This Red Curry Pasta is full of flavor and easy to make! This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes and is the perfect dinner for a busy weekday!
I don't know about you, but I love Thai food. It is probably my favorite cuisine. I also love pasta. I am pretty sure I eat mainly carbs in my diet and I'm not ashamed of it. This Red Curry Pasta is a combination of two of my favorite foods. This pasta is creamy and rich with a deeply flavored sauce that has chewy rice noodles and is filled with delicious vegetables and tofu. You won't want to miss this one!
For some other Asian inspired recipes, check out these Saucy and Spicy Garlic Noodles this Gluten-Free Pad Thai or this Pad Woon Sen.
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What Makes This Recipe So Great?
- This Red Curry Pasta is full of bold flavor!
- This recipe only takes about 30 minutes to make.
- The chewy rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and tofu complement the richness of the sauce.
- This red curry pasta recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
Ingredient Notes
- Red Curry Paste- To make this red curry pasta, you need red curry paste. Any brand will work, just make sure that it is vegan. Some red curry pastes contain shrimp paste so make sure to check the label before you buy.
- Tamari- To keep this gluten-free, I used Tamari in place of soy sauce or fish sauce in this recipe. Tamari adds the depth of flavor that really gives that umami punch.
- Stir Fry Vegetables- To keep this recipe easy, I love using frozen stir fry vegetables. However you can easily use fresh vegetables if you wish. I love making this with whatever is currently growing in my garden.
- Rice Noodles- Rice noodles are the perfect noodles in this recipe to keep it starchy and delicious. However, if you don't have rice noodles, try swapping them for fettuccine or linguini if you are in a bind.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions.
- Add the stir fry vegetables and tofu and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red curry paste, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until the curry paste is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the coconut milk, tamari, and pasta. Cook until warmed through. Top with cilantro and green onions and serve!
Hint: Slightly undercook the noodles as they will continue cooking in the skillet. I normally take them off when they have one minute left.
Substitutions
- Tamari - If you don't have tamari, you can swap it for soy sauce or coconut aminos. If you use soy sauce, it will no longer be gluten-free.
- Rice Noodles - If you don't have rice noodles on hand, you can swap them with fettuccine or linguini.
- Tofu - If you don't like tofu, you can leave it out or add an alternative vegan protein such as soy curls or chickpeas.
Variations
- Spicy - Add chili pepper flakes when cooking the vegetables to make this pasta dish extra spicy.
- Green Curry Paste -You can make this with almost any type of curry paste. I love using green curry paste and making green curry noodles!
- Extra Vegetables - Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand! This is my favorite recipe to make with whatever is growing in my garden!
Check out another great recipe, Thai Pad Pak (Vegetable Stir Fry.
FAQ's
The main ingredients in red curry paste typically include red chili peppers, garlic, shallots, galangal, salt, makrut lime leaves, coriander root, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns and lemongrass.
It depends on the chef cooking the recipe but typically, red curry is spicier than green curry. Green curry has its own unique flavor.
This recipe is plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free, however, it does have a hefty amount of saturated fat due to the coconut milk.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Spatula
- Chef Knife
- Cutting Board
Storage
Store the leftover Red Curry Pasta in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. This recipe makes the perfect meal prep! I like to make a big batch and portion them out in containers to eat during the week!
I wouldn't recommend freezing this dish as it will affect the textural elements of the recipe.
Top tip
- Rice noodles have a tendency to stick together. To make sure your rice noodles don't stick together when making your pasta, make sure to not overcook them. Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions or for 5 minutes in boiling water. If you overcook them they will get gummy and start to clump up. It is normal, though, for them to clump up a bit; tossing them with the red curry sauce should loosen them as they get coated with the sauce.
- Other great vegetable ideas for this Red Curry Pasta include zucchini, mushrooms, bok choy or asparagus!
- My go to toppings for Red Curry Pasta are cilantro, green onions, lime juice and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for some spice!
Other Great Recipes You Will Love
- Thai Pad Pak
- Pad Woon Sen
- Gluten-Free Pad Thai
- Vegan Thai Curry Meatball Subs
- 30 Minute Crunchy Thai Quinoa Salad
- Easy Instant Pot Vegan Thai Panang Curry
Red Curry Pasta
Equipment
- 1 cast iron skillet
- 1 chef knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Rice Noodles
- 5 tablespoons Red Curry Paste
- 16 ounces extra firm tofu
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 29 ounces full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 8 ounces frozen stir fry vegetables
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions.
- Add the stir fry vegetables and tofu and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red curry paste, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until the curry paste is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the coconut milk, tamari, and pasta. Cook until warmed through. Top with cilantro and green onions and serve!
Notes
- Rice noodles have a tendency to stick together. To make sure your rice noodles don't stick together when making your pasta, make sure to not overcook them. Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions or for 5 minutes in boiling water. If you overcook them they will get gummy and start to clump up. It is normal, though, for them to clump up a bit; tossing them with the red curry sauce should loosen them as they get coated with the sauce.
- Other great vegetable ideas for this Red Curry Pasta include zucchini, mushrooms, bok choy or asparagus!
- My go to toppings for Red Curry Pasta are cilantro, green onions, lime juice and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for some spice!
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Holly says
This was delicious and so easy to make! I used regular pasta because that's what I had on hand and it worked great. No leftovers here!
Keri says
I've never thought of making curry pasta, but this was delicious!
Andrea says
this red curry pasta is the best! love how easy it was to put together and everyone loved it!
Melanie says
Love the bright flavors and simplicity! Thank you for sharing!
Anaiah says
I love Thai food and curry is one of my absolute favorite dishes. I love how it's used in this noodle dish. It's perfect!
Natalie says
This was so delicious! My kids enjoyed it and I just love the combination of the flavors, thanks!
Katie says
The flavors in this recipe are fantastic! I am totally obsessed!
Jan says
the flavours all came together fabulously. thanks for a new lovely meal 🙂
nancy says
quick and easy meal that was super tasty ! love the heat!