Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers Recipe

Overhead shot of Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers in a bowl ready to be shared.

Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers Recipe

[ see recipe VIDEO below ] A one pot simple weeknight Thai Red Curry with Eggplant and Sweet Peppers comes together in about 30 minutes and is freezer friendly. It's made in one pot with zesty prepared red curry paste and coconut milk. Make yours with tofu or chickpeas! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Thai, American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Thai Eggplant Curry, Thai Red Curry

Total Time 30

Servings Hearty Servings

Calories 406kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

10 oz (284g) Firm Tofu pressed for 30 minutes and drained (*see notes for chickpea option!)
2 Tbs Coconut Oil
1 lb (450g) Globe Eggplant Sliced into 1/2" cubes
1 C (165g) Yellow Onion medium dice, about 1 medium onion
2 C (260g) Sweet Bell Peppers green, yellow or red - or a mix, about two peppers
1 Tbs Fresh Garlic microplaned
1 Tbs Fresh Ginger microplaned
2 Tbs Red Curry Paste
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes optional - about a spicy 4 with it!
1 Tbs Brown Sugar or maple syrup
1/2 C (120g) Vegetable Broth
1, 13 1/2 oz (382g) Can Full Fat Coconut Milk
2 Tbs Tamari
1/2 Lime juiced

Serve With: Thai basil, lime wedges, sesame seeds, cilantro and jasmine rice.

Instructions

For The Tofu:

While pressing the tofu (see notes for chickpea sub)** preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Slice the pressed/drained tofu into (about) 1" (2.5cm) cubes and place on a parchment or silpat lined sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. This will dry the tofu out. Set aside.

For the Curry:

In a large Dutch oven, add the coconut oil and heat until it shimmers. Turn the heat to medium high and add the eggplant and onion. Stir fry for about 6-8 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. It's okay of the eggplant sticks a bit.
Stir in the bell peppers and stir fry for about one minute, just to soften a bit. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot - the garlic and ginger will start to stick. Add the curry paste and red pepper flakes. Take a big inhale..... ahhhh.
Cook, stirring for a minute more, coating the vegetables with the paste. Stir in the brown sugar and deglaze the pot with broth and coconut milk. Stir in the tofu or chickpeas. Bring to a simmer, turn to low and cook for about 10 minutes just until heated through. Stir in the Tamari and lime juice.
Remove from heat and spoon over rice. Top with Thai basil, cilantro, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with additional Tamari and lime wedges.
Store in a lidded container for up to three days or up to two weeks in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and gently rewarm on the stovetop.

Video

Notes

*Chickpea option! Use 1 1/2 C (248g) of chickpeas instead of tofu. Simply stir in the chickpeas when the tofu is called for in the recipe. If using canned, be sure to drain the chickpeas before adding them.

**If time permits, freeze the tofu when you bring it home from the store. Something magical happens in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, before use. Since tofu is packaged in water, we need press the water out of it to make room for flavor! To press thawed tofu, use a tea towel and place it under and on top of the tofu. Set it on a plate. Place something heavy on top, like a cutting board, another plate or a not-so-full box of wine to press the water out. We don't want it too heavy or it will squash the tofu. Move the tea towel a few times to a dryer area of the towel so it can absorb more water. Press for about 20-30 minutes, up to an hour if you have time.

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