One-pot Vegan Panang curry with tofu and vegetables is rich and creamy, balanced with sweet and spicy flavors, and easy to make in less than 30 minutes with simple ingredients.
It’s made from a homemade Panang curry paste that is flavorful and delicious with a touch of sweetness from peanuts.
This famous Thai curry makes a comforting meal and pairs well with Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. So cancel your takeout order and give it a try!
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Making thai curries at home is quick and easy to make. It is a quick one-pot meal.
I had never eaten Thai food growing up in India. But when I came to the US, Thai curries became my favorite instantly.
I love all thai curries – red curry, green curry, yellow curry, and panang curry. But out of all, Panang Curry has a special place in my heart.
My version of Thai Panang Curry is vegetarian (vegan). It is healthy, as it is loaded with veggies & tofu.
It is a satisfying, easy weeknight meal. And the best part is that it takes less than 20 minutes to make this curry and have an exotic and rich meal at home.
What is Panang Curry?
Panang curry (also called phanaeng, phanang, panaeng, or panang in Thailand or Penang or Pulau Pinang in Malaysia) is a rich, creamy, thick Thai curry with a sweet, salty flavor.
This curry has wonderful, bold flavors that tickle your taste buds.
Panang curry comes from Thailand, from the island of Penang. This is one of the popular curries similar to red thai curry.
It is generally served with a bowl of sticky rice.
Typically Panang curry is made with meat – pork, beef, or chicken – cooked with the Panang paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, and basil leaves.
However, I am sharing a vegan version of Panang curry made with firm tofu and colorful vegetables.
Which Thai Panang Curry Paste to use?
I recommend making a homemade paste at least once! You may be surprised by how easy it is, and the taste is incredible.
I have used homemade paste, but if you’re pressed on time and want to use a shop-bought paste, check the ingredients carefully. Many Thai curry pastes aren’t vegan because they contain shrimp paste.
I love Maesri paste from the Asian market. It is also available on Amazon. This one has the beautiful authentic flavors you get at Thai restaurants.
This paste is vegan and gluten-free. However, most of the other Thai curry pastes contain shrimp. So if you are a vegetarian, always check the ingredients.
Why Do I love this Panang curry?
- You’ll need less than 30 minutes and just a handful of essential ingredients.
- It is Delicious, Cozy, and all made in one-pot
- It is packed with so many flavors!
- It makes a hearty and comforting meal
- It is Simple to make, vegan, and gluten-free.
- Easily customizable with your favorite vegetables
- It tastes even better the next day!
- It is perfect for meal prep and budget-friendly, making it a winning dish.
Ingredients required
Below is the ingredients list and possible substitutions. The exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Tofu – A great meatless option for this Panang Curry recipe. Buy the extra-firm variety for this recipe.
- Vegetables – vegetables bring color and texture to the dish. I have added Red Bell Pepper, carrots, and onions. Feel free to use your choice of veggie.
- Garlic –Make sure you use Freshly chopped garlic for flavor and aroma to the curry
- Panang red curry paste – Hero of this recipe. Try to use homemade. Or check your local Asian market. My favorite brand is Maesri which is also available on Amazon. Add more or less to taste.
- Peanut Butter: A natural smooth peanut butter is perfect in this curry. My panang curry paste contains peanuts. However, if you use store-bought and do not contain peanut butter, use the double amount mentioned in the recipe.
- Kaffir lime leaves – To provide a very distinct Thai herbal flavor. These can be hard to find sometimes. I found it at the Asian store. So if you don’t find them, you can order them from Amazon. Or you can substitute it with lime zest.
- Coconut milk – To create a creamy sauce. Buy the thickest variety you can find. I love Chakoh brand coconut milk.
- Soy sauce: This replaces the fish sauce that the authentic recipe calls. It adds saltiness and aromatic quality. Use Tamari for a gluten-free option.
- Thai basil leaves – To add freshness at the end. Thai basil adds an authentic taste and is available in Asian grocery stores.
- Brown Sugar: This helps to balance the flavors of this spicy curry.
- Lime: A little lime juice at the end elevates the complex flavors of this curry.
- Oil – Feel free to use any cooking oil.
Step-by-step process
Step – 1 Pre-prep
- First, drain all the water from the tofu package and carefully wash the tofu block with water.
- Wrap it in a kitchen napkin or paper towel.
- Place a heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, on top and let stand for 15 minutes to press out the excess liquid.
- Cut the drained tofu into bite-sized cubes. Keep it aside.
Step – 2 Cooking curry on a stovetop.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot. (image 1)
- Now add garlic and panang curry paste. Saute for a minute or until you see oil separating from the curry paste, stirring continuously on medium to low heat. (image 2 to 4)
- Now add coconut milk. Mix everything well and deglaze the pot. (Image 5 and 6)
- Then add water, soy sauce, Kaffir lime leaves, Peanut butter, salt, bell pepper, onions, carrots, and tofu. Mix everything very well. Torn the Kaffir lime leaves and add them to the curry. (image 7 to 11)
- Cover the pot and let the curry cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium to low heat. (image 12)
- Pro-tip: To save time, put the jasmine rice to cook while cooking the curry.
- Open the pot, and give panang curry a quick stir.
- Now add brown sugar, basil leaves, and lime juice. Mix well and cook it for 1 minute.
- Vegan Panang Curry with vegetables and tofu is ready to enjoy. Switch off the flame and take out all the Kaffir lime leaves from the curry.
- Note: Kaffir Lime leaves can be eaten from the curry, but I prefer to take them out. It turns tough after cooking.
- 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 can’t remove it, so go slow.
- Serve hot with Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
Storage
Let the curry cool, then store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will thicken when it cools and can be thinned with additional liquid (water or coconut milk) if desired when reheating.
Variation
- You can use any vegetables of your choice. Broccoli, zucchini, and potatoes work well.
- Feel free to add baked or fried tofu.
- Peanut Butter Can be substituted with almond butter if needed, but I prefer peanut butter for authentic flavors.
- Veggies: Carrot can be omitted or subbed with sweet potato or squash.
Pro-Tips, notes, and quick FAQs
- Some store-bought curry pastes can be hot, so add just three tablespoons first and increase as needed.
- Sometimes coconut milk curdles, or oil separates from the milk. If that’s the case, don’t worry, it’s fine. Due to the heat, the fat from the milk gets separated. Make sure to cook the curry on medium to low flame.
- To save time, while cooking the curry, put the jasmine rice to cook.
- You can also serve thai tofu curry with quinoa or brown rice.
- Refrain from substituting thai basil with regular basil.
- This curry gets thicker as it cools. Add ½ cup water to get a thinner consistency.
- Kaffir Lime leaves can be eaten from the curry, but I prefer to take them out. This is because it turns tough after cooking.
- A crucial step to making an excellent panang curry with great taste is frying curry paste in oil. Fry until you see the oil separates from the curry paste.
Panang curry contains ground peanuts which the typical red curry does not have. Panang curry is also a bit sweeter and milder than other thai curries.
Kaffir Lime Leaves have bold flavors. Crush leaves before adding them to the curry. Crushing kaffir lime leaves releases all its aromatic oil into the curry.
Yes! This recipe freezes very well.
As I am all for meal prepping to make your life easier, I suggest making a few extra servings of this tasty Thai peanut curry.
Make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. The only thing to take care of when freezing is to freeze in the single portion size you will use so that you don’t end up thawing the whole quantity.
Just be aware that your frozen tofu may get spongy in the freezer.
To make it spicier, here are some options –
Add chopped Thai chilies, jalapeno, or Serrano peppers
Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.
Add extra sambal or sriracha sauce.
If you are not vegan, then yes. You can use paneer in place of tofu.
If you are allergic to nuts, omit the peanuts and use tahini paste. It will still be delicious!
Yes! You can add spinach, kale, chard, or arugula.
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Vegan Panang Curry with Tofu and vegetables
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 large red bell pepper seeds removed and sliced into 2-inch sticks – around 1 ½ cups
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into 2-inch sticks – around 1 cup
- 1 cup Onion sliced into 2-inch sticks.
Other ingredients
- 16 Oz. extra firm tofu
- 13.5 Oz. Coconut milk (full fat)
- 1 teaspoon Grated garlic
- 4 tablespoon panang curry paste Homemade or store-bought
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter Use natural peanut butter
- ½ cup thai basil
- 5 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Step – 1 Pre-prep
- First, drain all the water from the tofu package and carefully wash the tofu block with water.
- Wrap it in a kitchen napkin or paper towel.
- Place a heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, on top and let stand for 15 minutes to press out the excess liquid.
- Cut the drained tofu into bite-sized cubes. Keep it aside.
Step – 2 Cooking curry on a stovetop.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot.
- Now add garlic and panang curry paste. Saute for a minute or until you see oil separating from the curry paste, stirring continuously on medium to low heat.
- Now add coconut milk. Mix everything well and deglaze the pot.
- Then add water, soy sauce, Kaffir lime leaves, Peanut butter, salt, bell pepper, onions, carrots, and tofu. Mix everything very well. Torn the Kaffir lime leaves and add them to the curry.
- Cover the pot and let the curry cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium to low heat.
- Pro-tip: To save time, put the jasmine rice to cook while cooking the curry.
- Open the pot, and give panang curry a quick stir.
- Now add brown sugar, basil leaves, and lime juice. Mix well and cook it for 1 minute.
- Vegan Panang Curry with vegetables and tofu is ready to enjoy. Switch off the flame and take out all the Kaffir lime leaves from the curry.
- Note: Kaffir Lime leaves can be eaten from the curry, but I prefer to take them out. It turns tough after cooking.
- 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 can’t remove it, so go slow.
- Serve hot with Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
How to make an Instant Pot?
- Heat oil in an inner pot of the instant pot on sauté normal mode.
- Now add garlic and panang curry paste. Saute for a minute, stirring continuously.
- Now add coconut milk. Mix everything well and deglaze the pot.
- Then add water, soy sauce, brown sugar, Peanut butter, salt, Kaffir lime leaves, bell pepper, onions, carrots, and tofu. Mix everything very well.
- Cover the Instant pot and vent valve in the sealing position.
- Press the pressure cook button and set the time for 3 minutes under high pressure.
- Once cooking time is over, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, and then quickly release the remaining pressure.
- Open the pot, and give panang curry a quick stir. Take out all the kaffir lime leaves from the curry.
- Now add basil leaves and lime juice. Mix well.
- Instant pot Panang Curry with vegetables and tofu is ready to enjoy.
- Serve hot with Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
Video
Notes
- Some store-bought curry pastes can be hot, so add just three tablespoons first and increase as needed.
- Sometimes coconut milk curdles, or oil separates from the milk. If that’s the case, don’t worry, it’s fine. Due to the heat, the fat from the milk gets separated. Make sure to cook the curry on medium to low flame.
- To save time, while cooking the curry, put the jasmine rice to cook.
- You can also serve thai tofu curry with quinoa or brown rice.
- Refrain from substituting thai basil with regular basil.
- This curry gets thicker as it cools. Add ½ cup water to get a thinner consistency.
- Kaffir Lime leaves can be eaten from the curry, but I prefer to take them out. This is because it turns tough after cooking.
- A crucial step to making an excellent panang curry with great taste is frying curry paste in oil. Fry until you see the oil separates from the curry paste.
- However, if you use store-bought and do not contain peanut butter, use the double amount mentioned in the recipe.
Nutrition
Warm regards,
Dhwani.
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