Vegan Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry is loaded with everyday vegetables and simmered in a curry and coconut milk sauce. It’s an easy, Asian, comfort-food, naturally gluten free, and ready in 30. If you own an Instant Pot, be sure to grab my Instant Pot Thai Coconut Lentil Chickpea Curry recipe too!
Vegan Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry
I’ve made this skillet veggie curry for years and the story is always the same.
It’s easy, flavorful, straight up comfort food.
As long as you have access to a skillet, a pile of vegetables, a few pantry ingredients, and 30 minutes, you got this!
You can even buy pre-cut veggies and shave minutes off your food prep.
I also think of this as a cheater curry because you’re not making the curry from scratch.
Which brings me to the big question…
Curry paste and curry powder…are they interchangeable?
No…not unless you want to confuse your tastebuds.
But, you can mistakenly do it like I did with this recipe…until an informed reader pointed out to me that I was doing just that.
Ooopsie!
I do love a good learning experience though! Let me explain…
Curry paste – made for Thai cooking; typically includes spices such as lemongrass, galanga, and kaffir lime peel, to name a few {available in grocery store ethnic food section}
Curry powder – made for Indian cooking; typically includes spices such as coriander, turmeric, ginger, fenugreek, and chili peppers, to name a few {available in grocery store spice section}
Pretty basic stuff, right?
Here’s where I went wrong
For years, I’ve always made my Thai coconut curries with red, or green, or yellow curry paste with perfect results.
Then one day, I decided I wanted to use curry powder in place of curry paste, so I could be more in control of the sodium.
The mistake I made was that I didn’t use Thai curry powder.
I simply reached for the curry powder, you know…the one we all have in our spice cabinet, and called it a day…for months. Doh! [hand on forehead].
It’s not the end of the world, but creating an Asian – Indian curry fusion is not my strength and only confuses taste buds.
f you’re expecting Thai, you want classic Thai flavors, right?
Soooo, I don’t want you to make the same mistake.
I’d be willing to bet that the store bought curry powder you have in your cabinet isn’t Thai curry powder.
Mainly because it’s such an uncommon spice that most grocery stores don’t even stock it.
It is available on Amazon. I definitely want to try this Red Thai Curry Powder from Savory Spice Shop.
Lucky me…there’s one nearby!
Anywhoooo, let’s talk about this recipe…
What are the my favorite things about Vegan Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry?
- Comes together in 30 minutes
- It’s vegan AND gluten-free
- It uses veggies that are available any season at grocery stores
- It has chickpeas…for added nutrition, texture, and flavor
- It uses Asian pantry ingredients that are now available in most grocery stores (like coconut oil and coconut milk)
- It’s freakin’ daaahhlish!
Here are the easy steps to get Vegan Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry from one to done:
- chop vegetables (or use pre-cut)
- sauté vegetables
- fold in pantry ingredients
- simmer
- add one more fresh ingredient (kale)
- eat!
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for Vegan Thai Coconut Vegetable Curry:
- coconut oil
- green onion
- garlic
- cauliflower
- carrots
- mushrooms
- curry paste (or Thai Curry Powder)
- canned chickpeas
- canned diced tomatoes
- frozen peas
- canned coconut milk or lite coconut milk
- kosher salt
- fresh kale
- cilantro and lime (for garnish)
Kitchen tools you’ll find helpful for this recipe:
- chef knife
- cutting board
- 11″ stainless steel fry pan or a 3.5 qt saucepan
- Large spoon
- serving ladle (stainless steel)
Looking for more Asian-inspired VEGAN dinner recipes?
If you’re fighting a cold, or you just like cheater soups, my Feel Better Pho whips up in a snap.
Also, my Asian Quinoa Slaw Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette is one of those “meal” salads…perfect for dinner or lunch.
A really popular noodle dish here on TKG is my Sesame Kale Noodles. Super easy, super healthy!
* Note: This post has affiliate product links, which allows me to earn commissions when you buy products through those links (no extra cost to you). THANK YOU for supporting The Kitchen Girl.
Traci Antonovich
Yields 7 1-cup servings
Everyday, fresh vegetables, curry paste, and coconut milk makes this a healthy, flavorful entree served over rice or quinoa.
10 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save Recipe4.7 based on 6 review(s)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil {shop it HERE }
- 2 Green Onions (chopped)
- 4 cloves Garlic (finely grated)
- 1 cup Cauliflower (chopped)
- 1 cup Carrots (chopped)
- 1 cup Mushrooms (chopped)
- 3 Tbsp Curry Paste
- 1-15oz can Chickpeas (drained)
- 1-15oz can Diced Tomatoes (drained; but keep juice to adjust consistency later, if needed)
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- 1-15 oz can Coconut Milk {shop it HERE }
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 cups fresh Kale (chopped)
- (garnish cilantro and lime)
Instructions
- In a 3-quart skillet or pot, heat COCONUT OIL over medium heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
- Add ONIONS, GARLIC, CAULIFLOWER, CARROTS, and MUSHROOMS all at once; continue to heat and stir until vegetables become fragrant and slightly soft (about 4 minutes).
- Add CURRY PASTE; saute a few minutes, stirring as needed.
- Add CHICKPEAS, TOMATOES, PEAS, COCONUT MILK, and SALT; increase heat to bring to boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes (leave uncovered). Note: If you feel more liquid is needed, add juice from the canned tomatoes
- Add KALE (or other greens); cover and simmer long enough to wilt (about 2 minutes).
Notes
* This recipe was edited in NOV 2017 to include curry paste (and an option for Thai curry powder)
Serve warm over rice or quinoa; garnish with lime wedges and cilantro.
Traci Antonovich
About my recipes: Minimal meat & more plants!
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