This spicy Thai-inspired vegan red curry will knock your socks off! Made with pan-fried tofu and veggies in a spicy coconut sauce, it's an intensely flavor-packed meal that also happens to be easy enough for a weeknight!
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 8 ounces super firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 1 medium onion, sliced into strips
- ¼ cup vegan red curry paste, plus more to taste (Note 1)
- 1 (14 ounce/400 ml) can light coconut milk
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (Note 2)
- 1 medium russet potato, scrubbed and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 small broccoli crown)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, roughly diced
- 1 medium carrot, sliced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons organic brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- Salt, to taste
- Cooked rice, for serving
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Melt 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a medium nonstick skillet. Gently rotate the skillet to coat the bottom with the oil.
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Add the tofu to the skillet. Cook the pieces for about 10 minutes, flipping them once or twice, until they're golden brown and crispy. Transfer the tofu to a plate when done.
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While the tofu cooks, melt the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat.
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Add the onion. Cook it for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes soft and begins to brown.
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Stir in the curry paste and sauté it with the onion for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
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Stir in the coconut milk (both the light and full-fat) and the potato. Raise the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil.
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Lower the heat so that the sauce is just at a low simmer. Cover the pot and let the curry continue simmering for about 10 minutes, until the potato begins to soften. Make sure to uncover the pot every few minutes and give it a stir, scraping the bottom with a spoon to prevent the curry from burning.
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Uncover the pot and stir in the broccoli, pepper, and carrot. Continue simmering the curry, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the tofu and simmer the curry for about 1 minute longer.
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Remove the pot from heat and stir in the lime juice and brown sugar. Stir in the basil and season the curry with salt to taste.
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Serve with rice.
- Use as few as 2 tablespoons of paste for mild flavor, or up to ⅓ cup for more intense flavor.
- You can optionally use all light coconut milk for a lighter curry, or all full-fat coconut milk for a richer and creamier curry.