Red Curry Noodles

Name: Red Curry Noodles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 8 oz rice noodles; 1 tbsp coconut oil (15 g); 1 shallot, thinly sliced (70 g); 1-inch piece ginger, minced or grated; 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated; 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (135 g, 1¾ cup); 3 tbsp red curry paste (45 g); 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (190 g); 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk; 1 tbsp coconut sugar (15 g); 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce (25 mL); 1 lime, juiced (approx. 1-2 tbsp); 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped; ¼ cup fresh Thai basil, thinly sliced; ¼ cup roasted peanuts, optional

posted: 01/05/23 — updated: 12/12/23 by Deryn Macey Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe· 5 from 2 reviews

These vegan Thai-inspired red curry noodles feature rice noodles and veggies in a flavourful red curry sauce for a quick weeknight dinner.

Overhead view of a bowl of red curry noodles with sliced red bell peppers, cilantro, peanuts and onion.

Table of Contents

About the Recipe

If you’re looking for an easy and delicious plant-based meal, you’ll love these red curry noodles! They’re simple to make with everyday ingredients, packed with flavour and always a crowd-pleaser.

For more of my favourite noodle recipes, don’t miss these cold buckwheat noodles, garlic chili noodles, vegan drunken noodles and spicy miso noodles.

This Thai red curry vegetable and tofu and panang curry with tofu are also super popular!

Recipe Highlights

Vegetarian and vegan.
Gluten-free.
Enjoy in under 30 minutes.
Simple ingredients.
Customize the veggies.
Add your choice of protein.
Creamy and flavourful!

Ingredients

Rice Noodles: Any variety of rice noodles work well. If you use rice noodles, the dish will be similar to Pad Thai in consistency.
Coconut Oil: I like coconut oil for sautéing veggies for curries but you can use olive oil or another cooking oil you like. For an oil-free recipe, you can use a bit of water.
Shallot: If you don’t have shallot available, white onion is a suitable substitute.
Ginger: Raw ginger is best but 1 tsp ground ginger will work if that’s all you have.
Garlic: Raw garlic is suggested (not garlic powder).
Bell Pepper: The recipe calls for red bell pepper but any colour works. We’ll cover options for other vegetables in another section.
Red Curry Paste: Thai Kitchen makes a vegan red curry paste. If you’re not using that brand, read the label as some varieties contain fish sauce or anchovy paste. You could also use green curry paste or yellow curry paste for a variation.
Green Cabbage: Use thinly sliced green cabbage or substitute coleslaw mix for convenience.
Coconut Milk: I prefer regular coconut milk for the best flavour and creaminess but light coconut milk works if you’d like to reduce the fat in the recipe.
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar works well as a sweetener to balance the acidity in the recipe. If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can use brown sugar or maple syrup.
Soy Sauce: You can use regular soy sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari is a suitable substitute.
Lime: You’ll need a fresh lime for the lime juice.
Cilantro: You can omit this if you don’t like cilantro.
Peanuts & Thai Basil: Optional for topping!

Please scroll down the page to find the full recipe card with ingredient amounts. This section covers notes on the ingredients used and any substitutions available.

Additions

Vegetables that work well are broccoli, zucchini, carrot, mushroom, baby corn and bamboo shoots.
For greens, add a couple handfuls of spinach at the end.
Serve topped with baked tofu, pan-fried tofu or tempeh or other choice of protein. You could also just throw cubed tofu right into the sauce at the end but I prefer to bake or fry it first so it’s crispy.
For spicy noodles, add up to 1 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, or up to 1 tbsp sambal oelek or Sriracha with the red curry paste. You can also just serve with some sambal or Sriracha on top for those that like some heat.
You can easily make this into a red curry noodle soup but adding vegetable broth until you read your desired consistency.
Stir in 1-2 tbsp peanut butter before adding the noodles for peanut red curry sauce (almond butter works too).
Swap the red curry paste for green curry paste for green curry noodles or yellow curry paste for Thai yellow curry noodles.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, you’ll want to cook the noodles. The instructions will depend on the type of noodles you’re using, so read the package and prepare your noodles accordingly.

Note: Slightly undercook the noodles as they’re going to finish cooking in the sauce. Once you’ve cooked them according to the package, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Next, heat the coconut oil in a large non-stick pan.

Note: You can also use olive oil or another neutral cooking oil, anything works. For an oil-free recipe, you can skip the oil and use some water.

Add the shallots, peppers, ginger and garlic and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring them occasionally until softened.

Add the red curry paste next and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until fragrant.

Sliced red bell peppers, red curry paste, shallot, onion and ginger in a non-stick pan.

Add the cabbage, coconut milk, coconut sugar and soy sauce and let the sauce simmer for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until it reduces (thickens) slightly.

Cabbage and red bell pepper cooking in a red curry sauce in a pan..

Finally, add the cooked noodles, lime juice and cilantro and toss to combine until the noodles are well coated in sauce.

Overhead view of a large pan of Thai red curry noodles with cabbage and red pepper. A pair of tongs rests in the pan.

Serve your noodles right away topped with Thai basil, peanuts and lime.

A bowl of Thai red curry noodles with bell pepper and cabbage, topped with basil and peanuts.

Helpful Tips

Avoid overcooking the noodles. Make sure you cook the noodles a little under al dente. They will finish cooking in the last few minutes in the pan.
If the sauce is too thick, you can stir in a little vegetable broth to make it saucier.
Use good quality coconut milk. A good quality, thick and creamy coconut milk will make a big difference in this recipe. When you’re at the store, shake the can, if it seems watery, try a different brand. I like full-fat Thai Kitchen and Earth’s Choice brands.
Simplify the recipe. You can omit the bell pepper and cabbage for super quick and easy noodles in red curry sauce!

Recipe FAQs

Are coconut curry noodles gluten-free?

If you use rice noodles and gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce, yes, the recipe is gluten-free.

What kind of noodles should I use?

You can use virtually any type of noodles in this recipe. I suggest medium rice noodles, which are used in Pad Thai so the dish will have a similar texture to Pad Thai in that case.

You can also use wide rice noodles. Wide rice noodles are bit firmer and chewier and won’t absorb as much as the sauce so the dish will be a bit creamier.

You could also use soba noodles, udon noodles, ramen noodles, lo mein noodles or even spaghetti or linguini.

Can I make red curry noodles without coconut milk?

Yes. To make this recipe without coconut milk, soak 1/2 cup raw cashews in hot water for 15 minutes then drain and blend with 1 cup of water to make cashew cream. Use that to replace the coconut milk.

Creamy Thai red curry noodles with bell peppers and cabbage in a bowl with chopsticks.

How to Store

Let them cool before storing.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️