Thai Peanut Curry (super flavorful + easy-to-make)
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This easy-to-make peanut curry is bursting with delicious Thai flavors. Sweet potatoes, carrots, red pepper, and kale are cooked in a creamy broth made of red Thai curry paste, coconut milk, and peanut butter. You will LOVE it!
This is as cozy as a recipe can get. Unbelievably creamy with the perfect amount of peanut butter flavor and all the red Thai curry paste yumminess you love.
When you take your first bite, you’ll find that this curry has a wonderful sweetness to it, even though there’s no sugar in sight. Thank you, sweet potatoes, for that little trick.
Peanut curry is also incredibly versatile. We often use the sauce as a base, then add whatever veggies we find in our fridge to the pot.
Ingredients in peanut curry sauce
The flavor of this peanut curry sauce is so delicious that you’ll be shocked how easy it is to make.
- Onions, garlic, and ginger. This trio gets sauteed in coconut oil and adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
- Thai red curry paste. Not all curry paste is created equally. And since curry paste is the base of the flavor in this recipe, the better the curry paste you can find, the more flavorful the dish will be. We like Mae Ploy curry paste. When in doubt, look for where the curry paste is made and choose one that is made in Thailand; it’s your best bet.
- Coconut milk. We like full-fat coconut milk as it’s the creamiest and has the best flavor. Try to use one without additives for the best result.
- Peanut butter. We use all-natural salted peanut butter. While you can use processed peanut butter (the kind with sugar and hydrogenated oils added to it) in a pinch, you may find that the curry is overly sweet and lacking in peanut flavor. Natural is best!
What to serve with peanut curry
This curry is so loaded with veggies that it’s easily a one-pot dinner. But a side of basmati rice or cauliflower rice really completes the meal.
We’ve also served this with some sliced soy sauce chicken over top and it’s delicious!
Peanut butter curry variations
- Add a can of chickpeas at the end with the kale and red peppers.
- Pop some shrimp into the pot near the end and let them cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Cook some diced chicken in the sauce for 5 minutes before you add the sweet potatoes.
- Switch up the veggies. Anything goes here. Look in your fridge, pull out your favorites, and pop them into the pot.
- Switch the curry paste for yellow or green curry.
- Use almond butter instead of peanut butter.
Store, reheat, and freeze
Store: This curry will keep well for 5 days in your fridge.
Reheat: Add a splash of water to the pot when reheating to prevent it from becoming too thick. You can also microwave it.
Freeze: This recipe freezes very well. Make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. I like to use these large reusable Stasher freezer bags for freezing curry.
Thai Peanut Curry (super flavorful + easy-to-make)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium onion (finely minced)
- 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
- 4 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 1 ½ cups water or stock
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 2 small sweet potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 1 red pepper (diced)
- 2 cups chopped kale
- Sea salt (to taste)
- To serve: chopped peanuts and minced cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook until the oils begin to separate, about 2 minutes.1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 medium onion, 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- Add the soy sauce, coconut milk, water or stock, and peanut butter to the pot and stir until the peanut butter is incorporated into the sauce. Add the sweet potatoes and carrots and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are almost soft.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 14 ounce can coconut milk, 1 ½ cups water or stock, ¼ cup natural peanut butter, 2 small sweet potatoes, 2 medium carrots
- Add the red pepper and kale to the pot and let them cook for about 3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Season to taste with salt, if needed.1 red pepper, Sea salt, 2 cups chopped kale
- Serve with the chopped peanut and some cilantro over top.To serve: chopped peanuts and minced cilantro
Equipment
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
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Thanks for the recipe such a great one, but I did make some changes. I doubled the peanut butter and used, 32 oz vegetable broth, I also added 16 oz frozen peas topping off with brown rice ramen and pho noodles! Don’t shudder but I also put in an entire bunch of dandelion greens! (They almost disappear 🤪)
I love that you put in dandelion greens! That’s a great idea!
Simply delicious! Easy to follow recipe. I added squid and everyone loved it!
That sounds like a delicious addition!
Recipe says, dice the carrots, but the video shows them sliced… Which is it?
You’re right! I’ve made this curry cutting the carrots both ways, so choose whichever you like best.
This is now one of my very favourite recipes! It’s so versatile and I often make it with meat.
This was SO good – I couldn’t not have seconds! Easy to make and flavourful. We served with quinoa for a very tasty meal.
One of the best dates to date. I used paneer, butternut squash, red pepper and kale. Tasted clean, will definitely be on the menu again.
This recipe is amazing and authentic. The only differences I did was 1/2 cup less water/broth than recommended and I added about 2 tablespoons more peanut butter. I will be making this recipe again and again.