Thai Red Curry

Thai red curry is a rich and flavorful dish that combines the aromatic spices of Thai cuisine with a smooth and deliciously creamy coconut cream base. It’s a quick and easy dish with many layers of flavors, from shrimp paste, coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves, and condensed milk.

This recipe is a harmonious blend of tender chicken or meat and a fragrant Thai red curry paste. The result is a delicious and satisfying curry that is perfect for a cozy dinner or a special occasion. 

The creamy texture of the coconut cream beautifully balances the bold flavors of the curry paste, creating a dish that is both comforting and exotic. 

I love serving this with a side of noodles or rice. If I like having something chewy, I will also add some toasted rice cakes to them to soak up the curry!

Whether you are a fan of Thai cuisine or simply looking to explore new flavors, this creamy Thai red curry is sure to impress your taste buds and leave you craving for more. What’s best is that it’s incredibly easy to make, even if you’re trying your hand at making Thai food at home for the first time.

Read on to learn exactly how to make this delicious creamy Thai red curry recipe today!

What is Thai Red Curry?

Thai red curry is a flavorful and aromatic dish that originates from Thailand and is probably one of the best-known Thai curries out there. It is made with a combination of red curry paste, coconut cream, and various vegetables, meat, or seafood. 

The dish is known for its rich and creamy texture, balanced spiciness, and a perfect blend of sweet, and salty flavors.

The use of red curry paste adds a depth of flavor and a spicy kick to the dish, which is complemented by the creamy and slightly sweet coconut cream and sweetened condensed milk. The combination of these ingredients creates a harmonious balance of flavors that is both satisfying and comforting.

Plus, it is a one-pot meal that can be prepared relatively quickly, making it a convenient and delicious option for busy individuals. It’s packed with flavor and will give you a delicious meal in the comfort of your home.

Why You’ll Love This Thai Red Curry Recipe 

Easy to make: This recipe requires simple ingredients and basic cooking techniques, making it extremely easy to prepare even for novice cooks.

Versatile: You can customize this recipe by adding your choice of protein such as chicken, shrimp, or tofu, and a variety of vegetables, making it suitable for different dietary preferences or restrictions.

Delicious: The combination of creamy coconut cream, spicy red curry paste, and fragrant herbs and spices creates a mouthwatering flavor profile that is both rich and satisfying.

Crowd-pleaser: Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or cooking for your family, this creamy Thai red curry is sure to be a hit with everyone due to its comforting and familiar flavors.

Healthy: This recipe incorporates delicious, whole ingredients making it a nutritious choice that can be enjoyed guilt-free, especially if you add a lot of vegetables to it.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Thai Red Curry At Home

All you need are some incredibly simple ingredients to make this delicious Thai red curry recipe at home. You’ll be able to find most at your local grocery store or specialty Asian store.

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

For the Beef & Chicken Marinade: 

• Beef: We will be using beef (any type of protein, like chicken, pork, shrimp, fish or tofu will work) to make this recipe.
• Fish sauce: You’ll also need some fish sauce for this recipe. It’ll add a savory and umami taste to the dish when we add it to the marinade.
• Water: We will also need some water to make this recipe. It will be used to cook the ingredients and help create a flavorful broth for the curry. Alternatively, you can also use chicken broth.

For the Curry: 

• Garlic cloves: We will be adding some garlic cloves to make this recipe. They will add a fragrant garlic flavor to the curry. 
• Onion: You’ll also need some onion for the recipe. It’ll add a sweet and aromatic flavor to the dish that goes beautifully with the other ingredients.
• Sweetened condensed milk: We will be adding sweetened condensed milk to make this recipe. It will add a creamy and slightly sweet taste to the curry.
• Thai red curry paste: We will also need some red Thai curry paste to make this recipe. It will be the main flavor base of the curry, providing a spicy and aromatic taste. 
• Shrimp paste: I like to use shrimp paste to make this recipe. It will add a distinct umami flavor to the curry. When you are shopping for shrimp paste, keep in mind that it is sometimes known as shrimp sauce as well. Look for a brownish-gray paste-like sauce in a glass or plastic jar.
• Kaffir lime leaves: We will also need some kaffir lime leaves to make this recipe. They will add a citrusy and floral aroma to the curry.
• Coconut cream: Use some coconut cream to make this recipe. It will add a creamy and rich texture to the curry and give it a bit of coconutty flavor.
• Fish sauce: We will need some fish sauce to make this recipe. It will enhance the overall flavor of the curry, adding a salty and savory taste in addition to the shrimp paste.

For the Toppings & Garnishes (optional): 

• Basil: Toss in some Thai basil leaves. They will add a fresh and aromatic touch to the curry.
• Crushed roasted peanuts: Crushed roasted peanuts will provide a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the dish.
• Red chili peppers: You can also add some red chili peppers. They will add a spicy kick to the curry, adding heat and depth of flavor.
• Lime: I highly recommend using lime in this recipe. It will add a tangy and citrusy taste to the curry, balancing out the flavors.

Coconut Milk vs Coconut Cream

Once I discovered how flavorful and full-flavored coconut cream was, I rarely ever use coconut milk now. Coconut cream has a more robust coconut flavor and provides a more creamy texture in anything it is used in from to it's higher fat content.

If you can't find coconut cream, you can use coconut milk but make sure to find a higher fat content one - I find those types of coconut milk are a lot more flavorful. 

Try to also find coconut milk without any chemicals or preservatives - ideally you want to find one with just coconut milk (or coconut extract) and water. I have found in the past that any coconut milk I have used with a lot of added chemicals and preservatives actually has less of a coconutty flavor.

How to Make Creamy Thai Red Curry (Step by Step)

Making this incredible creamy Thai red curry recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

Preparing and Marinating the Protein:

• If you are using beef, chicken, or pork as the protein, start by thinly slicing the meat. The thinner the slices, the less time it will take to cook.
• In a bowl, add the sliced meat and pour in the marinade. Mix well to make sure the meat is coated evenly. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• If you are using vegetables, tofu, or fish as the protein, cut them into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Putting the Curry Together:

• Slice the onion into thin slices and set aside.
• Roughly chop the garlic and set aside.
• In a pot, heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
• Once the pot is hot, add the sliced onions and sauté until they become soft and translucent.
• Add the chopped garlic and kaffir lime leaves to the pot and cook for an additional minute until they become soft and fragrant.
• Add the red curry paste to the pot and toast it for 1-2 minutes. It is okay if some of it sticks to the bottom of the pot as it will add flavor.
• Pour in the coconut cream and use a spoon to scrape the burnt red curry paste off the bottom of the pot. This will enhance the flavor of the curry.
• Add in the water, shrimp paste, and condensed milk. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
• Reduce the heat to low and let the curry simmer for 20-30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.

Cooking the Protein in the Curry:

• After simmering the curry, increase the heat to medium-low and give it a few minutes to come back to temperature.
• Add the marinated protein (beef, chicken, fish, tofu, etc.) to the pot and cook until it is fully cooked through. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the slices. For thinly sliced meat, it usually takes about 5-8 minutes to cook through.
• Towards the end, add fish sauce to adjust the saltiness according to your preference.
• Once the protein is cooked, turn off the heat and discard the kaffir lime leaves.
• Garnish the curry with your choice of toppings and serve it with rice, noodles, or rice cakes.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the creamy Thai red curry over steamed jasmine rice for a classic and satisfying meal. The creamy sauce pairs perfectly with the fluffy rice, and the flavors of the curry will soak into the grains for a delicious bite. You can also use egg fried rice for this as well.
• For a lighter option, serve the curry over a bed of spiralized zucchini noodles. The zoodles add a fresh and crunchy element to the dish, and the curry sauce will coat the noodles for a flavorful and healthy meal.
• To add some texture and color to the dish, serve the curry with a side of crispy stir-fried vegetables. Sauté a mix of bell peppers, snap peas, and carrots until tender-crisp, and serve alongside the curry for a balanced and vibrant plate.

Protein Variation Ideas for Thai Red Curry

This is a very versatile Thai red curry and you can easily use any type of protein for this recipe. A few types I have used in the past successfully are:

• Chicken: Thinly sliced chicken works best. You can go for chicken breast or chicken thighs for this recipe using the meat marinade below. 
• Beef: Thinly sliced beef works great too. Any cut that works for stir fries would be good in this recipe using the meat marinade below.
• Fish: This also works very well in this Thai red curry. You don't need to cut this super-thin since fish is quite delicate and can break apart easily if it is sliced too thinly.
• Tofu
• You can make this completely vegetarian by adding only vegetables as well (red peppers, sugar snaps, snow peas, bok choy, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is Thai red curry paste?

Thai red curry paste is a spicy and delicious paste that is a key ingredient in many Thai dishes, including this recipe. To keep things simple and quick, I’ve used red curry paste for this recipe instead of making it from scratch but rest assured this shortcut does not compromise its flavor of it at all. In fact, I highly recommend keeping a small jar around all the time. 

Depending on the brand you buy, they almost always have all the main components of Thai cuisine (kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shrimp paste, and chilis) and it takes the work out of finding these ingredients if they are not easy to find in your area - and the flavors are definitely authentic. 

How to get a creamier thai red curry?

For this recipe, I used condensed milk to give the curry a hint of sweetness but also give it an added creaminess as well. You can use palm sugar interchangeably with the condensed milk but it will be slightly less sweet so tweak this to adjust this to your taste. 

If you substitute the condensed milk with white sugar, you will lose a bit of the creaminess - to compensate for that you can add an additional tablespoon of coconut milk. 

Keep in mind as well that white sugar is a lot sweeter than condensed milk so use half the amount of white sugar and work your way up slowly until it is at the right degree of sweetness for you.

How to get tender meat every time?

Have you ever noticed that whenever you cook any type of thinly sliced chicken or beef they sometimes come out dry and sometimes tough? I have a solution for that - it's my two-ingredient super simple meat marinade that I pretty much use in all my stir-fries.

It's made of salt and water! It's essentially a mini brine. The salt draws the water into meat and makes it super supple so that it is harder to overcook and dry out the meat. Neat eh? For this marinade, I rarely ever use salt though and I prefer to use either soy sauce or fish sauce instead.

What vegetables can I add to this Thai red curry?

You can add a variety of vegetables to this curry, such as bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, snap peas, and mushrooms. Feel free to customize the recipe to include your favorite vegetables or whatever you have on hand.

How spicy is this Thai red curry?

The level of spiciness in this curry can be adjusted to your taste. Thai red curry paste is already spicy, but you can add more or less depending on how spicy you prefer your curry. You can also add a squeeze of lime juice to help balance out the heat if desired.

How to Store Leftover Thai Red Curry 

To store leftovers of this delicious Thai red curry recipe, first let it cool to room temperature. Then, transfer the curry to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

When ready to eat, simply remove the container from the fridge and reheat the curry in a saucepan over low heat until it is heated through. You may need to add a little water or coconut cream to thin out the sauce if it has thickened in the fridge.

Unfortunately, this particular recipe with coconut cream may not freeze well. Freezing can cause the coconut cream to separate and become grainy when thawed and reheated. Therefore, it is best to enjoy this curry recipe fresh or within a few days of making it.

More Comfort Foods You May Like

• Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
• Beer-Braised Pork Belly (Chinese Style)
• Creamy Cheese Ramen

More Thai Recipes You May Like

Did You Make This Thai Red Curry Recipe?

Recipe Card

Thai Red Curry

A warm and comforting creamy coconut red thai curry that's easy, versatile and quick to put together with many layers of flavours from the shrimp paste, coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves and condensed milk.

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Course: Asian, Main

Cuisine: Thai

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

3 Servings

5 from 14 votes

Made with ♡ by Joyce

Joyce's Recipe Notes

• You can substitute condensed milk with palm sugar. If you do, add twice as much palm sugar (6 tablespoons) than what is called for for the condensed milk because it is less sweet, and add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of coconut cream to give it the creaminess it is missing.
• If you are substituting the condensed milk with sugar, start by adding only 1 tablespoon of sugar and tweak it to your liking. Sugar is much sweeter than condensed milk. Add in an additional 1-2 tablespoons of coconut cream to replace the missing creaminess
• If you cannot find coconut cream, try to find a coconut milk with high fat content with as little preservatives and chemicals as possible. The ingredient list should ideally just be coconut milk (or coconut extract) and water.
• If you are using fish as your protein, try not to cut it too thin. Fish is super delicate and will break apart in the curry if it is cut too thinly.
• When shopping for shrimp paste, keep in mind that shrimp paste and shrimp sauce is used interchangeably. Look for a brownish grey paste in a glass or plastic jar.
• You can easily use leftover meats and protein for this recipe! If you use leftovers instead of raw protein, add it in under the 'Cooking the Protein in the Curry' section and cook it for 1-2 minutes instead of 5-8 minutes.

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Ingredients

 

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Beef & Chicken Marinade

• ▢ ½ lb beef (or any type of protein)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ▢ 4 tablespoons water

Curry Ingredients

• ▢ 1-2 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 onion
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
• ▢ 4 kaffir lime leaves
• ▢ 3 cups water
• ▢ 1 cup coconut cream
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoon fish sauce (adjust this to taste)

Toppings & Garnishes (optional)

• ▢ basil leaves
• ▢ crushed roasted peanuts
• ▢ red chili peppers
• ▢ lime

Instructions

 

Preparing and Marinating the Protein

• If you are using beef, chicken or pork as the protein - Thinly slice the meat and add in the marinade and set aside. The thinner you slice this, the less time it will take to fully cook it.
  
• If you are using veggies, tofu or fish as the protein cut them up into bite sized pieces and set aside

Prepare the Aromatics

• Slice the onion and set aside
• Roughly chop the garlic and set aside

Making the Thai Red Curry

• Add 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a pot and set the stove to medium heat.
• Once the pot is hot, add in the onions and saute them until they are soft, then add the garlic and kaffir lime leaves in and cook it for 1 more minute until it is soft and fragrant.
• Add in the red curry paste and toast it for 1-2 minutes - it's okay if some of it sticks to the bottom of the pot.
• Add the coconut cream and gently scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to scrape all the burnt red curry paste off the bottom of the pot. The burnt red curry on the bottom of the pot gives the curry additional flavor.
• Add in the water, shrimp paste, condensed milk and stir until everything is well combined
• Adjust the heat to low heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes

Cooking the Protein in the Curry

• Once you have simmered the curry for 20-30 minutes, adjust the heat to medium-low heat and give the curry 2-3 minutes to come back to a simmer.
• Add in the protein (beef, chicken, fish, tofu etc) and cook it until it is cooked all the way through.

  The time it takes for the meat to cook all the way through will depend on how thick you sliced the meat. It takes about 5-8 minutes for the meat to cook all the way through for me when I slice it ⅛ inch thick.
• Add in the fish sauce at the very end and adjust it to your preference of saltiness
• Remove from heat when it is done and discard kaffir lime leaves. Garnish the curry with toppings of your choice and serve it with rice, noodles or rice cakes! Enjoy! 🙂
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 35g | Sodium: 1187mg | Sugar: 13g

*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*

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