Bursting with flavors, this Thai Peanut Curry is so simple and scrumptious. It is made in just one pot, and a super comforting vegan and gluten-free meal that everyone will love!
The flavor of this peanut curry sauce is so delicious that you’ll be shocked at how easy it is to make! It is a perfect meal served with Basmati rice or Jasmine rice.
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About Thai Peanut Curry
Thai peanut curry is a dish that consists of red curry paste cooked in coconut milk and infused with aromatics and spices, typically served with rice and vegetables.
Bell peppers, Spinach, and Tofu are cooked in a creamy broth made of coconut milk, peanut butter, and red Thai curry paste.
Like so many Asian dishes, not much of the work is involved with this Thai Peanut Curry recipe. Once you’ve taken a few minutes to chop up the vegetables and herbs, cooking it all together happens quickly.
To all people who love peanut butter as much as I do, you have to try this recipe! I just love how this Thai peanut curry recipe combines creamy peanut butter with the intense flavors of curry.
There seriously aren’t many things that are better than a creamy, spicy, and super flavorful peanut curry sauce. If you have eaten an amazing peanut curry like this African stew before, then you know what I am talking about.
And if you haven’t, it is time to try this curry! You won’t regret it!
I have cooked curry and rice together doing the pot-in-pot method, also known as PIP, in an instant pot. It saves so much time by making rice and curry together with the pot in pot method.
What is the Pot-in-pot cooking/method?
If you’re new to Instant Pot cooking, you might not know what pot in pot cooking is.
Pot in Pot is the method of cooking that allows food to cook in a separate bowl or pan that’s placed on a steam rack, or trivet, in the Instant Pot.
It is used in different ways.
One of them is to cook two recipes separately but at the same time.
Pot in pot cooking can save you so much time when you’re making a meal that has two parts like this Thai peanut curry.
This method is very efficient to cook your rice and curry together.
In this recipe, we are using the steam from the curry sauce that will be cooking underneath the trivet to cook the rice.
Why I love this curry?
- It is a Perfect Make-ahead meal
- This dish is Flavor Explozzzion and filled with hearty comfort vibes
- Simple ingredients require 15 minutes, extremely versatile, and so addicting
- It is Nutritious, vegan, and gluten-free
- It’s beginner-friendly.
Ingredients required and possible substitutions
- Thai red curry paste – Use homemade or good quality store-bought curry paste. 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. I like Maesri Thai curry paste. It’s vegan and made in Thailand. Always look for where the curry paste is made and choose one that is made in Thailand. It’s your best bet.
- Soy sauce – for a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut Aminos.
- Sambal – To give a spice kick, I have used sambal oelek. You can use sriracha or any hot sauce of your choice.
- 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. My personal favorite is chaokoh coconut milk. You can use light coconut milk if you want to reduce the overall fat in the recipe.
- Aromatics – Onions, garlic, and ginger, are key for adding flavor to the sauce.
- Peanut butter – Use natural peanut butter for the best flavor and consistency. Watch the ingredients on peanut butter…some contain sugar.
- Preferred Vegetables – Spinach and bell pepper are my favorites in this curry but feel free to mix it up with whatever you prefer.
- Oil – I have used coconut oil. But any cooking oil will work.
- Lime Juice – You can use rice vinegar too.
- Brown sugar – Little bit of sugar balances out the flavors.
- Protein– I have added chopped firm tofu. You can also add edamame for a boost of plant-based protein.
- Rice, Cilantro, and Chopped Peanuts for Serving– I have cooked jasmine rice doing pot in pot method to save time. But you can cook your choice of rice like brown rice or basmati rice separately too.
How to make Thai tofu curry in an instant pot? Step by step process
First, drain all the water from tofu package and carefully wash tofu block with water.
Wrap it in kitchen napkin or paper towel. (image 1)
Place a heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, on top and let stand for 15 minutes to press out the excess liquid. (image 2)
Once drained, cut the tofu in to small cubes and keep it aside. (image 3)
In a Stainless container (PIP) add rice and wash it properly till the water runs clear.
Add water and salt. Cover it and keep it aside. (image 4 to 6)
In a medium bowl combine Thai curry paste, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sambal oelek, and sugar and whisk all together until smooth. (image 7 to 12)
Press the saute button and when HOT add in the oil, ginger, and garlic. (image 13 and 14)
Add in the onions, bell pepper, and spinach. Saute for a minute. Add ¼ cup of water and deglaze the pot. Make sure nothing is stuck at the bottom. (image 15 to 18)
Add in the salt, coconut-peanut sauce mixture, tofu cubes, and ¾ cup water. Mix everything together. (image 19 to 22)
Carefully place the trivet and place the rice bowl on it. (image 23 and 24)
Cover the IP with its locking lid. Press the manual/pressure cook button and set the timer for 5 minutes on high pressure. (image 25 and 26)
When the cooking time is done and pressure cook beeps, Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then do a quick release. (image 27)
Carefully remove the rice container and the trivet from the Instant pot and keep it aside. (image 28 and 29)
Add lime juice and gently mix it. (image 30)
Serve it hot in a bowl with rice and garnish it with chopped roasted peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.
Pro-tip – Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. As with most recipes, seasoning comes down to personal preference. Remember you can always add more, but you can’t take it away, so go slow.
Quick FAQs
This curry will keep well for 5 days in your fridge. Add a little splash of water to the pot when you reheat it so that it’s not too thick.
Yes! This recipe freezes very well.
As I am all for meal prepping to make your life easier, I suggest making a few extra servings of this tasty Thai peanut curry
Make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. The only thing to take care of when freezing always froze in the single portion size you are going to use so that you don’t end up thawing the whole quantity.
Just be aware that your frozen tofu may get a little spongy in the freezer.
This curry is loaded with veggies and tofu that it’s easily a one-pot dinner. But you can serve it with basmati rice or Jasmine rice for a complete meal.
Add boiled chickpeas with other ingredients to make them more protein-rich.
Switch up the veggies. Anything goes here. Look in your fridge, pull out your favorites, and pop them into the pot.
Switch the red Thai curry paste for yellow or green curry.
Use almond butter or any nut butter instead of peanut butter.
This tofu curry already has some spice kick in it but if you love your food hot and spicy you can easily make it spicier. To make it spicier, here are some options –
Add chopped Thai chilies, jalapeno, or Serrano peppers
Add more curry paste.
Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.
Add extra sambal or sriracha sauce.
If you are not vegan, then yes. You can use paneer in place for tofu.
If you are allergic to nuts, omit the peanuts altogether and use tahini paste. It will still be delicious!
More Recipes that use peanut butter
Thai Peanut Sauce Noodles (Instant Pot) | Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles
3 Ingredient Tiger Butter Fudge
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Peanut Sauce
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Instant pot tofu and vegetable Thai peanut curry
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 13.5 OZ. Coconut milk [400 ml (around 1 ¾ cup)]
- ¼ cup Natural peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free version)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon sambal oelek
- 3 tablespoon red curry paste
Other ingredients
- 14 oz Organic firm tofu
- 1 cup onion chopped finely
- 1 large red bell pepper or any bell pepper Diced in medium pieces
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or any cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon – lime juice
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, grated
- Green onion, roasted peanut, and cilantro for garnishing
- salt to taste
Rice
- 1 cup Jasmine rice
- 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Step – 1 Pre-prep
- First, drain all the water from the tofu package and carefully wash the tofu block with water.
- Wrap it in a kitchen napkin or paper towel
- Place a heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, on top and let stand for 15 minutes to press out the excess liquid.
- Cut the drained tofu into bite-sized cubes. Keep it aside.
- In a Stainless container (PIP) add rice and wash it properly till the water runs clear.
- Add water and salt. Cover it and keep it aside.
Step – 2 Make the peanut sauce
- In a medium bowl combine Thai curry paste, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sambal oelek, and sugar and whisk all together until smooth.
Step – 3 Make curry
- Press the saute button and when HOT add in the oil, ginger, and garlic.
- Add in the onions, bell pepper, and spinach. Saute for a minute. Add ¼ cup of water and deglaze the pot. Make sure nothing is stuck at the bottom.
- Add in salt, the coconut-peanut sauce mixture, tofu cubes, and ¾ cup water. Mix everything together.
- Carefully place the trivet and place the rice bowl on it.
- Cover the IP with its locking lid. Press the manual/pressure cook button and set the timer for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- When the cooking time is done and pressure cook beeps, Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then do a quick release.
- Carefully remove the rice container and the trivet from the Instant pot and keep them aside.
- Add lime juice to the curry and gently mix it.
- Serve it hot in a bowl with rice and garnish it with chopped roasted peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.
Video
Notes
Stove Top instruction
Step – 1 Pre-prep
-
First, drain all the water from the tofu package and carefully wash the tofu block with water.
-
Wrap it in a kitchen napkin or paper towel
-
Place a heavy pan, like a cast iron pan, on top and let stand for 15 minutes to press out the excess liquid.
-
Cut the drained tofu into bite-sized cubes. Keep it aside.
Step – 2 Make the peanut sauce
-
In a medium bowl combine Thai curry paste, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sambal oelek, and sugar and whisk all together until smooth.
Step – 3 Make curry
-
Heat oil in a pan. Add in chopped onions, and ginger, and garlic. Saute for a minute.
-
Add in the bell pepper, and spinach. Saute for a minute.
-
Add in the salt, coconut-peanut sauce mixture, tofu cubes, and ¾ cup water. Mix everything together.
- Cover the pan and let everything cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.
- Open the pan. Stir the curry.
-
Add lime juice to the curry and gently mix it.
-
Serve it hot in a bowl with rice and garnish it with chopped roasted peanuts, green onions, and cilantro.
- Pro-tip – Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. As with most recipes, seasoning comes down to personal preference. Remember you can always add more, but you can’t take it away, so go slow.
- The calories per person/serving given in nutritional info are for a full meal (including rice).
How long does this curry last?
This curry will keep well for 5 days in your fridge. Add a little splash of water to the pot when you reheat it so that it’s not too thick.Can I freeze it?
Yes! This recipe freezes very well. As I am all for meal prepping to make your life easier, I suggest making a few extra servings of this tasty Thai peanut curry Make sure to cool it completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. The only thing to take care of when freezing always froze in the single portion size you are going to use so that you don’t end up thawing the whole quantity. Just be aware that your frozen tofu may get a little spongy in the freezer.What to serve with this curry?
This curry is loaded with veggies and tofu that it’s easily a one-pot dinner. But aside from basmati rice or Jasmine rice completes the meal.Some variations
- Add boiled chickpeas with other ingredients to make them more protein-rich.
- Switch up the veggies. Anything goes here. Look in your fridge, pull out your favorites, and pop them into the pot.
- Switch the red Thai curry paste for yellow or green curry.
- Use almond butter or any nut butter instead of peanut butter.
How can you make this curry spicier?
This tofu curry already has some spice kick in it but if you love your food hot and spicy you can easily make it spicier. To make it spicier, here are some options –- Add chopped Thai chilies, jalapeno, or Serrano peppers
- Add more curry paste.
- Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.
- Add extra sambal or sriracha sauce.
Can I substitute paneer (Indian cottage cheese) for tofu?
If you are not vegan, then yes. You can use paneer in place for tofu.What if you are allergic to nuts?
If you are allergic to nuts, omit the peanuts altogether and use tahini paste. It will still be delicious!Can I add other greens instead of spinach?
Yes! You can also add kale, chard, or arugula.Nutrition
Warm Regards,
Dhwani.
Looks awesome.. will definitely try 👍
Thanks. 🙂
This recipe looks so great. I have a quick question.
Does capsicum meant to be crunchy or soggy in this curry?
Thanks. Capsicum should be cooked, not soggy.
This recipe is awesome! Great flavors and my husband and I both loved it! Thanks for sharing the recipe. ☺️
So glad to hear this Veena. Thanks 🙂
Dhwani Thankyou for the recipe . It’s amazing . Made it couple of times. I always ask if there is fish sauce in restaurants , now I know what goes in it . I added mushrooms, bamboo shoots, zucchini and squash . Once again . 🙏🏼Rajini
So glad to know Rajini! THanks
Hi Dhwani ,
This is awesome recipe, my family loved it , Thank you!
So glad to know. 🙂
In this recipe, Can we use coconut milk, which is available in the refrigerator by the dairy section in the cartons?
Yes, you can. But it wont be as creamy as with canned coconut milk.
This is a go-to, I love it! Any recommendations on how to cook without an Instant Pot? I’d love to make this for my parents but I know they don’t have one. If I made the rice separately, could I make it in a Dutch oven on the stove?
I am glad to know that you loved this recipe. For the stove-top version, check the notes section on the recipe card. I have shared a very detailed process. Hope this helps. 🙂
Delish, but super spicy (and I thought I loved spicy food)! Might want to start with half the chili-garlic sauce & curry paste and add in more to taste after it cooks!
Thanks for the feedback 🙂
This is an absolute divine and easy recipe to put together for a quick delicious meal.
So glad you loved this recipe, Jenny. Thank you.
Do you have a recommendation for a jain substitute for the red curry paste?
No Tanvi. Sorry.