Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
This Thai red curry recipe is so easy to make at home! It's much tastier than takeout and healthier, too. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
You know dinner was good when you want to eat it for breakfast. Speaking of, it’s 10 am and I’m writing with a happy belly.
This Thai red curry made a fantastic meal last night and perhaps an even better breakfast this morning. It’s warm, comforting, and perfect for cool days. It’s a little rich, too, but so full of vegetables that it doesn’t feel too indulgent.
I’ve been meaning to try a red Thai curry based on my green curry for a while now, and I’m so glad I finally did. It’s the best curry I’ve ever had, restaurant versions included! Yeah, I said it.
Bonus? You should be able to find everything you need for this simple curry at a well-stocked grocery store.
Watch How to Make Thai Red Curry
Thai Red Curry Tips
- The secret to making amazing Thai curries is to use plenty of aromatics, like onion, ginger and garlic.
- Choose full-fat coconut milk for its richness (you won’t regret it!).
- Stirring in just a little bit of rice vinegar and sugar adds tons of complexity.
- Readily available store-bought Thai red curry paste adds characteristic Thai flavor and, bonus, the Thai Kitchen brand is vegetarian. You can make your own if you’re so inclined, though.
- Feel free to change up the vegetables, as long as you slice them so they’re all pretty small and about the same size. You could try broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, diced butternut or sweet potato (which will probably require a longer cooking time), sliced zucchini and/or yellow squash.
Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments. I love to hear from you.
If you enjoy this hearty dinner recipe, be sure to check out my cookbook for more!
Thai Red Curry with Vegetables
This Thai red curry recipe is so easy to make at home! It’s much tastier than takeout and healthier, too. Feel free to change up the vegetables (you’ll need about 3 cups total) and skip the kale if you want a more traditional Thai curry. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free for all to enjoy. Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups brown jasmine rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 small white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- Pinch of salt, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (about a 1-inch nub of ginger)
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
- 1 yellow, orange or green bell pepper, sliced into thin 2-inch long strips
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¼-inch thick rounds (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste*
- 1 can (14 ounces) regular coconut milk**
- ½ cup water
- 1 ½ cups packed thinly sliced kale (tough ribs removed first), preferably the Tuscan/lacinato/dinosaur variety
- 1 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar or turbinado (raw) sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce***
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
- Garnishes/sides: handful of chopped fresh basil or cilantro, optional red pepper flakes, optional sriracha or chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- To cook the rice, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with salt and fluff it with a fork.
- To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, while stirring continuously.
- Add the bell peppers and carrots. Cook until the bell peppers are fork-tender, 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the curry paste and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, water, kale and sugar, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peppers, carrots and kale have softened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat and season with tamari and rice vinegar. Add salt (I added ¼ teaspoon for optimal flavor), to taste. If the curry needs a little more punch, add ½ teaspoon more tamari, or for more acidity, add ½ teaspoon more rice vinegar. Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, if you’d like. If you love spicy curries, serve with sriracha or chili garlic sauce on the side.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my Thai green curry recipe.
*Red Thai curry paste: Look for it in the Asian section of the grocery store. I like Thai Kitchen brand, which is vegetarian. Not all brands are (they can contain fish sauce and/or shrimp paste).
**Coconut milk: For rich and creamy curry, you need to use regular (not light/reduced fat) coconut milk that contains guar gum. My favorite is Native Forest Classic. The varieties without guar gum (which are becoming more widely available) aren’t nearly as creamy, even though their fat content is the same.
***Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
If you want to add tofu: I’d suggest baking it first and adding it with the coconut milk in step 4. If you add raw tofu, it will soak up too much of the liquid, and baking it greatly improves the texture, anyway.
Update 8/10/2016: I tweaked this recipe a tiny bit to make it richer and more flavorful (decreased water from ¾ cup to ½ cup, and increased tamari to 1 tablespoon and vinegar to 2 teaspoons). I also updated the post with better photos!
If you love this recipe: Be sure to check out my other Thai-inspired recipes here! Don’t miss the Thai pineapple fried rice.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
We now make this once a week. Awesome. So good.
This was delicious – thank you Kate!
Best red curry recipe I have made yet. I’ve been making red curry for 10 years sic that’s saying something. I only use 1 tblsp of curry as I have arroy-d curry which is intense. I also added steamed squash with the coconut milk. Amazing!!! Thank you
This was Ah-mazing!
Wowowow, I just made it for dinner and it was easily the best red curry paste dish I’ve ever had, thank you SO MUCH. Can’t wait for tomorrow to show up so I can eat the leftovers… I made it with chard, because I couldn’t find kale. Poured some soy sauce over the rice and topped it with sriracha. Instant 5 stars!
First time ever making curry and it was surprisingly easy to execute plus extremely delicious.
I’m on a strict elimination style diet so I tweaked the recipe to fit my restrictions of no added sugar, no soy and gluten free.
Nixed the sugar and rice vinegar.
Replaced the tamari with coconut aminos.
Added an extra scoop of curry paste, a dash of hot chili oil and cauliflower.
Garnished with sautéed mushrooms, basil and cilantro.
I am happy to hear you were able to enjoy it with your restrictions! Thank you, Steph for your review!
Used trader Joe’s coconut milk (without the guar gum) with 1/4 cup of water and it was very good. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing and for your review!
This is great. We make it in the instant pot- so fast and easy (once all the chopping is done).
Insta pot is becoming a popular cooking method, so happy to hear it worked for you! Thank you, for your review.
This Thai dish was so delicious. It’ll be on my regular rotation. Thanks for posting!!!
Fantastic! Thank you, Shari for sharing.
Works out beautifully. I added some zucchini and it fits in perfectly with your recipe. Also, I did not find the veg red curry, but got the work done with yellow curry. Thank you for a wonderful dish, Kate.
Really good, the thing about wanting to have the dish for breakfast is true! I’ve skipped tamari and basil, and had to replace kale with broccoli, it was still delicious.
Sounds delicious! Thanks so much, Diana for your star review and sharing how you adjusted for breakfast.
I made this for my family of five this past weekend. All three kids six yrs and under ate it up! I added in cauliflower and only a bit of kale. So delicious! Thank you for posting. Your recipes have such a high hit ratio.
Thank you, Karen! Happy your family enjoyed it.
Delicious. I softened rice noodles and added them for the last 5 minutes of simmering. For a garnish I add roasted chopped cashews and small amount of line zest.
Tasty! Thank you, Chris for your review.
This dish was amazing! I will definitely be making it again. My whole family enjoyed it.
Happy to hear that, Jennifer! Thank you for your review.
I have a Thai Red Curry dish at work that I’m a huge fan of! Can’t wait to try and compare!
Let me know how it compares :)
Too much Rice Vinegar and needs heat.
I am sorry you are disappointed, Blake. You could use rice vinegar or lime juice. If the 2 teaspoons seems to be potent to your taste, you could pair it back. The red curry past should have some heat, but if you are looking for more, feel free to add some more! Or even add some red pepper flakes.
Do you think this would work with a yellow curry powder instead of the thai curry paste?
Sure! It will just provide a different taste and heat level. Let me know how it goes!
You are talking Indian curry versus Thai curry. Apple versus oranges.
Yes, but the base is very similar and the flavors work. I tried it and it was very good. I sprinkled my husband’s portion with chili flakes since he likes the heat.
Would it alter the flavor too much to remove the tamari suace? W Or is these something you recommend as an alternative? We have a soy allergy in the family, but I have been dying to cook up some curry!
You could try adding some coconut aminos instead. It will have a similar taste and you will be able to avoid the soy concern. I hope this helps!
This didn’t turn out very flavorful. I tried adding more curry paste, salt and then spice. I am not sure if it can even be saved. I can’t think of anything else to fix it:(. It just lacks that rich sweet & savory umami flavor.
I am sorry to hear that. Was there something you omitted or may have changed (in addition to what you noted)?
Pretty bland! I wouldn’t flatter yourself.
I am sorry to hear that, Eve! Was there something specific you didn’t like? Was there anything you omitted?
Oh man, maybe it’s because it’s vegan but this was probably the worst curry I have tried. This recipe made my stomach hurt too. I hate to be negative but I really don’t know why people rated this so well.
I am sorry you feel that way and that it seemed to upset you, Oksana. Was their something you felt was missing based on your expectations?
Oh it didn’t upset me. Not sure how it came off that way? It was just a very very bland curry and the furthest thing from tasting authentic. I have had a loooot of curries, and I found out many of them with no animal ingredients so it definitely wasn’t the vegan part.
Dear Cookie & Kate!
Have never been disappointed in a recipe I have made from your site! This one is no exception. I do, however, also love creating my own recipes and flavor combinations, and creating new and different dishes. I just started my own recipe blog, and a modification of this recipe of yours, with a shoutout and attribution to you, of course, is the first post. Thank you for charting the path, you even have a similar tag line, Real Food – that’s what it is all about. Thank you!
I love to hear that! Good luck with your blog. I appreciate the feature, but please make sure you are following my recipe policy located here: https://capital-flux.pro/cookie-and-kates-photo-and-recipe-policy/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This is true winter comfort food! I made your exact recipe, and added some butternut squash (& tofu) because I needed to use up those ingredients…topped with salted peanuts & it is perfection! Thank you!
Sounds wonderful! Thank you, Susan for your comment and review.
Absolutely fabulous!!!! I will be making this curry very often
Thank you, Kay!
This was a hit at our house! We added thinly sliced potatoes to mimic our favorite local takeout. Added two cans of coconut milk (next time I would do one full, one lite) because we like it extra saucy and I added potatoes. Full jar of curry paste. Had baked tofu, but forgot to add and it wasnt missed. Great vessel for veggies! Kids ate it as is, hubby and I added chopped serrano on top with herbs. Excited to check out more recipes. I am vegetarian but the kids and hubby eat meat.
Yay! That’s great. Thanks for sharing, Anna. I really appreciate your review.
Hi! This is one of my favorite recipes I’ve made, and I cook a lot. I love how flavorful and healthy it is. I’m pregnant right now and in the process of putting together a list of meals I can make ahead and freeze for dinners after the baby arrives, would this freeze well? Thanks so much for the recipe :)
You are welcome! What a great idea. I hear from friends that is key when the baby arrives. I haven’t tried to freeze all my recipes. I haven’t tried this one, but I don’t know that this would be the best to freeze. But if you try it, let me know how it goes!
I’ve frozen it together with rice and brought it to work on a different day; it’s worked out fine. Probably not as much crunch, but the flavors are deeper. In my experience, I’ll eat almost anything in the weeks after having a baby, too. :-)
I found that a good route to overcome this is to buy a different curry paste. Thai Kitchen is very bland. I also add in some of the spices listed on the curry paste to add even more flavor.
You can also find vegan fish sauce to add in.
I also omit the water.
That should help.
Whoops, crazy computer.
I love this recipe, but I also have to add modifications from the first time thinking it was too mild for those of you who also feel this way. Along with the things I suggest above, I also add in a tsp of chili oil to give it a lot of heat.
Another thing that can be done is adding a tsp of MSG or a bit of miso paste to bring more depth.
Hopefully for those of you who don’t like this recipe these tips will help.
But seriously, it’s a great recipe base and all of my friends have applauded my version as restaurant quality which says a lot because here in Seattle we have some Thai restaurants everywhere and the International District is authentic as they come.
Thanks Kate.
Thanks for your thoughts, Grace.
I’m making this for dinner now!! It smells so good and the bites I’ve tried are amazing! I just finished with the last step but it seems a bit watery. Any suggestions for next time?
How did it turn out?
SO good!!!! Any suggestions for making it a bit saucier? Should I just add more milk? If I wanted to add chili paste and lemon grass, should I just mix that in with the ginger and garlic?
This was very delicious! Thank you foe the great recipy!
This recipe is easy and delicious. Thank you!
You are welcome!
Delicious! My husband and I eat thai food often. But this is so good we won’t need to do that as much now. Thanks Kate!
That’s great! It’s fun when you can recreate your favorite takeout go-to.
I made this tonight for my family. It was the first time they tasted a curry and they loved it. It tasted wonderful and was simple and fun to cook. Thanks so much for the recipe! Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
That’s great, Essie! Leftovers are the best. Thanks so much for your review.
Made this for dinner tonight and loved it! I added zucchini and chickpeas to mine, and served over riced cauliflower to allow for some naan on the side. When I calculated the nutrition for this, I got 22 g of fat per serving. I used 365 brand of full-fat coconut milk. Maybe it has more fat than the one you used?
Yes, that could be. The nutrition information I provide is just an estimate and depending on the source, it can vary as well.
Just made this tonight and oh my goodness! Sooo much better than resturant, I’m holding on to this recipe – an amazing keeper! Thank you Kate!
Love to hear that, Malinda! You’re very welcome. I appreciate the time you took for your review.
Oh my God, this dish is sooo good! I accidentally came across your site 3 days ago, and I have cooked one of your dished every night since. I’m addicted!
Welcome, Selma! I’m happy to hear you love it so far. I appreciate your star review!
Made your Thai red curry recipe today with a couple of tweaks…added greens as I love broccoli, beans and peas and also added bamboo shoot which I see in many Thai dishes. Thank you so much for sharing this…delicious food and happy family!
Sounds like a fun and tasty way to change it up! Thanks for sharing your creation and for the review.
We’re from England and love this receipt. It’s so tasty, can’t wait to try some more receipts on your site. Looks like you have plenty of vegan one.
Thanks
Thank you! Yes, there are some vegan specific recipes. I typically provide a vegan alternative for most recipes. Enjoy!
I made this recipe last night and it was a winner. I added broccoli and Kale to the vegetables and I think next time I could also had sweet potato. It is delicious and we will definitely make it again.
Sound like great variations, Maribel! Thank you, for your review.
OMG! Where have you been all my life? I just happened upon your sight when searching banana bread recipes. I starting pulling things from my cupboard, freezer and fridge and assembling several of your recipes. I will make this one for dinner this week, but last night I made banana bread, apple muffins, overnight oats, and the chia berry jam. Everything is so clean and delicious. Then I ordered your cookbook which I can hardly wait to have arrive! And I love your dog (sitting here with my three fur babies). Thank you for your hard and thorough work!
Ha! Welcome and thank you for your support in getting my cookbook! It won’t disappoint. As you try recipes, I would love to hear what you think of them.
Hubby and I have been vego for over a year now and one thing we used to have often was Thai red beef curry. He just suggested a veg version which is great as I hav been craving a Thai curry lately. He also LOVES your blog/recipes and which was the first version to come up? Yours of course! We shall be enjoying it later in the week and I will # you on Insta xx
Thank you, Gail!
Made this as part of my meat free week. Linked it in my blog. Thank you xo
Great! Thanks for sharing, Dara.
Thanks for this recipe, Kate! Am trying to incorporate vegan and veggie meals into our diet-this one is a keeper. I had some mushrooms so sautéed them separately and added them to the pot-they fit right in. I found that fresh lime juice is a must to bring out the curry. Also, I left out the sugar and added a touch more rice vinegar, which adds sweetness. My carnivore hubby didn’t miss the meat with this recipe.
Thank you for sharing your variation, Robin! I’m happy it was a hit with your husband.
This turned out great! Instead of carrots, I used sweet potato and red potato and used bok choy instead of kale. I also added chili garlic sauce and sriracha during the cooking process instead of after. love the subtle sweetness from the sugar and coconut milk. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Thank you, Tish for sharing how you approached the recipe! I appreciate the review.
I made this for my husband and he’s declared we will never have to get takeout again. My plan may have backfired a bit there but he’s not wrong – this meal is absolutely awesome and in our regular dinner rotation!
That’s great! I love that. I think that has more to do with the cook. Maybe have him learn how so you can have a break ;) Enjoy!
Oh boy. This recipe was no good. It took way longer than anticipated, about an hour and a half. When I finally got to eat it I was so disappointed. It was incredibly bland. That seems impossible with all the ingredients and flavors but it was just a pile of flavorless mush. I ate what I could and threw the rest out. Definitely bummed!
I’m so sorry to hear that Tara! A few questions: Did you use full fat coconut milk? I find that gives it a richer flavor. Also, what type of curry paste did you use? I know that they can really vary and impact the overall flavor.
Lots of variables to make a dish tasty vs. bland. If followed correctly this dish should have plenty of flavor. Tweaks can be made to your liking as Kate describes many times, brands matter in both quality and taste. I reduce the coconut milk for less fats and remove the sugar. Change up the veggies too sometimes. Love your stuff!
I made this recipe with Green bell pepper,carrots, broccoli and cabbage.Came out very well.Excellent taste.Thank you Kate for your efforts in posting this recipe.Far more better than the restaurant and in our family everyone loved it.
Great combination of vegetables, Chandana! Thanks for the comment and review.
Made this two days ago. It’s so good!!! I used spinach instead of Kale because I’m just not a Kale person. Worked out fine.
Spinach is a great alternative! Thank you, Canaan for sharing.
I made this tonight with your baked tofu recipe and it was delicious!! I prepared
It more as a stand-alone soup so increased the curry paste, water, and other seasonings accordingly. Definitely needed salt at the end. Also threw in some mushrooms which was a nice addition. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Thanks for the review, Avani!
This recipe is amazing! I’ve made several other red curry recipes and this one is by far the best. I’m a big fan of spice so I always add a bit of cayenne. Thanks for another great recipe, Kate!
I’m so happy to hear that! I’m with you on the spice, Geli. I usually add more as well. Thanks for sharing.
There are so many reasons that I love this recipe. The veggies, the creamy sauce, the amazing aroma that fills my house…it’s great, and it sure satisfies my cravings for Thai food! My husband and I are not vegetarian, but I do try to do at least one vegetarian meal a week, and this one is always a winner. It’s also a great way to clear out the fridge!
I think those are great reasons to love a recipe! I couldn’t agree more when it comes to this one. Thank you, Kristi for sharing and for your review!
As someone whose Thai father is the best Thai cook, I’m usually pretty skeptical when it comes to Thai recipes. However, this was delicious. I’m not a vegetarian but was looking for a great vegetable curry and this was IT! It was delicious and really doesn’t take too much effort to make. Thank you!
Thanks, Joy for trying it! I’m glad you liked it.