Thai Coconut Curry Tofu

This Thai Coconut Curry Tofu is made with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk for a delicious tofu dish that comes together in just 30 minutes! Serve it with jasmine rice, rice noodles or your favourite vegetables!

An Authentic Thai Red Curry Recipe

Thai food is my all-time favourite cuisine and I share a lot of Thai inspired recipes on the blog, like my Vegan Pad Thai and Thai Butternut Squash Soup.

Today we’re doing a simple 30-minute vegetarian and gluten-free friendly recipe for this Thai Coconut Curry Tofu. You’ll be truly amazed at how simple it is to make this dish! You need just a handful of ingredients, a pan and 30 minutes of your time.

Ingredients in a vegetarian Thai red curry

• Extra-firm tofu: the base of the recipe. If you like a more pillowy soft texture you can also use soft-medium tofu.
•  Avocado oil: or any high-temperature cooking oil to fry the tofu.
• Coconut milk (from a can): The base of the coconut curry sauce. You can use full-fat or light coconut milk. Full fat will taste better.
• Red curry paste: If you are vegetarian or vegan, make sure to check the label. Some brands of curry pastes contain shrimp paste in them.
• Soy sauce: Traditionally fish sauce is used, (which you’re welcome to use) but to keep this veggie-friendly, we’re using soy sauce instead. Use gluten-free soy sauce if needed.
• Coconut sugar: A traditional sweetener used in Thailand for curries!
• Lime: Used to balance out the flavours
• Paprika: Optional, if you want a more vibrant red colour.

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What tofu is best for curry

This recipe calls for extra-firm tofu, which is the best type of tofu to use if you want to fry up your tofu into crispy cubes before adding them to the curry sauce.

However, I’ve made Thai curries with soft-medium tofu mixed with vegetables which is also delicious.

Really, it comes down to the type of texture you’re looking for. Want more firm bites of tofu with a crispy exterior? Go for extra-firm tofu. Want pillowy soft tofu bites in the sauce? Go for soft-medium tofu.

Recommended vegetables you can add to this curry

• Eggplant
• Snap peas
• Potato
• Peppers
• Kale
• Bamboo shoots
• Bok choy

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

• Use a non-stick pan to cook the tofu and don’t try and flip the pieces to quickly, otherwise they can stick to the pan. Each side should be golden brown before you flip and cook the next side.
• The tofu will naturally lose some of its crispiness the longer it sits in the curry sauce. If you prefer the tofu crispy, serve and eat it right away after adding it to the curry sauce.
• If adding vegetables to this dish, I recommend to sautee them in a pan with a touch of oil for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender. Then add them to the curry sauce with the tofu.
• Traditional coconut curries in Thailand have a lose (more liquidy) sauce. If you prefer a thicker sauce, simply boil the sauce on medium-high heat stirring constantly until it begins to thicken, then proceed to add the tofu.

More Thai recipes to try

• Vegan Pad See Ew
• Spicy Thai Ramen
• Thai Green Curry Tofu

If you tried this Thai Coconut Curry Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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