add the green onions, basil, and cilantro for the garnish and tofu (see the recipe below) if you made that separately.
• Serve over rice with lime on the side and enjoy your delicious vegan, cruelty free meal!

Ingredients:

• Jasmine Rice to be served on the side.  I would follow the directions on the bag, but it’s typically 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice with a little salt for taste.
• 2 tbsp of olive oil for frying.
• Half of a diced yellow onion.
• 1 lb of fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms.
• 1 medium zucchini chopped.
• 1 pepper – red or poblano are the most flavorful in my opinion.
• 2 carrots chopped – optional.
• 1 can of coconut milk – low fat is fine but it’ll be harder to get desired that thickness.
• 2 tbsp of red curry paste.
• 3 cloves of garlic.
• 1 tbsp of ginger.
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch.
• 1 tbsp of Thai sweet chili sauce or Chili oil – I was out of chili sauce but had Chili oil and loved it.
• 2 tbsp of Tamari or low-sodium soy sauce.
• 2 tbsp of vegan mushroom sauce or Thai Garlic Sauce.
• 1-2 tbsp of lime juice depending on how much you like lime.
• 1 tbsp of brown sugar – adding this really helps decrease the acidity.
• 1 bayleaf – optional because it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have it.
• 1 tsp of fresh or dried basil.
• 1 tsp of sea salt.
• 1 tsp of pepper.
• 2 green onions for garnish.
• 1/4 of a cilantro bunch for garnish.

Directions:

• In a large saucepan on medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
• Add a piece of the chopped onion and when it sizzles, add the rest of the onions.  Fry for 2 minutes until they are translucent.
• Add the mushrooms, zucchini, and optional carrots.  Fry for about 3-4 minutes until they look sautéed. Then add the curry paste and stir until the veggies are coated in it.
• Then add the garlic and ginger, sauté and stir for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add half of the coconut milk to the pan and stir.  Add the rest of the sauces/ingredients, add the rest of the coconut milk, cornstarch, and stir.  Once everything comes to a boil, simmer on very low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Once it’s done simmering, add the green onions, basil, and cilantro for the garnish and tofu (see my Asian tofu recipe) if you made that separately.
• Serve over rice with lime on the side and enjoy your delicious vegan, cruelty free meal!