Name: Vegan Coconut Curry (an Easy Weeknight Dinner!)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 yellow onion (, chopped); 2 cloves garlic (, minced); 4 teaspoons curry powder ((or more, to taste)); 1 14 oz. can coconut milk; 1 tablespoon tamari (, or soy sauce); 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup ((or more, to taste)); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 sweet potato (, chopped); 1 pound assorted vegetables (, chopped)

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This vegan coconut curry is a quick and affordable way to enjoy your favorite takeout flavors at home. I love how you can make it with just a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!

Vegan Curry with Coconut Milk

The key to the creaminess in this recipe is using coconut milk as the base. I use full-fat canned coconut milk to make it as creamy as possible, but you could use pretty much any type of coconut milk that you like. (Just keep in mind that “light” coconut milk simply has water added to it to reduce the fat– which makes me feel like I’m not getting my money’s worth!)

How to Make Vegan Coconut Curry

Making your own vegan coconut curry at home is as simple as stirring together some coconut milk, spices, and vegetables. You can make it heartier by adding some lentils, like in my Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry recipe, but the recipe below is entirely vegetable based.

I love serving it over cooked quinoa as a complete source of protein for the meal, but you can serve it over white or brown rice, too.

When I’m in a hurry, I’ll use a bag of frozen vegetables instead of chopping fresh ones (frozen tend to cook faster, too!). This recipe is easily adaptable, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.

Vegan Coconut Curry (an Easy Weeknight Dinner!)

4.91 from 70 votes

This Coconut Curry recipe makes an easy weeknight dinner. I love serving it over quinoa as a complete source of plant-based protein, and you can add in any vegetables

prep5 mins cook20 mins total25 mins

Servings:2

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion , chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced
4 teaspoons curry powder (or more, to taste)
1 14 oz. can coconut milk
1 tablespoon tamari , or soy sauce
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or more, to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 sweet potato , chopped
1 pound assorted vegetables , chopped

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat, and sauté the onions until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for one more minute.
Add in the coconut milk, curry powder, tamari, maple syrup and salt and whisk well to combine. (Since curry powders can vary by brand, feel free to start with only 3 teaspoons and add more to your taste.)
Taste the sauce and adjust any other flavors as needed (keep in mind that the addition of veggies will dilute the saltiness), then bring the sauce to a simmer and add in the chopped sweet potatoes. Cover the pan, and allow the sweet potatoes to steam in the sauce for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the rest of the vegetables, since non-starchy vegetables will cook faster than the sweet potatoes. Stir the vegetables to coat them in the sauce, then cover the pot again. Lower the heat and cook until the sweet potatoes and vegetables are fork-tender, about 8 to 10 more minutes.
Serve the vegetables and curry sauce over cooked rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. Leftover curry can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

*When using canned coconut milk, I like to use this brand since it's BPA-free. You can also make your own coconut milk, if you prefer, by blending together the water and meat of a fresh young Thai coconut. (The type with a shaved white exterior.) There's no need to strain this type of homemade milk, since you want it thick like the canned version. One can of coconut milk is the equivalent of 1 3/4 cup fresh coconut milk.

Nutrition

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: coconut milk, curry, vegan

Per serving (not including rice): Calories: 280, Fat: 3g, Carbohydrates: 56, Fiber: 12g, Protein: 10g

Recipe Notes:

For the vegetables in the photos here, I used a red and yellow bell pepper, plus two large handfuls of chopped kale. I also love this dish with cauliflower florets, or a pound of frozen assorted vegetables.
I call for curry powder in this recipe because it’s a dry pantry staple that I always have on hand, but you can use curry paste if you would prefer a little more depth of flavor. (It’s usually sold near soy sauce at your grocery store.)
I use tamari to keep this recipe gluten-free, but you can use soy sauce if you don’t need to be gluten free. For a soy-free recipe, try coconut aminos instead, and add a little extra salt, if needed.

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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite type of take-out food? Thai food had been ours up until recently, but now we hardly have the need for it!