Thai Peanut Curry

Bursting with flavors, this Thai Peanut Curry is so simple and scrumptious. It is made in just one pot, and a super comforting vegan and gluten-free meal that everyone will love!

The flavor of this peanut curry sauce is so delicious that you’ll be shocked at how easy it is to make! It is a perfect meal served with Basmati rice or Jasmine rice.

About Thai Peanut Curry

Thai peanut curry is a dish that consists of red curry paste cooked in coconut milk and infused with aromatics and spices, typically served with rice and vegetables.

Bell peppers, Spinach, and Tofu are cooked in a creamy broth made of coconut milk, peanut butter, and red Thai curry paste.

Like so many Asian dishes, not much of the work is involved with this Thai Peanut Curry recipe. Once you’ve taken a few minutes to chop up the vegetables and herbs, cooking it all together happens quickly.

To all people who love peanut butter as much as I do, you have to try this recipe! I just love how this Thai peanut curry recipe combines creamy peanut butter with the intense flavors of curry.

There seriously aren’t many things that are better than a creamy, spicy, and super flavorful peanut curry sauce. If you have eaten an amazing peanut curry like this African stew before, then you know what I am talking about.

And if you haven’t, it is time to try this curry! You won’t regret it!

I have cooked curry and rice together doing the pot-in-pot method, also known as PIP, in an instant pot. It saves so much time by making rice and curry together with the pot in pot method.

What is the Pot-in-pot cooking/method?

If you’re new to Instant Pot cooking, you might not know what pot in pot cooking is.

Pot in Pot is the method of cooking that allows food to cook in a separate bowl or pan that’s placed on a steam rack, or trivet, in the Instant Pot.

It is used in different ways.

One of them is to cook two recipes separately but at the same time.

Pot in pot cooking can save you so much time when you’re making a meal that has two parts like this Thai peanut curry.

This method is very efficient to cook your rice and curry together.

In this recipe, we are using the steam from the curry sauce that will be cooking underneath the trivet to cook the rice.

Why I love this curry?

• It is a Perfect Make-ahead meal
• This dish is Flavor Explozzzion and filled with hearty comfort vibes
• Simple ingredients require 15 minutes, extremely versatile, and so addicting
• It is Nutritious, vegan, and gluten-free
• It’s beginner-friendly.

Ingredients required and possible substitutions

• Thai red curry paste – Use homemade or good quality store-bought curry paste. Since curry paste is the base of the flavor in this recipe, the better the curry paste you can find, the more flavorful the dish will be. I like Maesri Thai curry paste. It’s vegan and made in Thailand. Always look for where the curry paste is made and choose one that is made in Thailand.  It’s your best bet.
• Soy sauce  – for a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut Aminos.
• Sambal – To give a spice kick, I have used sambal oelek. You can use sriracha or any hot sauce of your choice.
• Coconut milk – We like full-fat coconut milk as it’s the creamiest and has the best flavor. Try to use one without additives for the best result. My personal favorite is chaokoh coconut milk. You can use light coconut milk if you want to reduce the overall fat in the recipe.
• Aromatics – Onions, garlic, and ginger, are key for adding flavor to the sauce.
• Peanut butter – Use natural peanut butter for the best flavor and consistency. Watch the ingredients on peanut butter…some contain sugar.
• Preferred Vegetables – Spinach and bell pepper are my favorites in this curry but feel free to mix it up with whatever you prefer.
• Oil – I have used coconut oil. But any cooking oil will work.
• Lime Juice – You can use rice vinegar too.
• Brown sugar – Little bit of sugar balances out the flavors.
• Protein– I have added chopped firm tofu. You can also add edamame for a boost of plant-based protein.
• Rice, Cilantro, and Chopped Peanuts for Serving– I have cooked jasmine rice doing pot in pot method to save time. But you can cook your choice of rice like brown rice or basmati rice separately too.

How to make Thai tofu curry in an instant pot? Step by step process

First, drain all the water from tofu package and carefully wash tofu block with water.

Wrap it in kitchen napkin or paper towel. (image 1)

Place a heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, on top and let stand for 15 minutes to press out the excess liquid. (image 2)

Once drained, cut the tofu in to small cubes and keep it aside. (image 3)

In a Stainless container (PIP) add rice and wash it properly till the water runs clear.

Add water and salt. Cover it and keep it aside. (image 4 to 6)

In a medium bowl combine Thai curry paste, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sambal oelek, and sugar and whisk all together until smooth. (image 7 to 12)

Press the saute button and when HOT add in the oil, ginger, and garlic. (image 13 and 14)

Add in the onions, bell pepper, and spinach. Saute for a minute. Add 1/4 cup of water and deglaze the pot. Make sure nothing is stuck at the bottom. (image 15 to 18)

Add in the salt, coconut-peanut sauce mixture, tofu cubes, and 3/4 cup water. Mix everything together. (image 19 to 22)

Carefully place the trivet and place the rice bowl on it. (image 23 and 24)

Cover the IP with its locking lid. Press the manual/pressure cook button and set the timer for 5 minutes on high pressure. (image 25 and 26)

When the cooking time is done and pressure cook beeps, Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then do a quick release. (image 27)

Carefully remove the rice container and the trivet from the Instant pot and keep it aside. (image 28 and 29)

Add lime juice and gently mix it. (image 30)

Serve it hot in a bowl with rice and garnish it with chopped roasted peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.

Pro-tip – Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. As with most recipes, seasoning comes down to personal preference. Remember you can always add more, but you can’t take it away, so go slow.

Quick FAQs

More Recipes that use peanut butter

Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles (Instant Pot) | Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles

3 Ingredient Tiger Butter Fudge

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Peanut Sauce

Warm Regards,

Dhwani.