This tofu red curry is a fragrant and saucy vegan Thai curry made with plenty of fresh veggies, crispy tofu, and coconut milk. It's easy to prepare and ready on the stovetop in 40 minutes! I love it served over rice or noodles for a cozy and flavor-packed meal on weeknights.
If you love the flavors in this homemade curry as much as I do, try more veggie-filled recipes like this creamy sweet potato and red lentil curry and my easy vegan green curry.
If I could choose one take-out option for the rest of my days it would be red curry. I love everything about it: the rich coconut flavor, the fragrant spice, and the ample veggies. The way that a pile of fluffy rice soaks up all its sauciness. Finally, I've recreated this Thai favorite at home. It might not be 100% authentic, but this vegan tofu red curry is absolutely DELICIOUS! Plus, it came together so quickly and easily on the stovetop that I love it no matter what. The flavors in the creamy, spicy gravy are amazing, and every bite is packed with tender veggies and crispy tofu.
Why You'll Love This Tofu Red Curry
- Vegetarian. This tofu Thai red curry will forever be one of my favorite vegetarian dinners. It's bursting with veggies, and the best part is that I can adapt it depending on which vegetables are in season. There's no wrong way to make a curry when I make it at home!
- Quick and easy. Unlike meaty curries that need to simmer for hours, this tofu red curry cooks quickly on the stovetop. Have dinner on the table in about 40 minutes! It's very easy and all the ingredients (apart from the crispy baked tofu) cook together in the same pot.
- Adaptable. Another perk of making curry at home? I can make it exactly how I like it. This recipe is easy to adapt depending on which veggies you like, how much heat you prefer, and how you serve it, whether you like rice or noodles. I loved this curry so much, that I've even made red curry noodle bowls.
Ingredients You'll Need
One more reason I love curry is how welcoming it is to vegetables. Just about any vegetable works alongside the other ingredients in this tofu red curry. I've included some notes here, and you'll find a printable ingredients list with amounts in the recipe card below the post.
For the Curry
- Tofu – You'll need extra-firm tofu for this curry. I love my crispy baked tofu in contrast to the creamy sauce. You can cook the tofu however you'd like depending on whether you prefer baked, fried, or otherwise.
- Shallot, garlic, and ginger – Our aromatic flavor base for this Thai-style curry. For best results, finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger fresh (you'll need about a 2″ knob of ginger).
- Red curry paste – Choose your favorite store-bought red curry paste. I love the one from Thai Kitchen (it's also gluten-free). If you'd like to try making homemade red curry paste, there's a great recipe over at the Minimalist Baker that you can use.
- Coconut milk – I use a combination of full-fat and lite coconut milk, but feel free to use all of one or the other. You can even use coconut cream if you prefer an extra-rich sauce. Just make sure you're NOT using cream of coconut, which also comes in cans but is super sweet.
- Tamari – Either low-sodium or regular tamari, for a splash of umami.
Add-ins
- Sweet potatoes – You can also use regular potatoes. Russets, red potatoes, and baby potatoes are all good options.
- Vegetables – I bulk up this curry with a combination of broccoli florets, chopped carrots, and red bell peppers (or any color). Try to find vegetables with similar cooking times, otherwise, you'll just need to pay closer attention while cooking so that you add the different veggies at the right spot.
- Bamboo shoots – This is an ingredient I notice often in my takeout curries, and you know what? I loved it! You'll find bamboo shoots in the Asian food sections at major grocery stores, or at Asian supermarkets.
How to make Tofu Red Curry
This recipe isn't quite traditional, since I don't make the curry paste by hand, but it's still so delicious! It takes 30 minutes to cook (most of which is simmer time) and 10 minutes to prep. Below are the steps to make this rich and creamy tofu red curry. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Cook the tofu. First, you'll coat cubed tofu with cooking spray and season it with salt and pepper. Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Make the curry. Meanwhile, sauté garlic, ginger, and shallot in coconut oil until fragrant. Next, add the curry paste, coconut milk, and tamari to the pot. Bring that to a boil, add the veggies, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Put it all together. Add the crispy tofu to the curry and let it warm through for a few minutes, then serve! I love serving this tofu red curry over bowls of rice topped with scallions and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and sesame seeds. See below for more ideas.
What to Serve with Tofu Red Curry
I like this creamy, saucy tofu red curry served over fluffy white rice, like coconut rice or zesty cilantro lime rice. It's also great over wide rice noodles (like the kind you'd use for Pad Thai) or gluten-free ramen noodles. As for sides, I pair this curry with more Thai-inspired dishes like these summer rolls with dipping sauce or these Asian-style rice paper dumplings. I also love the flavors in this Thai peanut chopped salad and this cool and crunchy Asian cucumber salad.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. You can absolutely meal prep curry! I like to make a big pot of this and keep it in my fridge for the week. It lasts about 4-5 days when properly stored airtight.
- Reheat. Warm leftover curry on the stove or in the microwave.
- Freeze. You can also freeze this tofu red curry. Let the curry cool completely, transfer it airtight container, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. I recommend thawing the curry at room temperature before reheating on the stove. I find that the frozen/thawed veggies don't get quite as mushy on the stovetop.
More Curry Recipes
- Slow Cooker Coconut Quinoa Curry
- Green Coconut Curry Lentil Soup
- One Pot Vegetable Chickpea Curry
- Thai Coconut Curry Soup
Tofu Red Curry
Ingredients
for the tofu:
for the curry sauce:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 large shallot
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger (about 2″)
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 1 (14.5oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 (14.5oz) can lite coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons low sodium tamari
for the add-ins:
- 1 cup chopped sweet potatoes
- 2 cups broccoli florets (+ stems, optional)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced red pepper
- 8 oz canned bamboo shoots
to serve:
- 1 bunch scallions
- Sesame seeds to sprinkle
- 4 cups cooked white rice (or grain of choice)
Instructions
- Prepare the tofu: Preheat the oven to 425ºF and spray a pan with cooking spray. Cut into cubes and add to the pan. Spray with another layer of cooking spray, sprinkle with salt & pepper and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Prepare the curry: While the tofu is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet and add the shallot, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Add the red curry paste, coconut milk, and tamari, and bring to a boil. Add the veggies (minus scallions), stir them into the broth and turn down the curry to a simmer. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- When the tofu is done, add it into the pot and cook another few minutes.
- To serve: separate the rice between four bowls. Scoop curry on top of the rice. Garnish with sliced scallions, fresh herbs, and sesame seeds if desired.
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