This coconut curry soup is made with crispy tofu and a creamy AND vegan broth! It’s not only super simple, but it's delicious, too!
Curry is a very popular flavor in our house. We love the boldness of it, and it pairs well with so many other flavors. This soup is the perfect addition to chilly evenings, and it’s so easy to make that you can have dinner on the table in an hour or less!
I like to prep ingredients ahead of time, so on the weekend, you could chop all your veggies, and then you have dinner in a flash. This soup freezes well, too, so it’s perfect to take to someone who has just had surgery, a baby, or just needs a good home-cooked meal.
Recipes with curry, turmeric, and ginger are a great option for winter. Not only are these flavors so tasty when put together, but they are all known for their healing properties, too. And, during the cold winter months we could all use a bit more of this!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE VEGAN COCONUT CURRY SOUP
- Onions
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Fresh ginger
- Sesame oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Vegetable broth
- Canned coconut milk
- Lemongrass
- Red curry paste
- Sambal Oelek
- Curry powder
- Ground turmeric
- Fresh spinach
- Extra firm tofu
- Cooked white rice
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN COCONUT CURRY SOUP
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add garlic and shallot, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, salt and pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Next, add rice vinegar, curry paste, curry powder, sambal oelek, and stir to coat the vegetables. Stir in the vegetable broth, coconut milk and lemongrass. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour.
While the soup is simmering, drain the tofu. Cut the block of tofu in half crosswise. Then cut each section into 16 squares (4X3). Place the tofu onto paper towels, 3 layers deep. Top with 3 more layers of paper towels, and gently press to remove excess water from the tofu. Heat the remaining sesame oil in a medium, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tofu in the pan, and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Once the soup has simmered, remove the lemongrass stalk, and stir in the tofu and spinach. Serve over white rice.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING THIS SOUP RECIPE
- Keep the soup to a simmer. If you bring the soup to a rolling boil, the coconut milk may separate causing an off-putting grainy texture to the soup.
- It is important to add the spinach while the mixture is still very warm, so that it can properly wilt the spinach.
- Be sure to press the extra water out of the tofu. This allows the tofu to become brown and crispy.
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Vegan Coconut Curry Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Paper towels
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Sautee pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil divided
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1 cup carrots julienned (about 1 medium carrot, peeled)
- 1 container mushrooms sliced (8 ounces)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste
- ½ teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon sambal oelek chili paste OR dash cracked red pepper flakes
- 1 quart reduced sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk 13.66 ounces
- 1 each medium stalk fresh lemongrass
- 1 block extra firm tofu 14.5 ounces
- 4 cups spinach roughly chopped
- 4 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add garlic and shallot, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, salt and pepper, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add rice vinegar, curry paste, curry powder, sambal oelek, and stir to coat the vegetables. Stir in the vegetable broth, coconut milk and lemongrass. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour.
- While the soup is simmering. Drain the tofu. Cut the block of tofu in half crosswise. Then cut each section into 16 squares (4X4). Place the tofu onto paper towels, 3 layers deep. Top with 3 more layers of paper towels, and gently press to remove excess water from the tofu. Heat the remaining sesame oil in a medium, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tofu in the pan, and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Once the soup has simmered, remove the lemongrass stalk, and stir in the tofu and spinach. Serve over white rice.
Notes
- Keep the soup to a simmer. If you bring the soup to a rolling boil, the coconut milk may separate causing an off-putting grainy texture to the soup.
- It is important to add the spinach while the mixture is still very warm, so that it can properly wilt the spinach.
- Be sure to press the extra water out of the tofu. This allows the tofu to become brown and crispy.
