The Easiest Red Curry Peanut Noodles
These chilled Red Curry Peanut Noodles are the perfect quick and easy dinner recipe that comes together in just 20 minutes.
Sauce. I’m a sauce girl. With the right sauces, I believe you can build the ultimate flavorful meals. And they don’t have to be complicated. Sometimes you really want something that is easy to throw together and this red curry peanut noodle bowl is just that!
Why You’ll Love These Red Curry Noodles
- Takes 20 minutes to make
- A great and easy summer weeknight meal with simple ingredients
- The sauce can be made in advance for even easier prep
- Mix and match your favorite proteins and toppings
- As written, this bowl is vegan, gluten-free and loaded with plant-protein
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: I used extra firm tofu. You can also choose to use edamame or tempeh if desired.
- Rice Noodles: Use your favorite brand. I used a variety I found at my local Asian market.
- Thai Curry Paste: Make sure it’s vegan by reading the ingredients. Really enjoy the My Thai Kitchen brand red and green curry pastes that are marked vegan.
- Peanut Butter: This helps to mellow out some of the spice in the curry paste. You can swap this out for coconut cream or a different nut and seed butter. Just make sure it is natural and creamy.
- Soy Sauce: To make this meal completely gluten-free, just use a gluten-free soy sauce or swap for a coconut aminos or wheat free tamari.
- Maple Syrup: This just is easier than dissolving sugar, but you can absolutely mix in some sugar. Just make sure to whisk until it is fully dissolved. You can also use agave as an alternative.
- Rice Vinegar: If you don’t have this available, you can also use a white wine vinegar.
How to Make Chilled Red Curry Peanut Noodles
The Tofu
Make sure to dry and press some excess water out of your tofu. Pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel and then cut into cubes or triangle shapes.
Heat up a pan with some oil over medium heat, and when warmed through, add in your sliced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Remove the garlic and add the tofu and spread out into a single layer in the pan. Allow the tofu to cook and brown for 4 minutes before flipping and cooking for an additional 4 minutes on the opposite side. Splash the tofu with a little soy sauce and toss to coat before setting the tofu aside.
The Noodles
Cook your rice noodles according to package. Rice noodles can vary in terms of cook time, so make sure that you aren’t overcooking them. Once cooked, drain the noodles in a colander and rinse well with cold water until the noodles have cooled then set aside.
The Sauce
Gather your ingredients and mix them together in a jar or small bowl. Thin out the mixture with water. Just add it in a tablespoon at a time while whisking until it’s at your desired consistency.
Expert Tips
- Rinse your rice noodles really well after cooking. You want to rinse them under cold water until the noodles have cooled. This will stop the noodles from cooking and also remove excess starch that makes your noodles stick together.
- Use your favorite noodles. I used a flat rice noodle variety, but this also works for thin vermicelli style noodles as well.
- Mix and match your favorite toppings to add more texture and flavor. I love adding scallions, crushed peanuts, chili oil, a squeeze of lime juice and some raw crunchy veggies like cucumbers on top.
- When cooking your tofu, spread it out evenly in the pan to make sure all pieces cook evenly.
- Read your Thai curry paste ingredients. If you are vegan or allergic to seafood, make sure you read the ingredients and ensure that it is vegan. My Thai Kitchen carries both labeled vegan red and green Thai curry pastes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure that you rinse your rice noodles really well. This removes excess starch that leads the noodles to stick together.
If making ahead of time, add your rinsed noodles and tofu to airtight containers and place in the fridge where they can last for up to 5 days. Add the sauce to a separate container and when ready to serve, just pour the sauce over the noodles and mix. The sauce will last in the fridge for 7 days.
Yes! Just remove or swap the peanuts for sesame seeds and replace the peanut butter with coconut cream (the thicker layer of cream you get at the top of a can of coconut milk), almond butter or sunflower seed butter.
How to Serve
These noodles are great on their own, but also works really well with a lot of different topping ideas:
- Crushed peanuts
- Scallions
- Chili Oil
- Sliced cucumbers or carrots
- Any roasted veggie you love
- Serve with lime wedges
More Noodle Dishes You’ll Love
- Garlic Sesame Noodles
- Sriracha Noodles with Tofu and Broccoli
- Sheet Pan Maple Soy Glazed Tofu and Noodles
- Easy Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles
The Easiest Red Curry Peanut Noodles
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These chilled Red Curry Peanut Noodles are the perfect quick and easy dinner recipe that comes together in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 (~450g) block of extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- Oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 2 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
- 8 oz of rice noodles
Peanut Curry Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 tbsp natural peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
- 2–3 tbsp water
Optional Toppings
- Scallions
- Crushed Peanuts
- Chili Oil
- Sliced Cucumbers
- Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Pat your tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel and cut your tofu into cubes or triangles. Bring a large sauté pan to medium heat and add 1-2 tablespoons of high heat oil to the pan and add in your sliced garlic for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Remove the garlic and add in the sliced tofu and pan fry on both sides for 4 minutes until golden. Remove the tofu from heat and place on a plate lined with paper towels and set to the side.
- Cook your noodles according to the package. If your noodles say to cook within a range of time, choose the shortest time in the range. Once cooked through, drain your noodles and run under cold water to help remove excess starch and cool the noodles.
- To make the sauce, combine the garlic, vinegar, sweetener, soy sauce, peanut butter, and curry paste in a cup or bowl and mix to combine. Slowly add in the water 1 tbsp at a time until the sauce is thinned to your liking.
- Assemble your bowl by plating the noodles and pouring some sauce on top. Mix into the noodles to coat. Layer the noodles with the tofu and top with scallions, crushed peanuts, and extra sauce or lime juice as desired.
Notes
Rinse your rice noodles really well after cooking. You want to rinse them under cold water until the noodles have cooled. This will stop the noodles from cooking and also remove excess starch that makes your noodles stick together.
Use your favorite noodles. I used a flat rice noodle variety, but this also works for thin vermicelli style noodles as well.
Mix and match your favorite toppings to add more texture and flavor. I love adding scallions, crushed peanuts, chili oil, a squeeze of lime juice and some raw crunchy veggies like cucumbers on top.
When cooking your tofu, spread it out evenly in the pan to make sure all pieces cook evenly.
Read your Thai curry paste ingredients. If you are vegan or allergic to seafood, make sure you read the ingredients and ensure that it is vegan. My Thai Kitchen carries both labeled vegan red and green Thai curry pastes.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
This post contains affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase from those links. I only recommend and share products that I know, trust and personally use myself!
Double the recipe because this is phenomenal!
So sweet! Thank you so much Sierra! So glad you enjoyed this. 🙂
This was delicious !!I didn’t have any red Thai curry paste so I made it with green Thai curry paste 🙂
Love this with the green curry paste too. So glad you loved it! 🙂
I’ve already made this recipe twice this week. It’s so good! Thank you Catherine ☺️
That means so much to hear Angie! Thank you so much for making this one! 🙂
It is a great recipe. Thanks alot.
You are so welcome!
So good and so easy! I never thought I could make something like this at home
I’m so happy you tried them out Megan! Truly music to my ears. 🙂