If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, easy, and quick recipe, this one-pot vegan peanut curry is for you. One pot dishes are some of my favorite meals to make; they’re typically low-cost and are so simple to throw together. No cluttering up the kitchen with multiple pots and pans or creating tons of dishes. This recipe is easy and straightforward, and will only take about twenty minutes to prepare.
This one-pot vegan peanut curry uses only 10 ingredients (not counting the water) and you only need one pot to whip it up. It’s become one of my favorites to make all year round, but especially during the colder months. During the Fall and Winter, I make this at least once a week; it’s so easy to throw together after work!
One of the great things about this recipe is that it can be customized to fit your preferences and what you have on hand. Add in your favorite veggies, proteins, spices, herbs, and seasonings! I mainly shop at Aldi, Trader Joes, and Costco, but the ingredients for this recipe can be easily found at most grocery stores.
Especially with the recent inflation on grocery prices, this is an amazing meal to make if you’re on a budget. You can even make a double batch and freeze half for later.
How to Save Money on Groceries:
- Buy certain items in bulk, such as rice, at Warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club
- If an item is on sale, buy two or three and save/freeze half for later
- Buy most items at cheaper grocery stores like Aldi or Walmart. Only buy certain products at more expensive stores, like Whole Foods
Even though this dish is cheap to make and doesn’t require many ingredients, it’s super delicious and filling. I love to make this for dinner and pack the leftovers for an easy, healthy lunch all week long.
Check out my other one-pot dishes:
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this one-pot vegan peanut curry:
Coconut milk: Canned coconut milk is creamy and will work best for this dish, but you can substitute with any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk. You can also use coconut cream for an even thicker, creamier sauce.
Red curry paste: For that warm, curry flavor.
Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter without any added sugar or salt is my preference, but any peanut butter will do.
Soy sauce: For that salty, umami flavor. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos for a soy-free option.
Turmeric: I like adding in turmeric, as it adds a richness to the flavor and gives the sauce a pretty golden color.
Veggies of choice: I usually use frozen veggies because they’re cheap and ready to use, but this dish can be customized with any vegetables. I also love adding a few handfuls of greens if I have extra on hand.
Protein of choice: My go-to protein for this dish is shelled edamame, also called mukimame. Tofu, tempeh, or chickpeas would also work great!
Optional add-ins:
Because my blog has an emphasis on budget-friendly vegan meals, I like to keep my recipes as low-ingredient as possible. This one-pot vegan peanut curry is super delicious as is, but if you’d like to enhance the flavor even more, consider adding the following:
Lime juice/rice vinegar: Including either of these ingredients will add a pop of tanginess and acidity to the dish.
Minced or grated ginger: You can buy raw ginger and mince/grate it yourself, or buy it pre-minced in a jar.
Onion and garlic: If you’d like, sauté onion and garlic in some oil prior to adding the rice, water, and coconut milk. You can also sauté the minced ginger with the onion/garlic.
Hoisin sauce: This provides a rich, salty flavor similar to soy sauce, but is much thicker and creamier.
Sesame oil: This will add a subtle nutty flavor. If you choose to sauté onion and garlic in the beginning, sesame oil is a great option for this.
Now, let’s take a look at how to make this one-pot vegan peanut curry!
Start by adding the coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste, soy sauce, and turmeric to a large pot. Bring it to a simmer and cook for five minutes.
Add in the chickpeas and vegetables. Stir well to make sure nothing is sticking to the pot; if it is sticking, add a little water or vegetable broth, one tablespoon at a time. Then, cover and simmer for another five minutes. Depending on the kind of vegetables you use, you may need to simmer for closer to ten minutes. If you’re adding in any greens, add them in the last two minutes of cooking.
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. That’s it!
Serve hot and enjoy!
One-Pot Vegan Peanut Curry
Ingredients
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 2 tbsp red curry paste
- 4 tbsp peanut butter
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp turmeric
- salt and pepper to taste
- Veggies of choice I usually throw in a bag of frozen vegetables and a couple handfuls of greens to keep it simple and low cost
- Protein of choice My favorite is shelled edamame, also called mukimame
Instructions
- Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, curry paste, and turmeric to a large pot or pan. Give it a stir, then bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and cook for five minutes.
- Add in the chickpeas and vegetables. Stir well then cover and simmer for five to eight minutes (time will vary depending on the type of vegetables you use). Add water or vegetable broth if it's too thick or if the ingredients are sticking to the pot, one tablespoon at a time.
- If you add in any greens, add them in the last two minutes of cooking. After five to eight minutes or once the veggies are tender, remove from heat. Add any salt and pepper to your preference. Serve over rice, noodles, greens, or on its own!
Notes
This post showed you how to make my one-pot vegan peanut curry.