One-Pot Vegetable Red Curry Recipe
A one-pot meal most likely rates pretty high in your book if you are the cook in the house and love to make nourishing meals night after night. Just knowing that cleanup will be a breeze makes the whole experience that much pleasanter. With this one-pot vegetable red curry, we're not sacrificing flavor, complexity of texture, or nutritional value. It's a creamy and cozy dish, with a slight kick from the red curry paste that balances nicely with tender bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, and wilted kale. It boasts a rich umami flavor, a touch of sweetness, and a brightness from the lime juice. This vibrant, satisfying, and effortless meal comes together in under 30 minutes.
Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "If you're looking for ideas for Meatless Monday, add this to the list. It's hearty and satisfying, and a great option whether you've been cooking for years or are a novice in the kitchen. It's also one of those dishes that lasts great all week in the fridge for easy meals throughout the week."
Gather the ingredients for one-pot vegetable red curry
To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and grab an onion, garlic, ginger, red pepper, yellow pepper, carrots, mushrooms, lacinato kale, lime, and cilantro. Then you'll need red curry paste, coconut milk, soy sauce, and coconut sugar. Look at the ingredients of the red curry paste, and try to find one that includes galangal and lemongrass for true Thai flavors. You can use any type of oil here, and you may want to pick up some rice for serving.
Step 1: Add oil to a pan
Add the oil to a large, deep frying pan and bring the heat to medium.
Step 2: Add onion to the pan
Add the onion to the pan and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 3: Add garlic and ginger
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
Step 4: Add more vegetables
Add the bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
Step 5: Stir in curry paste
Stir in the curry paste and stir for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Add more ingredients
Add the kale, coconut milk, soy sauce, and coconut sugar, and cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Add the lime juice
Add the lime juice and stir.
Step 8: Garnish and serve the curry
Garnish with cilantro and serve with optional steamed rice.
One-Pot Vegetable Red Curry Recipe
Our one-pot vegetable red curry is a vibrant and satisfying dish, with a slight kick from the red curry paste that balances nicely with tender vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- 2 cups lacinato kale, cut into slivers
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- Juice of one lime
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
- Add the oil to a large, deep frying pan and bring the heat to medium.
- Add the onion to the pan and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
- Add the bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
- Stir in the curry paste and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the kale, coconut milk, soy sauce, and coconut sugar, and cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the lime juice and stir.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve with optional steamed rice.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 402 |
| Total Fat | 34.0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 25.5 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 25.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 8.0 g |
| Sodium | 686.6 mg |
| Protein | 7.1 g |
What are some ingredient substitutions for the red curry?
Like most soups, stews, and curries, you can make several substitutions in this recipe to change things up. To start, you can swap out the carrots for sweet potato or butternut squash. If you opt to use either, cut them into ½-inch cubes and watch the cooking time, as these options might need to cook a little bit longer. You can add chopped zucchini or snap peas instead of, or in addition to, the bell peppers. Feel free to add chopped broccoli or cauliflower florets instead of mushrooms. If you want to swap out the kale, any hearty green will do, like Swiss chard, collard greens, or spinach.
Thai curry paste comes in a variety of colors, each with its own distinct flavor profile. Red curry paste tends to tread the middle ground; it's spicy, but not overly so. If you prefer to use another curry paste rather than red curry, yellow curry paste is a good option. It's a little milder and sweeter, and it gets its yellow color from turmeric and curry powder. Green curry paste will be spicier and more vibrant in flavor, so add a little and adjust to your taste. Instead of a paste, you can use 1 tablespoon of curry powder and add a little more garlic to make up for the loss in flavor. For the creaminess, other plant-based milks will work like unsweetened soy milk or flax milk. Or you can make a cashew cream by blending ½ cup of soaked raw cashews with ½ cup of water. For the sweetness, add a splash of maple syrup, agave, or date syrup instead of the coconut sugar. Or use brown sugar for the same effect.
How can I add protein to the red curry?
If you want to make the curry heartier, but still keep it plant-based, chickpeas are an easy add-in. Just rinse and drain them, and add them in with the coconut milk in step 6. Another easy option is shelled edamame. If you buy this frozen, there is no need to thaw it out. Just add it to the curry in step 6, and it will thaw right in the pot. Tofu is another versatile protein source that is often served with curries. If going this route, choose super-firm tofu, cube it, and add it after the vegetables are tender and before you add the curry paste. Lentils are another delicious way to increase the protein in a curry.
Other protein options can be introduced when you serve the curry. For instance, if you serve it over quinoa instead of rice, you will get more protein. If you want to add animal protein, that works, too. Add thinly sliced chicken breast after sauteing the onion and sear until cooked for about 10 minutes. To add red meat, slice flank steak very thin and add it to the pan after cooking the garlic and ginger.