Vegan Panang Curry with Tofu
on Sep 04, 2020, Updated Apr 28, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links.
This easy vegan panang curry with tofu is a quick, creamy 30-minute dinner made with simple pantry ingredients like coconut milk, peanut butter and curry powder.
This simplified version of Thai panang curry still delivers that signature sweet, salty, nutty flavour.
It’s one of my most-made weeknight meals because it’s reliable, flexible and always good. Once you make it, it tends to go into regular rotation.
Top Review
Panang curry is my favorite Thai takeout order, but I couldn’t find a recipe I could make at home. Not only is Deryn’s recipe delicious, but I love that the ingredients are easier to get than the other panang curry recipes I found. No chicken necessary – this dish is rich, tasty, and filling.
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Panang Curry
- Ready in about 30 minutes with minimal prep.
- Made with simple, accessible pantry ingredients.
- Rich and creamy without being overly heavy.
- High in plant-based protein from tofu.
- Meal prep-friendly and reheats well.
- Easy to customize with different vegetables or spice levels.
- Consistently 5-star rated and tested.
Tofu is always great in vegetarian curries for a source of protein and texture. You can also try it in this Easy Vegetable Curry with Tofu, Vegan Thai Red Curry with Tofu or Curried Tofu Recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Coconut Milk: Use light or full-fat coconut milk. Light coconut milk keeps the curry rich without being overly heavy, especially with the added fat from the peanut butter. Full-fat will give a thicker, more indulgent sauce.
- Broth: Use vegetable broth or stock, either homemade or store-bought. Bouillon cubes or paste also work, just prepare according to package instructions.
- Peanut Butter: Use a natural peanut butter made with just peanuts or peanuts and salt for the best flavour and texture. Almond butter can be used if needed, but peanut butter gives the most authentic panang-style flavour.
- Veggies: This recipe is flexible. Carrot can be swapped for sweet potato or squash, and broccoli works well in place of or alongside the peppers and zucchini.
How to Make Vegan Panang Curry
Before You Start: If you plan to serve over rice, which is recommended), start preparing that now so it can cook while you make the curry.
Step 1. Cook the onion, garlic and carrot in a skillet over medium heat until they start to soften. This should take 6-7 minutes.
Step 2: Add the zucchini and bell pepper. Stir, then add the tomato paste, curry powder, turmeric and salt. Cook a few more minutes.
Step 3. Add the broth and coconut milk and simmer until the carrots are tender and the curry is thick and creamy.
Step 4: Add the maple syrup, cilantro, peanut butter and tofu. Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes until the tofu is heated through.
Serve the finished curry over a bowl of your favourite rice, noodles or any other whole grain.
FAQs
Panang curry is a Thai curry known for its rich, slightly sweet and nutty flavour, typically made with peanuts and coconut milk. This version keeps those key flavours while simplifying the ingredient list for a quick, approachable vegan dinner.
Panang curry is thicker, richer and slightly sweeter than Thai red curry. It usually contains peanuts or peanut flavour, while red curry is more broth-based and tends to be spicier and lighter in texture.
Panang curry is generally mild to moderately spicy. This version is quite mild, but you can easily increase the heat by adding chili flakes, fresh chili or curry paste.
Yes, you can substitute the tofu with chickpeas, tempeh or even lentils for a different plant-based protein option. You can also add more vegetables if you prefer to skip the protein.
Yes. Full-fat coconut milk will make the curry richer and creamier, while light coconut milk keeps it a bit lighter. Both work well depending on your preference.
You can use a wide variety of vegetables including bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, snap peas or spinach. This recipe is very flexible and works well with whatever you have on hand.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
Yes, this curry freezes well for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely before freezing and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
Vegan Panang Curry with Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 white onion, diced (2 cups, approx. 300g)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chopped carrots, approx. 300 g
- 1 small zucchini, sliced (approx. 1 heaping cup)
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup tomato paste, 60 g
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 14 oz can light coconut milk
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup, substitute coconut sugar or other natural sweetener of choice
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter, 100 g
- 350 g packaged firm tofu, cubed
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- cooked white or brown rice, for serving
Instructions
- Add 2 tbsp of oil, water or broth to a large skillet with the diced onion, garlic and carrot. Cook for 6-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, until starting to soften and become fragrant.
- Add the zucchini and red pepper and stir to combine. Add the tomato paste, curry powder, turmeric and salt and cook for a few more minutes, stirring to combine.
- Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk and simmer lightly until the carrots are tender and it's thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally as it cooks.
- Stir in the maple syrup, peanut butter, cilantro and cubed tofu and cook for a few more minutes until the peanut butter is combined and the tofu is heated through. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.
- Serve over basmati, brown rice or quinoa.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Update Note: Originally published on May 3, 2018.
Love this recipe. Foolproof! I didn’t have veg broth, so I used water. I didn’t have maple syrup and I didn’t have cilantro. I baked the tofu before putting it into the recipe – but in the future I think I might not do that. I used full-fat coconut milk because I couldn’t find the light. Instead of zucchini, I used green beans and I added mushrooms, too. I LOVED this recipe. It tasted so good! I had it with Jasmine rice. I will make this curry regularly. I encourage everyone to try it!
haha, that’s awesome…I love all the subs you made! Always my goal with recipes I share – that people take them and make them your own! Glad you enjoyed it.
I wouldn’t call this Penang since it’s missing the necessary Thai seasonings which you can easily find them all in a jarred container. I just made this and am really disappointed, it’s not anything near what I always order from Thai restaurants.
This was delicious! I will definitely be making it again!
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
I have never left a review for a recipe ever and I make a lot of recipes but this was seriously AMAZING!! I have tried making lots of curry recipes and they’re always good but not as rich or in depth as the restaurant BUT this one tastes just like my favorite Thai restaurant, it is amazing.
Yesss! So happy to hear that. I love this recipe too and it’s so quick and easy! Thanks for leaving your review.
Wow! So good and so easy to make! Thanks.
This looks great! I want to make this tonight and have everything I need except that I only have Cocunut Milk “beverage” from So Delicious and not canned coconut milk. Thoughts on if it might work?
It will work it just won’t be as thick and creamy. 🙂 It’s up to you, it will still be good but just not quite as creamy as if you use canned coconut milk.
Just made this! SO easy and tasted amazing. Served with coconut rice and it was such a yum meal!
So glad you liked it, Lucy!!
If I could have fit it in my belly, I would have eaten the entire pot! Instead, I look forward to eating the leftovers tomorrow. This was absolutely delicious!!!
On an editing note, I didn’t see in the instructions when to add the turmeric and salt. I could have just overlooked this but thought I’d bring it up in case it isn’t there.
So glad you enjoyed it! And thanks, I’ll add that to the instructions. Thanks for your comment!
I made this last night — so good, really easy, and I love that it didn’t need to simmer on the stove for very long. This will be a regular recipe — thanks!
Awesome!! So glad you liked it. I agree, I love how easy this one is. Thanks for the feedback!
Amazing!!! We added chickpeas instead of tofu, added more maple syrup and sriracha for a more spicy/sweet kick. This has definitely landed on our regular rotation list!! Super quick, like set the rice cooker and they almost finished at the same time quick! I did a total of about half an hour and the veggies were the best consistency!!! Thank you thank you thank you for this recipe!
THANK YOU THANK YOU for trying it 🙂 so glad you enjoyed it. I love it with chickpeas too! Good call on the extra sweetener and sriracha…yum!!
Do I need to press the tofu before using it?
You can if you want but it’s not necessary. Enjoy!
Love all the veggie goodness in this!! And I love any sauces with peanut butter!