This vegan coconut curry noodle soup combines a creamy, spiced golden broth with loads of veggies, crispy tofu, and oodles of noodles. A nourishing one-dish meal that's naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and made with easy to find ingredients. Updated; originally published on 1/28/12.
TBG turns 10 this year (!!!) and in preparation for celebration, I've been doing a bit of KonMari-style tidying up. Taking new photos of some of my favorite dishes from the first few years of this space and sprucing up the posts feels just as lovely as strategically folding my shirt drawer. And it will hopefully make the posts as easy to find as my favorite tees too!
This vegan coconut curry noodle soup recipe is one such example. The base comes from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking and I was drawn to it initially after having a similar soup at a restaurant in Oakland. After reveling in a steaming bowl of fragrant coconut milk broth teeming with vibrant vegetables and slippery noodles, I knew I would either have to re-create the recipe or begin spending more time in the East Bay. (Like, every night.)
The coconut curry noodle soup that dreams are made of
Heidi's 'slurp and slop bowl of noodles' delivered: a messy bowl of spiced broth, stained yellow with turmeric and red curry paste, creamy from light and full-fat coconut milks, tangy from a squeeze of lime. I added a mess of vegetables to make this a one-dish meal. The ample vegetables cook right in the broth until crisp-tender, and noodles added to the bowl just before serving stay chewy-soft. Pieces of crispy tofu soak up the flavorful broth. The curried broth is light and nourishing all at once, leaving you satisfied yet energized. I've made this dish many times since I first shared the recipe in 2012!
Colorful Vegetables
While my favorite version uses carrots, broccolini, bok choy and cauliflower (which turns bright gold from the turmeric), I once also made a tasty version with bok choy, romanesco and baby turnips – pesky vegetables from our CSA that I previously never knew how to use.
You could easily vary this coconut curry noodle soup through the seasons. Springtime could feature english peas or snap peas, fava beans, and baby turnips. Summer could make use of zucchini, corn, and sweet peppers. And fall could showcase kabocha squash, mushrooms, and dark leafy greens.
Vegan Yellow Curry Broth
This vegan coconut curry broth is complex in flavor, not unlike laksa, but it's made with easy-to-find (in the US at least) ingredients. Red thai curry paste is the most exotic ingredient in here, and it's stocked in the Asian foods aisle of most US grocery stores. The red curry flavors a golden broth enhanced with sauteed onion and garlic, vegetable bouillon, and turmeric. A touch of sugar adds Thai-style sweetness, coconut milk makes it rich and creamy, and a dash of tamari lends umami. A bit of lime juice at the end sharpens the flavors.
Crispy Tofu
Firm tofu needs nothing more than to be cut up and pan fried in oil until the edges get bubbly and golden. When mixed into the soup, the tofu absorbs the flavor of the broth while staying firm. But if you want to skip a step, just add the raw tofu cubes to the curry toward the end and simmer it for a few minutes until flavorful and tender.
Tips for the most beautiful mixed vegetable noodle curry
You can cook all of the vegetables right in the broth if you like. Otherwise for maximum color (shown here), drop the bok choy and broccolini into a pot of boiling water, cook until bright green and crisp tender, then rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Add these to the soup when you're serving it.
Here I used black rice ramen noodles, which I cook until slightly underdone and place directly into the serving bowls. I've learned the hard way that if you add the noodles to the pot, they quickly overcook and disintegrate. If you're planning on leftovers, store the noodles separately in the fridge as well. Use any noodles you like the taste of. Flat, wide rice noodles, vermicelli, or fresh egg noodles all work well.
If you have a case of the winter blahs and find yourself pining for the vibrant colors of spring and summer, the bright flavors in this lively curry may assuage your longing. Cozy up with a pot of this vegan coconut curry noodle soup and it'll warm you up from tops to botts.
Hungry for more vegetable curry? Try these:
- coconut curry shakshuka
- coconut curried chickpeas with carrots and cashews {vegan}
- curried roasted eggplant with smoked cardamom and coconut milk {vegan option}
- curried red lentil, kale, and sweet potato soup {vegan option}
- Chard Saag Paneer
Looking for more noodles? Try these:
- green noodle soup with coconut lemongrass broth {vegan & gluten-free}
- curried noodles with crispy tofu & winter vegetables {gluten-free & vegan}
- vegetarian miso ramen with rice noodles, roasted sweet potatoes + sesame broccolini {gluten-free & vegan}
- miso and soba noodle soup with roasted sriracha tofu and shiitake mushrooms {vegan}
Thanks to my friend Lisa Lin for inspiring these photos with her beautiful soup and curry images!
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this citrus fruit salad, I’d love to see. Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Winter Vegetable Curry with Rice Noodles + Crispy Tofu
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Broth:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil or sunflower oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can light coconut milk
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can regular coconut milk
- 4-5 cups mild vegetable stock (I use 2 cubes vegetable bouillon and 4-5 cups water)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- tamari or soy sauce to taste
Vegetables:
- 8 ounces carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 8 ounces cauliflower, in bite-sized florets
- 8 ounces broccolini (left whole) or broccoli florets (in bite-sized florets)
- 8 ounces small baby bok choy, halved lengthwise and cleaned
Tofu:
- 12 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes or triangles
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as sunflower
For serving:
- lime wedges
- 8 ounces rice noodles (such as black rice ramen noodles)
- a bit of vegetable oil for tossing the noodles (such as sunflower)
- slivered scallions or cilantro
- Sriracha or togarashi, for extra heat (optional)
Instructions
- In a large wok, dutch oven, or soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until translucent and softened.
- Add the curry paste and cook for a few more minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the coconut milks, stock, turmeric and sugar.
- Add the carrots and cauliflower.
- You can optionally add the broccolini and bok choy now too. Or to keep their color vibrant, cook them separately in boiling water and remove when bright green and crisp tender. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking.
- Increase the heat to bring the curry to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.
- Taste, adding as much tamari as you need to make the broth salty to your taste.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over medium heat (preferably nonstick) until it shimmers. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook until golden on the bottom, 2-4 minutes. Flip each piece and cook on a second side until golden. Alternatively, add the raw tofu to the curry when it’s nearly done, and cook for 2-3 minutes until flavorful and tender.
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, drain, rinse with cool water to prevent sticking, and toss with a bit of vegetable oil.
- To serve, place a nest of noodles in a bowl and top with the veggies and broth, tofu, a good squeeze of lime, and a sprinkling of scallions or cilantro.
- Serve with extra lime wedges and Sriracha, if desired, and both chopsticks and soup spoons for easy eating.
Notes
Nutrition
An American in Powys says
I remembered seeing this last year and finally got around to making it. Absolutely delicious and much easier that going to the East Bay! ThanksA
Alanna says
Certainly easier for you! ;) So glad you liked it, Chava - thanks a bunch for the comment.
Marishka Titus Michener says
A wonderful page, would love to buy the book however, I am more interested in the recipes other then baking...how do I get them in book form. thank you I was denied chief school in 1952 was I was a women....today I see women in the field that are amazing like you.
Alanna says
Aw thank you for the sweet words! That's horrible that you were denied chef school for being a woman. I feel lucky to be living in this time.
I don't currently have a book of savory recipes unfortunately. Someday I hope to write another book and include some! In the meantime, I believe there are online programs where you can have a book printed from a blog, such as this one.
Fresh says
Nice and colorful
Val says
May I ask what size cans of coconut milk would be best in this recipe?
Alanna says
Hi Val! The usual 13.5 ounce cans are perfect. :)
Aysegul Sanford says
Ahh 10 years!!! Congrats. Wishing you many more successful years ahead. I know I'll be following.
This noodle soup is just so stunning. Perfect for a healthy dinner even on a weeknight.
Thanks for sharing what you do best with the world. I know that the best is yet to come. More goodness is on the way.
Sending you the warmest hugs my friend. ❤️
Alanna says
Awww thank you Ice! I'm so grateful for your kindness, help, and support. <3
deb says
I made this and the broth was not edible. Possibly you should check this recipe.
Alanna says
I'm sorry you found it not to your taste! Another reader just made it and raved about it on Instagram, so I don't think there's anything off in the recipe itself. I'm wondering if the turmeric flavor was strong for you? Sometimes if turmeric isn't super fresh it can have a bitter flavor, or it might taste intense if it's a flavor you're not used to? Please let me know specifically what you didn't like about broth's flavor so I can give others a heads up! Thanks a bunch for the feedback.
Becca says
I can't believe you've been doing this for 10 years! You're such an inspiration.
Alanna says
Aw thank you Becca! I love it now more than ever! <3
Anita says
I made this and it was very good. Added Thai basil at the end with some sambal oelek for some extra kick. Did not fry the tofu just added it directly to broth and used rice noodles as that’s all I could find. Will be making it again and try varying the vegetable/noodle combo :)
Alanna says
That sounds delicious! So glad you liked the recipe. :)
Darien says
I made this and added chickpeas as I did not have any tofu. I also forgot to add the turmeric (oops!) and accidentally used 2 tbsp of the curry paste. It was delicious hot and also delicious cold the next day for lunch!! My house also smells amazing. Thank you for such a great recipe :-)
Alanna says
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and for the note! Chickpeas, no turmeric, and extra curry paste all sound delicious!
Karl says
Looks and sounds amazing. I have to make this
Alison Marie says
So simple to make but so delicious! My husband was hesitant until I started sauteing the aromatics, and as soon as we tasted the broth we were both hooked! I can see us making this over and over again with a variety of different vegetables and proteins, so thanks for such a great recipe!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks a bunch for the sweet note.
Vanessa Lemonides says
Delicious curry! I doubled the curry paste and made it with broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, edamame and the fried tofu. I used buckwheat soba noodles. My whole family raved and the (little bit of) leftovers were also delicious.
Congratulations on 10 years! I still remember discovering your blog years ago and making your Hippie Crispie Treats (which I still make to rave reviews). Your photography is gorgeous and has developed so much. Thank you for all you do! It's all very inspiring (and delicious).
Alanna says
Awwww I'm so glad you like the recipe Vanessa! Thanks for following along all these years. Your sweet note totally made my day. :D
Lynne says
How much fresh turmeric root should I use as a sub for the ground? Thanks!
Alanna says
Hm, good question. Usually the rule for fresh to ground spices is to double the amount of the fresh spice. However this recipe is a bit heavy on the turmeric so I might start with an equal amount, and add more to taste at the end if you like. Let me know what you try!
Bec says
The photos you have updated are amazing - as is the recipe - just right for warming the soul!
Alanna says
Aw thank you! So glad you like the recipe. :)
Emily R says
I made an inspired version of this for an easy dinner tonight (only had green curry paste, subbed the rice noodles for yuba, mixed and matched from of the vegetables I had in my fridge). Yum, thanks! I like the original Heidi Swanson recipe too. :)
Alanna says
Ooh that sounds delicious!
Anthea @ Rainbow Nourishments says
Oooh this is making me hungry. I love the colours in this and how you styled it. Saving it for sure!