This Vegan Thai Red Curry is packed with tasty Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, and Chickpeas cooked within a delicious creamy, nutty, sweet, savoury, spicy, warm, thick curry sauce. Its always a good idea to batch prep a double lot of this red curry as leftovers are just too tasty and are perfect for next days lunch especially for a curry sandwich!
Vegan Thai Red Curry is the perfect recipe to use up older vegetables lurking in the refrigerator or reduced price vegetables.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Vegan Thai Red Curry
- 🍠 Hearty and filling with sweet potato, chickpeas, and broccoli
🌶️ Creamy coconut sauce with just the right amount of spice
🥦 Great for using up any veg you have to hand
⏱️ Ready in 40 minutes so quick and fuss-free
🌱 Naturally vegan and can be gluten-free
🍽️ Ideal for batch cooking and next-day leftovers
Origin of Thai red curry
Red Thai curry, is known as "Kaeng Phet" in Thailand. While grinding spices and herbs into pastes date back to ancient Thai or Siamese cooking, red Thai curries likely originate sometime during the 16th-17th century when Portuguese traders introduced chilli peppers from the Americas. These chillies were introduced into the local curries. Also, Thai cooking has been influenced by traditional Indian cooking. Thai red curry is traditionally made using a red curry paste, which consists of red chilli peppers, garlic, shallots or onions, turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, and other spices like coriander and cumin, all finely ground together. Shrimp paste is often added. The curry paste is authentically prepared by crushing all the ingredients within a pestle and mortar. Thai cooks began incorporating ingredients like coconut milk, brought from other parts of Southeast Asia, to add creaminess and sweetness to balance the heat from the chilli peppers.
One interesting fact about red Thai curry is that the paste's red colour traditionally comes from the use of dried long red spur chilies, which are milder than their smaller, spicier counterparts. However, the intensity of the spice can vary depending on how many chillies are used and whether their seeds are included. Some modern recipes include tomatoes for added colour and sweetness, although this is not technically traditional. Moreover, each region in Thailand has its own version of a red curry, with variations in ingredients and levels of spiciness. Red Thai curry often features proteins like chicken, beef, or seafood, but vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based versions are common, especially using ingredients such as tofu and/or a variety of vegetables.
In Thailand, red curry is usually served alongside jasmine rice or rice noodles, but in other parts of the world, especially in Western countries, flatbreads and even potato fries or chips are often Thai curry sides.
Ingredients
For our vegan Thai-inspired red curry, we opted for Geo organic red Thai curry paste as it's free from animal products. Additionally, it was readily available at our local supermarket. Living rurally on a Scottish island means many products aren't easily accessible, but fortunately, this particular paste was quite tasty. Curry pastes are handy to have in the store cupboard, but if you're interested in making an authentic Thai red curry paste from scratch, you can use the recipe over on eatingthaifood.com as a guide.
The ingredients you will need for this curry are:
- carrot
- onion
- garlic
- coconut oil or a little vegetable stock/broth
- red Thai curry paste
- vegetable stock/broth
- sweet potatoes
- broccoli
- canned chickpeas
- canned chopped or diced tomatoes
- peanut butter
- can of coconut milk
- spinach
Optional garnish:
- coriander (cilantro)
- cashews
How to prepare
Our vegan red Thai curry recipe is nice and easy so is perfect for beginner cooks and those new to vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based diets. It's also a wonderful curry to prepare for those meat-eaters in the family as you can challenge them to miss any meat! With the tasty flavours of a red curry and the delicious choice of vegetables it will be hard for them to resist. This curry recipe is one of our favourite recipes with visitors. Feel free to switch out the vegetables for those you prefer.
Step 1: Cook the carrot, onion, and garlic in a small amount of vegetable stock or coconut oil.
Step 2: Stir through the red Thai curry paste.
Step 3: Add the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, vegetable stock, and canned tomatoes.
Step 4: Add the broccoli in and bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 5: Add a lid over the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid, stir the vegetables and cook for a further 10 minutes to soften up the sweet potatoes.
Step 6: Meanwhile mix the peanut butter and canned coconut milk together in a small bowl.
Step 7: Stir the milk mixture through the curry and cook for a few more minutes.
Step 8: Stir the spinach through the curry and it will wilt nicely in the heat.
Step 9: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Optional serving suggestions: Enjoy with sides of rice or rice noodles, perhaps some flatbreads or some lentil crisps or Thai style crackers, and a sprinkle of fresh coriander [cilantro]. We like to enjoy this curry with brown rice as we like its nutty flavour and additional fiber.
Recipe notes
Storing
Leftovers can be stored within the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or frozen for 2-3 months. Thaw before reheating.
Reheating
Add leftovers to a non-stick skillet or pan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until piping hot. Stir through a little extra vegetable stock, broth, canned coconut milk, or plant-based milk if required to loosen up the curry.
FAQ'S
This curry can be easily prepared as gluten-free if you ensure that your Thai red curry paste and vegetable stock or broth is gluten-free.
Leftover curry can be used up in a variety of tasty ways. For example, we love topping a slice of toasted bread with a scoop of leftover reheated curry for next days lunch. We also love a curry sandwich for lunch or to use the curry as a vegan grilled cheese toasted sandwich filling.
Other ideas is to create curry filled tortilla wraps, or use as a filling for a quesadilla. Leftover curry is also a delicious baked potato filling or use the curry as a filling for baked bell peppers, zucchini [courgette] boats, or stuffed squash. Sprinkle some chopped nuts over such as cashews, flaked almonds, peanuts, or some breadcrumbs, to create a crispy topping.
Another nice idea is to create a curry potato pie, similar to a cottage pie, by topping the leftovers with mashed potato and baking until crisp and golden. If you only have small amounts of leftovers, use small ramekin or soufflé dishes to bake individual pies.
For a red Thai curry soup, simply thin down the leftovers with canned coconut milk, vegetable stock or broth, or plant-based milk such as almond or cashew, and reheat the leftovers and serve as a delicious soup.
Yes, curry recipes are perfect for making substitutions as any vegetable or pulse will taste amazing in a curry. A few ideas:
1. Instead of sweet potatoes use white potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin, summer squash, marrow, courgette.
2. Replace the chickpeas with any pulse such as cannellini beans, butterbeans, navy beans [haricot beans], kidney beans, borlotti beans, broad beans, soya beans, edamame beans, etc.
3. Replace the peanut butter with cashew or almond butter or omit the nut butter if necessary due to allergies, and perhaps go with sunflower seed butter or soybean butter.
4. Use kale or collard greens instead of spinach, but add these veggies earlier in the cooking as they usually need at least 10-15 minutes to cook in the curry.
5. The broccoli can be substituted for cauliflower, green beans, mange tout, sugar snap peas, flat beans, baby sweetcorn, or your favourite vegetable.
The perfect accompaniment is basmati, Jasmine, or long-grain rice along with a tasty flatbread or a few lentil crisps or vegan Thai crackers. A few more ideas, include choosing couscous, quinoa, millet, or rice noodles instead of rice, black rice, wild rice, potato chips, fries, or wedges, 3 Ingredient Flatbreads, naan breads, spring rolls, mango chutney, vegetable pickles or onion chutneys, cucumber salad, or papaya salad.
More vegan curry recipes
Our Scottish family absolutely love any and every type of curry as long as its packed with plant-based and vegan-friendly ingredients as then we know it will be delicious. Vegetables just taste so good cooked in warm spices and creamy or tomatoey curry sauces, absolutely no-one would ever miss the meat if they experienced delicious vegetables cooked perfectly in curry sauces. For more curry recipes do have a look at our ever-growing Vegan Curry Recipe collection.
A few of our regular family curry recipes are this Vegan Vegetable Curry, and this Mulligatawny Soup, and this Slow Cooker Tikka Masala. Another favourite curry soup is this Slow Cooker Red Lentil Dal Soup.
Want to make a Red Thai Curry using the slow cooker or crock pot? Then do have a look at our Slow Cooker Red Thai Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Broccoli Curry recipe.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Thai Red Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Chickpea Curry
Equipment
- Skillet pan, deep fry pan, Dutch oven or similar non-stick pan with a lid or heat-proof plate
- small bowl
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
To Sauté veggies:
- 250 millilitres vegetable stock [or replace with 1-2 tablespoons of oil such as coconut oil]
- 150 grams carrot [2 small-medium, diced]
- 170 grams onion [1 medium, diced]
- 4 cloves garlic [minced/fine diced]
Curry:
- 4 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- 1 can chopped tomatoes [diced canned tomatoes, 400g or 14 oz can.]
- 1 can chickpeas [400g or 14 oz can, drained. Or 240g cooked.]
- 330 grams sweet potatoes [2-3 medium, chopped into bitesize chunks.]
- 500 millilitres vegetable stock [use extra if required]
- 320 grams broccoli [Chopped into florets and maybe chop each floret through the stalk as well if large.]
Stir these together before using:
- 65 grams peanut butter [either smooth or crunchy]
- 120 millilitres canned coconut milk
Stir through the cooked curry:
- 150 grams spinach
Garnish, optional
- 10 grams coriander [chopped, use more or less as preferred]
- 30 grams cashews [rough chopped, or replace with peanuts or flaked almonds]
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots and vegetable stock to a non-stick pan. [If using coconut oil instead of stock melt the oil and warm it up before adding the vegetables]Sauté for 8 minutes, adding splashes of extra stock if the liquid runs dry.250 millilitres vegetable stock, 150 grams carrot, 170 grams onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Next mix through the curry paste and cook for 1 minute stirring.4 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- Add chopped tomatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and the vegetable stock. Give it all a good stir.330 grams sweet potatoes, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 500 millilitres vegetable stock, 1 can chickpeas
- Nestle the broccoli into the curry, pop a lid over the pan, and gently boil for 15 minutes.320 grams broccoli
- Remove the lid and push the sweet potatoes under the sauce and flip over the broccoli.Simmer for 10 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft. Add extra vegetable stock if the curry becomes too thick.
- Mix the coconut milk and peanut butter together in a small bowl.65 grams peanut butter, 120 millilitres canned coconut milk
- Add the milk mixture into the pan with the curry and stir well to make sure its fully incorporated.Bring back to a gentle boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir through the spinach, the leaves will wilt nicely in the hot curry.150 grams spinach
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optional: Serve with rice, and garnish each bowl with cashews and chopped coriander [cilantro].10 grams coriander, 30 grams cashews
Notes
- Leftover Thai veggie curry will keep fresh in the refrigerator, within a covered container, for up to 3 days.
- Or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheat in a pan, with a little extra vegetable stock, canned coconut milk or plant-based milk if required, until piping hot. Stir frequently.
- Using a crunchy peanut butter results in a a nice crisp peanut texture running through the curry.
- For a nut-free curry use sunflower seed butter or soybean butter instead of peanut butter.
- For more substitution ideas, ideas to repurpose leftover curry, and how to prepare a gluten-free Thai red curry do have a look at the recipe FAQ section above.
- For a slow cooker red Thai curry recipe have a look at our recipe: Slow Cooker Red Thai Curry
- For an easy three ingredient flatbread recipe which are perfect as a side for a Thai curry have a look at our recipe: Vegan 3 Ingredient Flatbread
Nutrition
Prepared our Vegan Thai Red Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Chickpea Curry? We would love to know how you get on with the recipe so do pop back and drop us a comment below and click the star ratings. Thanks so much! Jacq x
Debra Mecher says
Delicious but it needs more liquid. I used 400 ml of coconut milk and 900 ml of vegetable broth plus more peanut butter and red curry paste.
Jacq says
Hi Debra, Thanks so much for the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the curry. It sounds like you created a lovely rich version with the extra ingredients. I aim to make my recipes easy to adapt so everyone can adjust to suit their preferences. Your comment is very valuable for others who might prefer a saucier curry. Thanks again! Jacq x
Claire says
This recipe is absolutely delicious! I didn’t have any spinach or broccoli in, so I used a frozen mixed medley instead. Definitely going to be a regular meal 😋
Jacq says
Thanks Claire for your lovely comment! I often use a frozen mix as it's so convientent and tastes so nice with the Thai flavours. Jacq x
Beth says
This is such a delicious and tasty recipe! I love all the flavors it brings out and I'll definitely make this again! My hubby devoured this so fast and it was a big hit!
Jacq says
So glad you and your husband husband enjoyed the curry so much! 🙂
Jenn says
The flavors in this dish are truly outstanding! I love that it's loaded with veggies, too! Yum!
Jacq says
Me too! I agree the flavours are so good and the veggies really make it! 🙂
Allyssa says
This recipe is awesome! So easy and tasty! Highly recommended! Thanks a lot for sharing this!
Jacq says
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Katherine says
All those veggies in a yummy sauce! Thanks for the recipe.
Jacq says
Yeah the more veggies the better! Especially in a curry sauce. So yum!
Danielle says
Wow, this sounds incredible! I love the addition of broccoli and sweet potatoes.
Jacq says
Thanks! I absolutely love broccoli and sweet potatoes in a curry, stewing these vegetables in a the curry sauce just results in lovely flavours and textures.
Kat Knowles says
This sounds absolutely delicious and I never would have thought of putting broccoli in a curry! Will have to give it a try.
Jacq says
Awesome! Broccoli in a curry is my favourite way to eat it! It retains its crunch and soaks up the yummy curry flavours! Happy cooking!