Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry
Vegetable red curry made in the slow cooker! If you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe, then you’ve gotta try this Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry meal. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Throw everything in the slow cooker, and this Thai red curry is ready for dinner when you get home from work. Lots of vegetables & chickpeas cooked in a coconut-red curry sauce.
Is there anything better than dumping everything in a slow cooker, setting the timer and calling it a day?
No. The answer is no. Slow cooker dinners are the best invention for days when you want a home-cooked meal, without the cook part.
We love red curry so much and this slow cooker recipe is the best of the both worlds– place all of the ingredients in the bottom of a crock pot, heat and enjoy.
I will drink curry sauce if needed too; it’s the perfect blend of coconut creamy, red chili spicy, soy sauce salty, and brown sugar sweet. If you love red curry as much as I do, then you’re going to love this recipe.
See below for more details, or scroll down to the full recipe card for directions and ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
- Red Curry Paste: The red curry paste you use makes or breaks this one, as it’s where so much of the flavor comes from. My preferred brands are Thai Kitchen or Maesri. You can find that one online or at international markets.
- Coconut Milk: I like full-fat coconut milk for its richness, but you can use low-fat coconut milk if you’d like.
- Thai Red Chili: I use an additional chili for spice, but you can omit it, especially if serving this one for kids.
- Chickpeas: I add chickpeas for additional protein and fiber, but you can use any type of protein you’d like, including cubed tofu, tempeh, or seitan.
- Thai Basil: Thai basil isn’t the same as regular basil. If you can’t find Thai basil, I don’t recommend using Italian basil. It’s OK to omit.
- Vegetables: These are the vegetables that I like, but you can use whatever you’d like!
How to Make this Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry
Make the Sauce
Whisking together the red curry paste, coconut milk, and peanut butter helps to remove any clumps by just dumping all of the ingredients in without whisking first.
Add the Ingredients
Add in the rest of the ingredients, except for the rice and the basil. Cook in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours, until vegetables are softened and cooked through.
Cook the rice
To make this a one-pot meal, add the rice about an hour before serving. This recipe was tested using white rice, so if you use brown then you’ll need to extend the cooking time. Or, you can cook the rice separately and then serve the vegetables over. Stir in the basil and serve!
More Slow Cooker Meals
- Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
- Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- Vegan Slow Cooker Chana Masala
- Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
- Crockpot Red Beans and Rice
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Slow Cooker Vegan Red Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 2 cups chickpeas
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced (or more if you want more heat)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup rice
- 1/3 cup Thai basil
Instructions
- Whisk together the red curry paste with coconut milk and peanut butter until smooth. Place into the base of a slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients, except for the rice and basil.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Stir in 3/4 cup rice. Increase heat to high and cook for 30-45 minutes, depending on rice type.
- Stir in Thai basil and serve immediately.
- As an alternative, decrease vegetable broth to 1 cup, do not add rice to the slow cooker, and serve as is or over your favorite grain.
Nutrition
This recipe was first posted in 2014 and updated in 2024.