Golden Tofu Coconut Curry
This vegan Golden Tofu Coconut Curry recipe features sweet potato, shiitake, red bell peppers, and greens wrapped in a warm yellow curry broth and served with black rice is flavorful, nourishing, and delicious!
I’ve had the pleasure of making this vegetable-filled coconut tofu curry with black rice a few times over the last few weeks and have not tired of it yet!
Having recipes like this at our fingertips makes life simple and delicious. Plus, it ensures we have time for all the other important things in life!
Why We Love This Recipe!
- Easy to put together and well-balanced, this recipe is ready for the table in as little as 30 minutes.
- It’s loaded with a variety of healthy veggies and plant based protein for nutrition, texture, and flavor. Be sure to check out the nutrition card below!
- You can pair it with antioxidant black rice which is a nice contrast aside the yellow curry and brightly colored vegetables, or use more traditional white or brown basmati or jasmine rice.
Those are all major pluses, and I hope you enjoy this tofu curry as much as we have!
Ingredient Notes
The combination of colorful vegetables, yellow curry, turmeric, coconut, ginger, and lime makes for a brightly colored and flavorful dish. The mushrooms are soft, the red bell pepper al dente and the sweet potato are tender, along with the tofu and onion.
Here are a few keynotes:
- Tofu – Use firm or extra-firm tofu for best results. Organic is preferred and doesn’t cost much more than regular. You can drain the tofu right in the tub or on a plate, placing it on its short side before slicing.
- Mushrooms – I used shiitake mushrooms, but cremini or a wild mushroom mix will be great too.
- Sweet Potato – Adds the perfect sweetness to this otherwise savory dish. Leave the peel on for added fiber, just be sure to scrub it well. Or remove the skin before slicing (a vegetable peeler works great).
- Spices – Use your favorite yellow curry and turmeric brands.
- Aromatics – Onion, garlic, and ginger are a traditional deep base in most curry dishes. For the ginger, use fresh or packaged like this Ginger Stir-in-Paste (it’s been a lifesaver!).
- Coconut milk – Both full or low fat will work. You can even use coconut cream for an ultra-creamy tofu curry!
- Baby greens – Feel free to switch the up using spinach, kale, or chard, or use a combination of all three. Just a large handful will do, but you can add more if you like.
How To Make Tofu Coconut Curry
Making coconut tofu curry is easy as can be!
Here is a quick overview of the process with photos for reference (the full printable recipe card is below).
- Start by prepping the veggies and aromatics, keeping the tofu and sweet potato to about the same size.
- Heat a large pan, add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger, sweet potato, bell peppers and mushrooms, cook another 2 – 3 minutes.
- Add the curry powder and turmeric, and cook 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Next, add in the coconut milk, remaining liquids, and tofu, stir gently.
- Bring the tofu curry to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, or until sweet potato is fork tender.
- Finally, turn off the heat, add in the lime juice and leafy greens, stirring gently until the greens soften and wilt.
And now you’re ready to enjoy with a grain of choice.
Simple, nutritious, and delicious!
Top Tips
- Use your favorite curry powder and add plenty of ginger & lime juice. I found that the lime juice is essential to the overall dish. Without it the flavor seems flat and ho-hum. The lime juice rounds everything out sublimely (pardon the pun) with its citrusy brightness. Definitely do not skimp on the lime!
- Switch up the veggies. If you don’t have one of the veggies on hand, sub in a cup or so of broccoli or cauliflower florets, or 1 – 2 sliced carrots.
Can You Freeze Tofu Coconut Curry?
Yes, coconut tofu curry is freezer-friendly and can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers like these multi-use glass containers (affiliate link). Let thaw before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Adding black rice to your meal plans is a great way to include extra nutrition and variety. Much like brown rice, it has a mild, nutty flavor, and cooks up in about 25 minutes.
It’s a good source of iron, fiber, and antioxidants. The dark pigment of black rice is loaded with the same antioxidants that make blueberries and acai so vital to a healthy diet. You’ll find black rice to have even higher concentrated levels than the fruits making it more valuable and heart-healthy.
And don’t forget to pair it with this homemade Vegan Naan. It’s perfect for soaking up the juices!
If you try this tofu curry recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintGolden Tofu Coconut Curry
This yellow tofu curry with coconut milk and colorful vegetables is 100% vegan and gluten-free and is a healthy and nutritious meal ready in 30 minutes!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: Asian, Vegan
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- 1 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or 1/4 cup water/broth (for water saute)
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled & diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeds removed & thinly sliced
- 8 oz. shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 block (12 -14 oz.) organic tofu (firm or extra-firm)
- 1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk (light or full-fat)
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or plain unsweet non-dairy milk or water)
- 3 – 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- big handful of baby greens (spinach, kale, chard, or combo)
- mineral salt, to taste
- cilantro, to serve
- lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
Black Rice: In a medium pot, add rice and water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes.
Tofu Curry: In a large dutch oven or pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat, add onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger, sweet potato, bell peppers, and mushrooms, cook another 2 – 3 minutes. Add curry powder and turmeric, cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add in the coconut milk, remaining liquids, and tofu, stir gently. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, until sweet potato is fork-tender. Turn off the heat, add in the lime juice and leafy greens, stirring gently until the greens soften and wilt.
Serve the tofu curry overtop rice and enjoy with fresh cilantro on top and a squeeze of more lime juice if you like. Pairs well with homemade Vegan Naan.
Store: Leftovers store well for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge. Flavors will enhance with time. For longer storage, store in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before reheating.
Serves 4
Notes
Use large leafy greens if you prefer. Just be sure to shred or chop them before adding them to the pot.
If you’re looking for a more mellow yellow color, I suggest using unsweetened non-dairy milk in place of the water or broth. That will help soften the yellow hue.
The lime juice is essential, without it, the overall flavor is flat and boring.
Use your favorite rice or quinoa if you can’t source black rice. I’ve found mine locally for fairly cheap. It tends to be a bit more expensive online, especially if you have to pay for shipping. I would shop around locally and online to find the right source for you.
Updated: This recipe was originally published in February 2016. It has been retested and updated with new photos and helpful tips in July 2021.
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We love curries of all types. This was really yummy and easy. Initially we didn’t add enough salt, so added more and it was perfect.
We also added a dash of fish sauce (we like Asian curries), and also a little bit of honey for a sweetener (not too sweet, just a hint ).
Will make this again!
★★★★★
Hello, if i want to leave out the sweet potato, does the cook time change? Thanks X
Great question, Audry! I would keep the cooking time the same, just be sure the other veggies are softened. I hope that helps. Enjoy!
Is the nutritional information assuming light or regular coconut milk was used? Thank you!
Great question, Anna! It’s calculated using light coconut milk. Also, the rice is included in the nutrition facts as well.
This recipe was so yumm! I made some substitutions since I was low on or missing some ingredients. I subbed-in red potatoes for sweet potato and added some brown sugar. I also added cabbage instead of mushrooms, added coco aminos, onion powder, some chili flakes and another tablespoon of curry powder since we like it a little more flavorful. It’s delicious!
★★★★★
When do you add the tofu? Do you fry it or do you let it simmer with the rest of the vegetables?
Add the tofu before simmering with the liquids. Enjoy the curry, it’s delicious!
This was incredibly delicious! Added red lentils for fiber and used tatsoi as my green. Eager to enjoy the rest for lunch tomorrow.
★★★★★
What can I use in place of mushrooms? I’m just not a fan. Thanks!
You can substitute the mushrooms with diced zucchini or carrots. Also, you can omit them while simply adding a little extra of the other veggies. Hope that helps. Enjoy! :)
This was so delicious. I didn’t have black rice but used brown basmati instead. This recipe is now one of my favorite curries – its not too heavy/starchy like most I’ve tried but just so satiating and filling. I would say it’s a great healthy option for comfort food. As a side note I also love your vegetable frittata (without the zuchinni which I had included the 2nd time making it. It became a little too moist. Prefer a drier texture. But still so yummy.) And the potato saffron soup is also a favorite! Love, love, love the flavors and simplicity of your recipes – which is why I bought the book and can’t wait to try ALL of them :)
Thank you for helping keep us forever young with these healthy and delicious recipes!
Thank you so much Erin! Cheers :)
I cooked this earlier today! It was very tasty! For a bit more intense flavor, I used more coconut milk in place of water, more curry powder, and I added cumin. The sweet potatoes were perfect in this too! I might have to double the sweet potatoes next time, they fit into the dish perfectly.
The colour of this is utterly divine, especially against the black of the rice!
Thank you Emma! :)