Vegan Panang Curry with Tofu
This popular vegan panang curry recipe is easy to make in under 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and a hit with everyone who makes it!
What is Panang Curry?
Panang curry, also spelled phanaeng or panaeng, is a thick Thai curry with a sweet, salty and nutty peanut flavour.
Traditionally, Thai panang curry is made with chili peppers, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, shallot, shrimp paste, salt and peanuts.
This recipe is my version of Thai panang curry. I use light coconut milk, curry powder, tomato paste and peanut butter instead of traditional ingredients.
Ingredients
- coconut milk – you can use light or full-fat coconut milk, I tend to lean towards light coconut milk because I find full-fat to be a bit too heavy…plus this recipe already had added fats from the peanut butter
- tomato paste – any canned tomato paste works
- broth – use homemade or store-bought, carton broth or bouillon cubes work
- peanut butter – be sure to use a good quality, natural peanut butter with just 1-2 ingredients (peanuts or peanuts and salt)
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Step by Step Instructions
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. After that, add the zucchini and bell pepper.
Step 4. Add the tomato paste, curry powder, turmeric and salt, stir well and cook for a couple more minutes then add the broth and coconut milk and simmer until the carrots are tender and the curry is thick and creamy.
Step 5. Add the maple syrup, cilantro, peanut butter and tofu, mix it all up and cook for a few minutes until the tofu is heated through. That’s it!
Serve the finished curry over a bowl of your favourite rice.
Notes and Tips
- Storage: Let cool then serve in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It will thicken when it cools and can be thinned with additional broth or coconut milk if desired when reheating.
- Veggies: Carrot can be omitted or subbed with sweet potato or squash. Broccoli works well in addition to or in place or peppers and zucchini.
- Peanut Butter: Can be substituted with almond butter if needed but I really prefer peanut butter in this recipe.
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.
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Vegan Panang Curry Tofu
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This creamy vegan curry is easy to make in about 20 minutes. All you’ll need to make it is basic pantry ingredients plus some tofu and vegetables. It’s thick, creamy, full of flavour and amazing served over a bed of basmati rice ready to soak up all the goodness.
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
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup tomato paste (60 g)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 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)
- 1 350 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, adding a bit more cooking liquid if the pan is drying out.
- 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.
- Serve over basmati, brown rice or quinoa.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 244
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fat: 16 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 11 g
Update Note: Originally published on May 3, 2018. Updated with new photos and text on September 4, 2020.
It needs ginger, kaffir lime leaves, etc otherwise the taste is pretty flat
Hi, I’d like to use my maesri thai panang paste instead of making the base what would i omit and how much paste to use?
Thank you.
I’m not familiar with using panang paste but I would guess omit the turmeric, curry powder and tomato paste and then follow the instructions on the pacakage. If it’s similar to red curry paste, it would be anywhere from 1-3 tbsp. Thanks.
Love it! I added a few red potatoes and a can of chickpeas just because I think they are great additions to any curry, and I left out cilantro because I am one of those who thinks it tastes like poisoned grass clippings. Will make again!
Haha, it’s still good without the cilantro, no worries! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Any idea if this recipe would work with almond butter instead of peanut? It looks and sounds delicious but there’s a peanut allergy in my house. 😔
Yes, you can use almond butter or sunflower seed butter. Thanks!
We tried this recipe at the weekend and we found it to be really tasty and we will definitely be making this again and frequently. It was easy and quick to make, so all round a winner with us!
I absolutely love the Panang Curry Tofu recipe, it is one of my most favorite meals!! One little switch up, I’m going to toast the tofu in my air fryer just a tad before adding it into the mix. I just absolutely love this recipe!!
Easy, colorful and tasty. Followed recipe. Hope its freezer friendly. Would make again, possibly subbing tempeh for tofu.
Great recipe! Easy to make, Awesome taste!
I used light agave nectar for the sweetener; used cilantro paste (the one that comes in a tube) for the chopped cilantro. Served it over small penne pasta … delicious!!
Everyone loved this! Thank you! A keeper for sure.
This has become a regular in our household. There are only 2 of us, so the recipe does us for 3 nights, which is great! It keeps well in the fridge and the flavours become a little richer over time. I have substituted mushrooms for red pepper and that also worked really well.
Perfect..so glad you guys enjoy it! Thanks for letting me know!