Vegan Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup is a quick, flavour-packed plant-based dinner recipe that will fill you up and keep you warm. Find out how to make it below.
My Vegan Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup combines the richness of coconut milk with the punchy warmth of Thai Red Curry paste, balanced by tangy tamarind, fresh lime and aromatic herbs. Silky flat rice noodles, crispy tofu and vibrant greens make it a complete, nourishing meal.
This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally dairy-free, and easy to adapt depending on what you have to hand. It's weeknight-friendly yet impressive enough to serve up to guests.
Whether you're already a Thai-food lover or just dipping your toes into the cuisine, this noodle soup delivers bold flavour with minimal effort!
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Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients for this recipe.
For the soup:
- Thai red curry paste
- Fresh root ginger
- Soy sauce
- Coconut milk
- Tamarind paste
- Vegetable stock
- Noodles
To finish and serve:
- Firm tofu
- Tenderstem broccoli
- Pak choi
- Thai basil leaves
- Roasted peanuts
- Chilli oil
- Lime wedges
Thai red curry paste does sometimes have shrimp or fish sauce in it so do check it's vegan before buying.
Tamarind paste isn't always available in supermarkets but you should be able to find it in specialist food shops or online.
Step-by-step isntructions
- Step 1: pan fry the tofu and Tenderstem broccoli until the tofu is golden and the broccoli is wilted and then set aside.
- Step 2: fry the curry paste and ginger until fragrant.
- Step 3: add the coconut milk, soy sauce, tamarind, and stock then bring to a simmer.
- Step 4: add the broccoli, pak choi, tofu and cook briefly
- Step 5: in a separate pan cook the noodles then drain.
- Step 6: serve over the noodles and top with the Thai basil, peanuts, chilli oil and lime wedges.
Hint: always fry the curry paste before adding the liquid. This intensifies the flavour and prevents the soup from tasting raw or flat.
Substitutions
Make the following ingredient swaps if you don't have the correct ingredients:
- Soy sauce: use tamari or coconut aminos
- Pak choi: swap for spinach or kale
- Thai basil: regular basil or coriander both work
- Tamarind paste: lime juice and a pinch of brown sugar can also be used
Variations
Add your own spin on this noodle soup with one of these variations:
- Extra spicy: add fresh red chilli or extra chilli oil when you serve
- Creamier: increase the amount of coconut milk and reduce the amount of stock
- High protein: add edamame or extra tofu
- Soupy curry bowl: serve over jasmine rice instead of noodles
Equipment
I'm always keen to minimise the amount of washing up needed when making a new recipe but there are a few pots and pans required for this recipe! You'll need the following:
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Large sauce pan
- Small saucepan
- Frying pan
- Wood spoon or spatula
Storage
This soup doesn't store well if you've already added the noodles - they'll get mushy.
But, you can make the soup base in advance and cook the noodles, tofu and veggies when you're ready to serve. Just store the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Top tip
Add lime juice just before eating, not while cooking - this keeps the flavour fresh, bright, and perfectly balanced!
Frequently asked questions
Some brands contain shrimp paste, so always check the label or choose a certified vegan branch.
It can be if you use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure your curry paste is gluten-free.
Absolutely. Bake it at 200C / 400F / gas mark 6 for 25-30 minutes, turning once until golden.
The recipe
Vegan Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup
Equipment
- knife
- chopping board
- large saucepan
- small saucepan
- Frying pan
- wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 250 g firm tofu cubed
- 150 g Tenderstem broccoli
- 2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 tablespoon root ginger grated
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- 150 g noodles
- 2 pak choi sliced
- Thai basil leaves to serve
- 2 tablespoon roasted peanuts to serve
- 2 tablespoon chilli oil to serve
- 1 lime cut into wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the tofu dry and cut into bite-sized cubes. Pan-fry in a little oil over medium-high heat along with the Tenderstem broccoli until the tofu golden on all sides and the broccoli has begun to wilt. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, gently heat a little oil. Add the Thai red curry paste and grated ginger. Fry for 1–2 minutes until deeply aromatic.
- Stir in the coconut milk, soy sauce, and tamarind paste. Add vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook the noodles in a pan according to packet instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the pak choi, Tenderstem broccoli and cooked tofu. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the pak choi is just wilted and the broccoli and tofu are piping hot.
- Ladle into bowls over the noodles and top with Thai basil, roasted peanuts, a drizzle of chilli oil, and lime wedges.
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