Red Curry Thai Noodle Soup

Trust me, you need this Thai Noodle Soup in your life! It’s cozy and comforting and healthy and nourishing, not to mention oil free, gluten free, and easy to make! Even my kids gobble this one down – they love anything with noodles!

You can easily customize the veggies to what you have on hand in your fridge. And you can tone down or increase the heat as you like.

Don’t be deterred by the ingredient list. Some items can be swapped out for what you have on hand. And it all comes together easily.

Red Curry Paste ~ This is obviously a necessity for a red curry soup. I use store-bought paste because it’s convenient. I prefer Thai Kitchen brand. It’s flavorful, yet mild in heat. Take note that some brands will be spicier than others.

If you have a homemade red curry paste you love, feel free to use that.

If you have green curry paste, you can certainly make this into a green curry Thai noodle soup instead. Be aware that green curry tends to be spicier than red.

Aromatics ~ Fresh onions, garlic and ginger are really going to bring the curry flavors alive. Don’t be tempted to use powdered spices in place of fresh.

Vegetables ~ I love cauliflower, zucchini and sweet bell pepper (any color is fine) in this dish. You could easily swap these out for what you have hanging out in your fridge. Broccoli, green beans, green peas, mushrooms or carrots would be delicious. Even winter squash or sweet potatoes would work, but note that they will take longer to cook.

If you like it spicy, throw in some sliced hot Thai chiles.

Coconut milk ~ Coconut milk is traditional in curry soups. The flavors go so well together. It also helps make the Thai Noodle Soup creamy and balances out the heat. I suggest you go for full fat coconut milk from a can.

Noodles ~ I typically use the Lotus Foods Organic Brown Rice and Millet Ramen. I get a big bag at Costco and use 3 of the “cakes” for this recipe. Any rice noodles will work.

If you love ramen noodles, you’ll love my Vegan Instant Ramen Noodles recipe!

Heck, you could even use traditional spaghetti noodles or any other noodle shape you like. It will certainly be far from traditional if you do that, but I am not one to stick to tradition while cooking anyway, so I say use what you have!

Garnishes ~ Finish the soup with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and green onions.

You could use Thai basil if you hate cilantro. Other additions that would be delicious are chopped peanuts or a few dashes of hot sauce.

Protein ~ I prefer the texture of this soup with veggies only. If you want to add some protein, chewy baked tofu would be super tasty or you could simply add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.

Add a bit of the full fat coconut milk to the pot (1) and heat it over medium heat. Once hot, add the diced onions and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent (2). Now add the red curry paste (3) and stir well to combine (4). Sauté another minute or two to release the flavors and fragrance.

Note: The fat from the coconut milk is going to help release the most flavor from the red curry paste. Don’t skip this.

After the red curry paste has sautéed in the coconut milk, add the garlic, ginger, bell pepper, cauliflower, and zucchini. Mix well to coat all the vegetables in the curry paste (5).

Add the broth and coconut aminos (6) and remaining coconut milk (7) and stir well to combine (8). Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Add the noodles to the pot (9) and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. If you’re using the ramen blocks, I find it helpful to use kitchen tongs to pull the noodles apart as they cook (10). Once they are cooked through (11) add the green onions, lime juice, and cilantro (12). Stir well, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Fridge: Leftovers of this vegan Thai Noodle Soup will last for several days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this soup as the noodles will get too mushy about thawing and reheating.

~ Chop all your veggies and aromatics before you begin cooking, so everything is ready when you need it.

~ Use a little of the coconut milk to sauté the red curry paste – the fat will help release the oils from the spices in the paste and make your finished dish more flavorful.

~ You can swap in most vegetables that you have in your fridge, but be sure to keep the total measurements the same.

~ Don’t forget the garnishes! While I call them garnishes, they bring tons of flavor and the soup won’t feel finished without them.

~ Add a few dashes of hot sauce if you like more heat.

~ Add a bit more coconut milk, an extra sprinkle of sugar or another squeeze of lime, if you want to tame down the heat.

~ Always taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking before serving.

More vegan curry recipes

• Thai Sweet Potato Curry
• Thai Green Curry Vegetables
• Coconut Curry Soup
• Curried Tofu Salad
• Vegetable Curry