One-Pot Vegetable Thai Red Curry
One-Pot Vegetable Thai Red Curry- a flavorful and satisfying meal that takes just 30 minutes to make! Vegan and gluten-free.
One of the most memorable meals we ate during our trip to Thailand was a vegetable red curry dish at Woo Cafe in Chiang Mai. At that point we had been traveling in Southeast Asia for almost two weeks and I was starting to feel a little run down. As soon as we arrived in Chiang Mai, all I wanted to do was climb into bed and take a nap but somehow I managed to muster up the energy to go for a walk and get lunch.
The vegetarian options at Woo Cafe were pretty slim but the waiter suggested an off menu item that could be made vegan and I welcomed the offer. At first bite the flavors began to tantalize my palate, reminding me why I wanted to visit Thailand so badly in the first place.
The curry was creamy, slightly spicy, somewhat sour, and a little sweet. Basically everything you could ask for in an excellent Thai dish. I knew it was something I wanted to recreate at home and I tried as soon as we got back but it took me several times to get it just right.
I found the most important factor was the amount of curry paste I used. After attempting it with a few tablespoons, I ended up using an entire jar (this brand– which is mini sized) and it turned out to be the perfect amount. I would say it’s a mild-to-medium spice level. Just keep in mind that if you use a different brand of curry paste you might want to add more or less, depending on the level of spice and your personal preferences.
Another key ingredient for this dish is coconut milk. It gives it a luxuriously creamy and comforting texture. I used to cook with canned coconut milk but occasionally ended-up wasting whatever was leftover after it sat in my fridge for weeks. Once I discovered So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk which comes in eco-friendly resealable containers, I never looked back.
The ingredient list is the same as canned coconut milk (water, organic coconut cream and organic guar gum) and it’s formulated to work with recipes that typically call for a 14-ounce can.
Some of you might remember me mentioning in my prior posts that I’ve been trying to reduce my dairy intake. I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 12 years now and I used to take comfort in knowing that I purchased my dairy from humanely raised sources. Well it didn’t dawn on me until recently to think a little deeper about how they continually get milk from the cows.
After a bit of research I discovered that even on certified humane farms, newborn calfs are immediately taken from their mothers at birth so that we can drink the milk that was intended for them. Through artificial insemination, this process is repeated over the span of the cow’s life until it can no longer produce milk.
I’ve never given birth or even been pregnant, but just thinking about what it must feel like to have your baby ripped away from you breaks my heart into a million pieces. I know some people think cows aren’t intelligent animals but I have no doubt that they are emotional and capable of mourning the loss of a baby. After realizing that, I couldn’t bear the thought of supporting the process just so that I can have Greek yogurt and cheese. Especially not when there are so many other delicious alternatives available to me.
With that in mind, I’m partnering with So Delicious this month to help spread awareness of their 21-Day Dairy Free Challenge. By signing up for the challenge (which is completely free) you’ll get a new coupon each week, simple tips on how to make dairy-free swaps, a dairy-free shopping list and a chance to win a years supply of So Delicious Dairy-Free products. If you’re interested, you can sign up by clicking here.
I truly hope you get a chance to try this curry! It’s packed full of seasonal winter vegetables, is bursting with flavor and only requires one pot + 30 minutes to make. Doesn’t get much better than that. Enjoy!
One-Pot Vegetable Thai Red Curry
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 30
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2-inches fresh ginger, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4 ounces red curry paste*
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
- 1 small russet potato, diced into 1-inch cubes (about 1 cup)**
- 1 and 1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 and 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoons lime juice (or rice wine vinegar)
- fresh basil and brown rice for serving
Directions:
In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, sprinkle with salt and cook for 3 minutes, until translucent. Next add the garlic, ginger and carrot. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes.
Add the curry paste, coconut milk and water/broth then bring to a boil. Stir in the potato, broccoli and cauliflower. Reduce to a simmer then cover and cook for about 7 minutes, just until vegetables are tender. Be sure to keep a close eye as the vegetables can become mushy if cooked too long.
Stir in the tamari, coconut sugar, and lime juice (or rice wine vinegar). Serve over warm rice with fresh basil and enjoy!
*I like this brand red curry paste. Please note that it is slightly spicy. If you prefer less spice, you can use less paste but it will make the dish less flavorful.
**Make sure the potato isn’t diced into larger than 1-inch cubes otherwise it will take longer to cook and the other vegetables will get mushy. Nobody likes mushy vegetables.
Click Here for Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts are for 1/4th of recipe
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback! 
This post was created in partnership with So Delicious Dairy-Free. I’m proud to be able to work with brands that care about the health of it’s consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions and text are entirely my own.
Oh this sounds amazing and I love that you used so many different vegetables! I love curries and to visit Thailand is a dream. I’ll have to try this this week :)
newborn calves are not taken away from Mum right away; the cow that has just given birth can’t have their milk put into the “regular” mix because it’s not the same. It would be a very unethical dairy farmer that would do that, and they would risk their farm if they were inspected/tested and found this to be happening. The calves are given ample time to nurse before their naturally weaning takes place.
I am also dairy free, for medical reasons, and look forward to trying this curry. It sounds wonderful.
Hi Jori! I’m not sure if you live in the U.S. or not. It might be different depending on what country you are from. I recently watched a documentary that interviews farmers across the country (it’s called At The Fork– I highly recommend it) and they showed exactly what happens on dairy farms.
The mother cow cleans the baby calf after birth then someone comes in with a wheelbarrow to immediately take the calf away. They do this because they say it doesn’t give them time to form a bond. They said if they let them form a bond then they would cry relentlessly for one another once separated.
There are far more unethical things that happen beyond that, unfortunately. Our food system is designed to be as cost efficient as possible, regardless of what it means for the animals, our health or the planet.
I’m in Canada and have many dairy farmers for friends. I’ve asked and they have all said that is not the practise here. Even if a cow has been on medication they are removed from the milking barns because their milk is tainted.
They always allow their calves to nurse.
Hi! Speaking as a veterinary student in the US it is true that calves are immediately taken away from their mothers. The mother’s milk immediately after birth is called colostrum and has a different nutrient content due to the newborn’s special dietary needs during the first few hours of life. The colostrum is milked from the mother and later bottle fed to the calf. This not only prevents mother-calf bonding but can also prevent viral and bacterial infection spreading from mother to calf which is unfortunately common when you have so many animals kept in such close proximity
Thank you for verifying this, Nicole. I wish it wasn’t true but that’s just the consequence of mass producing milk for profit. Unless we all had our own cow in our yard then someone has to suffer and unfortunately it’s the mama cow and her baby. :(
How long do they allow the calf to nurse, Jori?
I know this is a very old comment but I thought I’d post for anyone like myself who reads through this later and is curious. Here’s a link for an article on dairyfarmers.ca defending dairy farming and seeking to clarify practices on Canadian dairy farms. https://www.dairyfarmers.ca/farmers-voice/farming/milk-myths-debunked-dairy-is-scary-or-not
Relevant to the point raised about separation of mother and baby: “Calves are left with their mothers for a period of time after birth. This amount of time varies, and it depends on how well the mother cares for her calf. The truth is, many dairy cows don’t have much of a mothering instinct. Sad as it may sound, farmers can often do a better job taking care of a calf than a dairy cow can! I’ve seen cows neglect or ignore their calf, and we’ve even had some cows attack their calves! After some time has passed (usually between 24 and 48 hours on our farm) the calf is moved to the nursery where he/she is provided plenty of milk/colostrum from the mother cow; fresh, clean, soft bedding, and lots of love and attention from our family.” There may be plenty of room to discuss the treatment of the cows specifically, but the separation of cows and calves is not made up or misunderstood as stated very clearly here. 24-48 hours is an extremely short period of time and I think it’s worth noting it’s hard to imagine this practice happening with any other species without everyone’s eyebrows being raised immediately. The line of argument that cows do not make good mothers, while I cannot confirm or deny, comes off as extremely suspect. A mammalian species which normally requires mothers taking care of live babies inherently not being adept at that role? Should at least force us to ask some serious questions.
Thank you for sharing your research, Kasey. I’ve reached out to some of the more reputable dairy companies (Organic Valley, etc.) and they always respond with “cows are not very maternal animals so the babies have to separated for their safety”.
I personally find this very hard to believe however, if it is true, I wonder if it’s a result of being repeatedly artificially impregnated by another species and having the baby taken away year after year. I question whether or not an animal that is meant to have this instinctual bond to care for their young might become numb after having this process repeated for so long. I fear they could evolve to no longer have that instinct because of what we have done to them.
This looks so good.. I HOPE our grocery store has the so delicious coconut milk! If not, I will request it- they are pretty good about taking customer requests! If they have it I am going to make this asap!
PS I am not sure if you knew, but there is a group on FB for So Delicious- a Dairy Free Challenge. I posted your recipe from today since it uses So Delicious coconut milk. I hope you don’t mind!! Praying when I get to the store today they have this milk- I have been buying the Amy’s Red Thai Curry dishes but they are much too expensive!! So I am so eager to try this.
I don’t mind at all, Lisa! Thank you for sharing. I hope you enjoy it! :)
I didn’t used to like curry / Thai flavors, but now I can’t get enough of them. Especially on those days when I’m just CRAVING a good curry. Like this one!! I’m so glad my palate has grown up ;)
That’s pretty eye-opening Sarah — I had no idea they take the newborn calves away. I guess that makes sense and it is pretty messed up! I do love dairy free milk and So Delicious is a brand I turn to often. I haven’t tried the culinary coconut milk, and definitely need to pick some up! This meal looks incredible and I love all the delicious veggies in here!
It is messed up. I wish we could go back to the way farming was in the past when everything wasn’t so driven by convenience and profit. :(
I haven’t tried the So Delicious brand before. I usually use almond milk from Trader Joe’s instead of regular milk, but I have a long way to go when it comes to cheese….
I know, cheese has been the hardest thing for me too. But I think with time the alternatives will get better and better. I hope, at least!
I haven’t made Thai curry in a long time, and this looks so good! Beautiful photos as usual! I use Thai Kitchen curry paste too, and always have the same issue with using coconut milk cans. I’ll have to keep my eye out for So Delicious coconut milk cartons!
I totally hear you on the dairy talk. I’ve made some changes in the last couple years to swap a lot of my dairy eating out — i.e. I use plant-based protein powders now & I’ve been eating dairy free yogurt most of the time — and at this point, all that’s really left is eating ice cream & cheese. It’d be tough to go 100% plant-based though sometimes I consider it, but I feel better knowing that I’ve reduced my intake a lot.
I feel the same way, Nicole. I’m doing my best to reduce my consumption but I haven’t given everything up 100%. I still buy pasture raised eggs (the ones that are $9 a carton!) and occasionally eat dairy and eggs when we eat out. If there were more plant-based restaurants it would be so much easier!
I’m still so envious of your trip to Thailand and the cooking class you took! There’s absolutely nothing that can beat an authentic curry in my book! I’m seriously drooling over this bowl..it looks so creamy, flavorful, and just perfect! I could eat this on the reg and never tire of it! :D
Hi Sarah!
So happy to have found you here! I’ve been a vegetarian all my lfe ( pure TORTURE growing up in a meat and potato family- I’m old enough to have experienced the ” eat-meat-you-need-iron” nazis, anyway, I digress) and vegan for the last 20. I’m always on the hunt for vegan recipes ( love me a great curry :0 ) that my carnivore hubs will love and he’s great about jumping on board several times a week. My question is can I use the lite version of this coconut milk?
Hi Rachel! Major props to you for sticking with it for so long and for inspiring your husband to eat plant-based. I can imagine it was a struggle growing up in a meat-eating family. I know there are a lot of people who give up because of that reason.
As far as the coconut milk, you can use the lite version but I personally prefer the full fat kind. To me the flavor is different with the lite. But if you are used to it then you might prefer it that way. I hope that helps!
May I add that this is a great dish to incorporate more veggies into your meals! I also have to So Delicious coconut milk at home and I use it instead of regular milk in my smoothies every morning. I definitely feel a difference without so much dairy :)
I’ve noticed that I feel a lot better too! Thanks for the comment, Dawn! :)
Hi Sarah, could I just use 1 full 14 oz can of coconut milk in place of the 1 cup + the water ?
Hi Jessica! You can use a full can of coconut milk but you will still need about 1/2 cup of water. It will also make the coconut flavor stronger but as long as you don’t mind that then it should be fine. I hope that helps!
I really love curry, but I am often to intimidated to make it like I will mess it up. This recipe looks very approachable and I am going to try it. The So Delicious Coconut culinary is to die for! I have used in some soup recipes. Can’t wait!
I never made curry…so this will be my first time. Can’t wait to make this and so happy it’s dairy free.
Thanks Linda! I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Sarah! It’s not winter any more down here in Florida, but I made this tonight anyway. It’s delicious! I added a can of garbonzo beans with the veggies. I was surprised that you used the entire small jar of curry paste, but I followed your lead and was not disappointed. The curry had just the right flavor! Then I went out to Amazon and ordered a case of those jars of curry paste! I’m a little out of control, don’t you think? ;) Keep the curry recipes coming! The curry chickpea “meatballs” are next.
Haha! I don’t blame you for ordering a case. I always make sure to have some stocked in my pantry. :)
Thanks for the feedback, Connie!
I live in FL too and it is almost 90 today but I made this. I too added chickpeas and was surprised by the whole jar of curry paste but followed directions (even though I never do) and thought the same thing. THIS IS AMAZING! Curry chickpeas meatballs are next on my list too :)
Too funny! I made this tonight for dinner too! I like the idea to add chickpeas. So glad you enjoyed it, Brie!
Hi Brie. Glad you followed directions and made this too! We are in central FL. Where are you?
Great recipe. Could I leave the tamari out? This recipe is just what I am looking for as I made one with curry spices but not curry paste … think will try the vegan thai one .. what about using coconut oil instead of olive?
Hi Zoe! Coconut oil would work great in place of the olive oil. The tamari is used instead of fish sauce as it helps give the dish a salty umami flavor. You can leave it out but it will likely be less flavorful. If you are looking to make it soy-free you can also try coconut aminos or oyster mushroom sauce. I hope that helps!
Thank you so much .. no not soy free (in fact I might try a version with tofu.) I just couldn’t imagine tamari and coconut!!!!! But that makes sense. I will let you know. Never heard of coconut aminos — will also check that!!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe, thankfully the veggies can all easily be found in North America. I just returned from Thailand and took a cooking class at the flower Market in Bangkok, it was awesome!
Tip – you don’t have to cook with oil. You can start by cooking half the porion of coconut milk on high heat until it separates. Everyone’s into coconut oil, right?!
Once separated, add the onions and garlic and follow recipe as explained.
If you could find palm sugar in place of coconut sugar, give it a try!
It’s awesome, I bought some at market and brought it back
Thai curry paste…read ingredients carefully, I made my own and recipe called for shrimp paste which could be substituted for soy beans.
If you make your own, you can control the heat…very mild using 3 chili peppers and eliminating seeds, add more peppers and seeds for hotter! It keeps well in the fridge and really doesn’t take much time to make. Can’t wait to make it again, and will be looking for So Delicious!
Thank you so much for the tips, Rosie! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. :)
Delicious! Making it for the second time now. Thanks!
So happy to hear that, Jeff! Thank you for your comment!
Most Thai curry pastes contain a lot of garlic and ginger already, and adding more is really a matter of taste, but your curry won’t suffer if you don’t add them. Also most Asian markets see free different brands but in MUCH larger quantities, and probably cheaper than Taste of Thai. There are also a variety of coconut milk brands that come in uhf packaging like that, many without the guar gum or other stabilizers, again check your Asian market if you’ve got one.
What’s the point of the coconut sugar? Can it be left out/swapped for regular sugar?
Typically authentic Thai features both sweet and sour flavors so the coconut sugar just adds a hint to help offset the sour. You definitely use regular sugar. I would opt for brown if you have it!
Is there an Instant pot version of this recipe??
Hi Ash! I’m sorry I don’t own an Instant Pot so I’m not sure how to advise you on this. Definitely something I need to invest in soon!
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This turned out really well! At first I thought it was weird that it used soy sauce and was planning to leave it out. Then I got to the end of the recipe and everything was tasting a little bit bitter without a lot of depth, I added the soy sauce and it was like magic! All of a sudden it tasted sweet, not bitter, with lots of flavor. My husband was literally scraping his plate with a spoon to get the last bit! This is all a little ironic to me, because I’ve tried to make red curry a few times before (non-vegan with chicken) and it has never turned out this well! I’m starting to explore fully vegan recipes lately and am pleasantly surprised at how easy and delicious they can be! Not important, but just in case anyone’s curious I used potatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, and green beans since I didn’t feel like eating carrots today and my husband hates broccoli. Everything else I kept the same. May end up reblogging this :)
The Thai curry paste recommended in the recipe is not vegan as it has fish sauce in it.
Actually the brand I recommend is vegan and doesn’t have any fish products in it. If you order it online or pick it up at the store and read the ingredient list, you will see.
Sorry my mistake, I bought this one: https://www.thaikitchen.fr/produits/pate-de-curry-rouge.html
It looks very similar but has fish sauce and anchovy extract which I didn’t notice until I got home.
In any case nice recipe ….
It looks like the product ingredients may be different outside of the US. So that’s a good point to bring up. Thank you!
This was so delicious! The flavour profile was incredible. I thought initially it was a lot of ginger and curry paste, but it absolutely elevated the dish. My husband had two helpings! This will be our our regular rotation.
Thank you so much, Cassandra! I appreciate you taking the time to write a review.
Is there a way to reduce the saturated fat content of this recipe? I’m assuming it’s the coconut milk that gives it that. Still looking forward to making this regardless!
Yes, the coconut milk is the main source of saturated fat. You could use light coconut milk if you want, however I find the flavor to be off putting compared to the full fat.
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Just made this & it’s delish! I subbed cauliflower for zucchini & used a Gold yukon instead of a russet potato. Next time i’ll probably double the potato, I didn’t realize how tasty it was in red curry!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Made absolutely no changes, result was that the dish was swiped clean
So happy to hear this! Thank you for the review!
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Great recipe, I’ve made this a few times. The tamari works well.
I up the quantity of veg, using carrots, sweet potato, broccoli and courgette to soak up the flavours, and red pepper and mange tout for a bit of crunch. I tend to cook it for a little longer than suggested.
You can also add some cherry tomatoes, particularly if you don’t want to add sugar. This is authentic Thai.
If you have fresh coriander (it’s easy to grow from seed), I prefer this to basil, and it’s more authentic. Add plenty of it, and right at the point of serving because it loses its flavour once cooked.
Thank you!
Thanks for the helpful tips, Mark!
Excellent recipe! I followed it, but probably had a few more pieces of cauliflower and potatoes than than the recipe called for (and couldn’t find the So Delicious re-closable coconut milk at my local Sprouts, so used canned), and added the rest of the can of coconut milk for a better sauce to veggie ratio. Assuming the comment above from Mark Hodson is referring to cilantro (they call it coriander in the UK), I also added chopped cilantro at the very end after I turned the heat off, and it really added to the flavor. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback, Lauren!
I’m making this dish now. I substituted vegetable broth for the water and garbanzo beans, mushrooms and chunks of zucchini. It smells wonderful and I’ve been tasting it as I go along. Thanks for sharing it.
Made this for dinner – I added one small regular and one purple sweet potato as well as some finely chopped kale. Also used a different curry paste – DELICIOUS!!!!! Will definitely make this again!
Thanks Christina!
This is one of my fave all time go to recipes. Right now, I’m printing out a copy to send to my brother, who also loves these flavors. I don’t care for tamari, and use soy sauce instead and it’s so light and wonderful and filling and oh God, yummy.
I’m so glad you enjoy it! It’s one of our favorites as well. Thank you for sharing! :)
Made this for my daughter and she loved it! I didnt have tamari, so we used light soy sauce and skipped the added salt.
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Yes, I made this recipe today , we just had dinner. Is really easy to make, so delicious and healthy. I didn’t have cauliflower instead I add butternut squash. We love Thai and Indian Cuisine. Thanks for sharing, I wish I can send you a photo of my dish, sincerely Edna
I”m so glad you enjoyed it! Butternut squash sounds like a great addition!
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So good! Thank you! My spice loving husband loved this. My kids are still getting used to spicy stuff so I just did half the jar of curry paste. But still very good.
I agree on the comment about what is Humanly done with milking cows? I don’t support the process either. Let alone the fact that MILK is also inflammation causing for the body. Stressing out any animal for the sake of a meal – seems more harmful than good.
I’m going to try this recipe – tho’ I’m not fond of Broccoli as it has it’s own taste that sometimes is strong. I might use Eggplant, Zucchini and tomato, which is used in Ratatouille Just change the overall spice additions. *smile*
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