Quick and easy panang curry with tofu and bell pepper.
This Vegan Panang Curry is rich, creamy, and full of flavor. It’s ready in less than 45 minutes and simple to make!
What is Panang Curry?
Panang curry a Thai coconut-milk based curry. Compared to Thai green or red curry, it’s a lot more rich, creamy and thick. The curry often has ground coriander and cumin seeds, ground peanuts, and Markut lime leaves.
Why you’ll love this Vegan Panang Curry:
Creamy and rich. This curry is nothing short of creamy and rich. Ideally, you’ll want to pair it with rice.
Simple and easy to make. This recipe is easy to make and ready in less than 45 minutes.
100% vegan. This recipe is entirely vegan and made using tofu and vegan panang curry paste.
Ingredient Breakdown:
- Tofu – ideally, you’ll want to use firm tofu. Pre-fried tofu also works great!
- Fresh ginger and garlic – the curry paste already contains this, but added fresh ginger and garlic will boost the flavor even more!
- High-quality panang curry paste – buying high-quality curry paste is key, since this will be the foundation of flavor in the recipe. I recommend Mae Ploy or Aroy-D.
- Coconut milk – preferably full-fat canned coconut milk.
- Makrut lime leaves – this is essential for a more authentic taste. Lime leaves can be found at most Asian grocery stores in the produce section.
- Brown sugar – more easily accessible than palm sugar, but palm sugar also works!
- Red bell pepper – for added crunch and veg.
- Lime juice – helps balance the rich flavor.
- Thai basil – for garnish
- Crushed peanuts – most store-bought curry pastes won’t contain ground peanuts, so I recommend topping your curry with plenty of chopped peanuts!
How to make Vegan Panang Curry:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add tofu to a large baking sheet and toss with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle of kosher salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Stir in Panang curry paste and 2 tbsp coconut milk. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and curry paste has mostly dried out. This step will release flavors from the curry paste.
- Pour in the remaining coconut milk, lime leaves, and sugar. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in bell pepper and tofu and simmer for 1-2 minutes more until tender and tofu is warm.
- Add lime juice. Serve over rice and garnish with Thai basil and crushed peanuts.
Recipe Modifications + Serving Suggestions:
Substitute tofu with chicken, pork, or shrimp.
Substitute brown sugar with palm sugar.
If you’re not vegan/vegetarian, add 1 tsp of fish sauce for added flavor.
I recommend serving this curry with jasmine rice, fresh Thai basil, and plenty of crushed peanuts.
Storage + Reheating Instructions:
Cool curry to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5-6 days.
Reheat in a pot until warm.
More Delicious Curry Recipes…
- Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup
- Thai Yellow Curry with Tofu
- Vegan Thai Green Curry
- Vegan Butternut Squash & Chickpea Coconut Curry
Also, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram don’t forget to tag me @healthienut + #healthienut! I love seeing your mouthwatering recreations!
Vegan Panang Curry
Ingredients
- 1-14 oz. pkg firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1" cubes
- 2 tbsp neutral-flavored oil, divided
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 tbsp high-quality Thai Panang curry paste (make sure it's vegan/contains no shrimp paste) *amount you use depends on your spice tolerance
- 2 cups full-fat canned coconut milk
- 10 makrut lime leaves
- 2 tsp brown or palm sugar
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- Juice from ½ lime
- Thai basil, for serving
- Crushed peanuts, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add tofu to a large baking sheet and toss with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle of kosher salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Stir in Panang curry paste and 2 tbsp coconut milk. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and curry paste has mostly dried out. This step will release flavors from the curry paste.
- Pour in the remaining coconut milk, lime leaves, and sugar. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in bell pepper and tofu and simmer for 1-2 minutes more until tender and tofu is warm.
- Add lime juice. Serve over rice and garnish with Thai basil and crushed peanuts.
