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Thai Red Curry Soup — An Easy Ramen Noodle Recipe That’s Perfect for Weeknight Vegan Meals
This vegan-friendly Thai Red Curry Soup recipe has my heart! It’s quick and easy and loaded with vegetables. It’s also warm and comforting on a chilly winter night. What’s not to love?
Here’s the skinny on this Thai Red Curry Soup — An Easy Ramen Noodle Recipe!
- Serves: 4-6 people
- Cook Time: ~30 minutes
- Cuisines: Thai, Vegan
- Courses: Main Course, Soup
Common Questions About Thai Red Curry
If you’re new to vegan cooking or you haven’t cooked much with red curry, you probably have some questions about this Thai Red Curry Soup recipe. Questions like: what is Thai red curry? What does it taste like? And, is Thai red curry spicy? To help, I put together this quick Thai red curry primer.
What is Thai Red Curry?
If your first question is: what is Thai red curry? you’re not alone. Curry can be confusing — mostly because curry is a very broad term that includes a variety of different dishes from different cultures. Indian, Thai and Japanese cultures all have curry dishes.
Thai red curry, of course, has its origins in Thailand. Thai curries are often described as wet curries, or curries that involve a thick sauce or a broth. Some of the most popular Thai curries include, red, yellow and green curries. These dishes often start with a curry paste — a blend of oils and fresh ingredients made into a thick, paste-like consistency.
Want to learn more about cooking with curry? Check out my What is Curry? blog post. In this article, I talk about the origins of curry, the different types of curry and offer up some vegan curry recipes for you to try.
What Does Thai Red Curry Taste Like?
The defining flavor in this soup recipe is, of course, the Thai red curry paste. So, what does red curry paste taste like?
Red chilies are the primary ingredient in Thai red curry paste. They give this vegan soup its sweet heat. Garlic, salt, lemongrass, coriander, kaffir lime and (oftentimes) shrimp paste are listed among the ingredients in Thai red curry paste. The end result is a spicy, tangy flavor with lots of depth and just a hint of sweetness.
Wait! Shrimp Paste? Is Thai Red Curry Paste Vegan?
It depends. Yes, some commercially made curry pastes contain shrimp paste. To avoid this, you can, of course, make it yourself. But there are also vegan Thai red curry paste options on the market. My favorite is Thai Kitchen’s Thai Red Curry Paste. It omits shrimp paste and is clearly marked as a vegan food item.
Is Thai Red Curry Spicy?
This one also depends… on your spice tolerance. Red curry is the middle-of-the-road Thai curry in terms of spiciness. So, if you’re super sensitive to spice, then you might find it spicy. I like spice, so I tend to find it pretty moderate. It is, as I described above, more of a sweet heat. This Thai Red Curry Soup recipe also includes coconut milk which tends to bring the overall heat of the soup down.
Is Thai Red Curry Gluten Free?
Vegan and gluten-free? You really want to have it all, don’t you? Well, you’re in luck. My recommended brand of Thai red curry paste — Thai Kitchen — is both vegan and gluten free. This recipe also uses Lotus Foods’ Organic Jade Pearl Rice® Ramen which is gluten free. Just make sure that you use tamari (as this recipe calls for) instead of soy sauce.
What Vegetables to Include in Thai Red Curry Soup?
There’s no rule here. In fact, I find that this vegan soup recipe is a great way to clean out extra vegetables that I have in the refrigerator. My favorite veggies — the ones that are included in this recipe — are shiitake mushrooms, broccolini, asparagus and red peppers. For toppings, I love some fresh scallion greens too!
How to Top Thai Red Curry Soup
Speaking of toppings, some of the best flavors are those that you add at the end! Here’s what I suggest:
Fresh Lime Wedges
Fresh lime juice brings a brightness to this soup that is not to be missed. I find 1 wedge (or 1/8th of a fresh lime) is the perfect amount.
Sriracha Sauce
Sriracha is a staple in my kitchen. It’s a blend of red chilies, vinegar and garlic. A small amount goes a long way, but I wouldn’t miss adding it!
Scallion Greens
Scallions green have a very mild onion flavor and add great aesthetics to this bowl.
Fresh Cilantro
Coriander is an ingredients in red curry paste, so it makes sense to tie this flavor in at the end of the dish with fresh cilantro leaves. Cilantro has a tangy citrus flavor that plays well with the other ingredients in this dish.
Sesame Seeds
Despite their small size, sesame seeds are more than just food ornaments. The seeds have a strong nutty flavor and offer up a slight crunch.
Easy Weeknight Meals — Ramen Noodle Recipes for the Win!
Ramen noodle recipes are some of my favorite easy, vegan meals to make — especially when the weather gets chilly. Ramen noodles take less than 5 minutes to prepare, but it you undercook them ever-so-slightly before adding them to the hot broth of this Thai Red Curry Soup you’ll end up with chewy ramen noodle perfection.
And, while I could eat this particular ramen noodle recipe every day of the week, I do have several of them on my blog. Be sure to check them out!!
- Veggie Loaded Easy Vegan Ramen Soup
- Vegan Thai Green Curry Noodle Bowl
- Summer Fresh Ramen Noodle Salad
- Miso Ramen with Miso-Glazed Delicata Squash
- Vegetable Lo Mein
What’s In My Kitchen to Make this Thai Red Curry Soup — An Easy Ramen Noodle Recipe Easier?
Want to know what tools and resources I keep on hand to make my vegan cooking even easier? Here’s a short list of what helped me create this blog post and recipe. For the complete list, visit my Shop where you can find the kitchen gadgets I like as well as a list of books that I recommend.
Garlic Peeler
This garlic peeler is a simple silicon tube. Despite its simple design, it skillfully removes even the toughest of garlic skins. I’m so much happier not peeling garlic cloves with my fingernails. I’m pretty sure I’ll collectively get at least a day of my life back because of this device.
Garlic Press
I’ve read a dozen posts about why you shouldn’t use a garlic press. One of them actually suggested that they take up valuable kitchen space. I mean, I guess if you have a tiny kitchen you might have to make those choices. They’re smaller than a can opener. I love mine. I hate, hate, hate mincing garlic.
A Really, Really Good Chef’s Knife
No, that’s not the brand. It’s just the idea! But, I own this set of Global™ knives and They’re some of my most prized possessions in the kitchen. This set is universally well-rated for the at-home chef and will get you a good, solid set of knives without totally breaking the bank.
Noodle Bowls
Noodle bowls are a favorite of mine and I love serving them when I have guests. I recommend picking up a set so that you have plenty of room for all of that delicious broth! I’m currently digging this decorative set!
Ramen Soup Spoons
Like the noodle bowls, eating miso ramen is more fun with the right spoon. These Asian soup spoons are perfect for this ramen noodle bowl!
Thai Red Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pkg ramen noodles I like Lotus' Foods Organic Millet & Brown Rice Ramen (4 cakes); cooked in accordance with the package directions
- 12-15 shiitake mushrooms washed, destemmed and sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp safflower oil
- 1 scallion washed, trimmed and finely sliced with the white parts separated from the green parts
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger the ginger should be 1 tbsp after having been minced
- 1 tbsp minced fresh garlic the garlic should be 1 tbsp after having been minced
- 1/4 cup red curry paste I recommend Thai Kitchen's® Red Curry Paste
- 2 tbsp natural peanut butter I recommend avoiding peanut butter with added sugar, as it will change the taste of the broth
- 1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 14 oz can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 red bell pepper washed, deseeded and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2-3 bunches broccolini washed and trimmed
- 1 bunch asparagus washed and trimmed
- 2 fresh limes washed and cut into 8 wedges each; as optional garnishment (but highly recommended)
- sriracha sauce as optional garnishment
- fresh cilantro washed and torn, as optional garnishment
- sesame seeds as optional garnishment
Instructions
- Prepare the ramen noodles al dente in accordance with package directions. Set aside.
- Add the mushrooms and 1/4 cup of water to a large stockpot and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the water has almost cooked off.
- Add the safflower oil and sauté the mushrooms on medium heat until they are slightly browned. About 2-3 minutes.
- Add the scallion whites, garlic and ginger. Sauté until fragrant. About 1 minute.
- Add the red curry paste and continue to sauté until the curry paste has darkened in color. About 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter to create a thick paste.
- Add the vegetable broth, tamari and coconut milk and reduce the heat. Cook the broth at a low simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering, steam the asparagus in the microwave by wrapping it in a damp paper towel and cooking it on high for 3 minutes. Carefully remove it from the microwave and allow it to cool slightly. When cooled, cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Steam the broccolini in the microwave using the same directions as provided for the asparagus.
- Prepare each serving bowl with noodles, red peppers, steamed broccolini and steamed asapargus. Spoon the broth into the bowls and top with scallion greens, fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, sriracha sauce & sesame seeds, as desired. Serve immediately.
About Herbivore’s Kitchen
Herbivore’s Kitchen is a blog run by me, a plant-based home chef and aspiring food photographer. I switched my and my family’s diet to a plant-based diet after learning about the health benefits of going vegan. Making this change has prompted a variety of food and holistic-lifestyle related questions that I explore through this blog. I talk about how to pick and prepare the most nutritious foods, to how to reduce waste at home, to how to live a more sustainable lifestyle while on the road.
