Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (2024)

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These red curry peanut noodles are a satisfying Thai inspired dish that is so versatile and delicious! Made with gluten free rice noodles, red curry paste, coconut milk, and peanut butter, and ready in less than 30 minutes. Vegan, gluten free, and dairy free.

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (1)

The best curry peanut noodles

Say hello to your new favorite Thai inspired curry noodles! They are the perfect quick noodle dish to make when you’re craving take out but want to cook at home.

Made with an absolutely irresistible combination of a creamy, spicy peanut sauce and a tangle of chewy rice noodles. A simple and delicious recipe that is versatile and easily made into a complete meal by adding your protein of choice and a handful or two of veggies. Would be delicious with crispy tofu, bits of cooked chicken, shrimp, broccoli florets, thinly sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, or shredded carrots.

Why you’ll love these red curry peanut noodles

They are:

So creamy
Quick and easy to make
Comforting
Perfectly spicy
Crave worthy
Vegan, gluten free, and dairy free
Versatile and customizable
So delicious!

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (2)

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (3)

Ingredients and substitutions

These easy noodles come together with just a handful of simple ingredients. There are a few substitutions you may want to make that I’ll share below.

Here’s what you need

Rice noodles – Gluten free rice noodles are my favorite pasta for this recipe, but you could easily swap them for another gluten free noodle. This is my all time favorite brand of rice noodles. They hold up well and have amazing texture – worth ordering online or searching out at your local natural food store!
Sesame oil – Cooking the curry paste in toasted sesame oil adds a really nice flavor, but it could be swapped for avocado oil or coconut oil.
Curry paste – I created this recipe with red curry paste, but you could use another type of curry paste too.
Garlic – Chopped garlic is cooked with the curry paste for a boost of garlicky flavor.
Broth – Vegetable broth or chicken broth both work.
Coconut milk – Coconut milk is used in the sauce to add creamy, coconut-y flavor. If you have a coconut allergy feel free to substitute it with broth or another dairy free milk.
Peanut butter – Creamy unsalted peanut butter is what I recommend, but crunchy peanut butter could also be used for a more texturally interesting sauce.
Coconut sugar – Just a bit of coconut sugar adds a little sweetness to the sauce.
Coconut aminos – Coconut aminos are a gluten free and soy free sauce that adds some savory / sweet flavor. You could use tamari (gluten free soy sauce) in their place.
Lime juice – Fresh lime juice plays the essential role of brightening up all of the flavors in the sauce. You could substitute with rice vinegar instead.
Garnishes – Chopped cilantro, green onions, sesame seeds, and chopped peanuts add some delightful flavor and texture to the finished dish.

What can you add to these curry noodles

While delicious on their own, this recipe makes plenty of sauce to coat some additional ingredients if you want to bulk it up and create a complete meal with protein and veggies.

Protein

Crispy tofu or tempeh
Cooked chicken
Garlic basil shrimp
Cooked ground turkey or ground pork

Veggies

Broccoli florets
Sugar snap peas
Mushrooms
Sliced bell pepper
Shredded carrots
Baby spinach

Are these noodles spicy?

How spicy your noodles are will depend on how spicy your curry paste is and whether or not you include the optional chili flakes. Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste is the mildest curry paste I’ve cooked with. Other brands can be quite a bit spicier. If you’re sensitive to spicy foods you may want to taste your curry paste before using it, and reduce the amount that’s called for in the recipe if needed.

Is red curry paste gluten free?

Store bought curry paste is typically gluten free and vegan, although I recommend double checking the label before buying. Keep an eye out for gluten containing soy sauce.

These are some of my favorite red curries that are both gluten free and vegan:

Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste – Mild and widely available.
Thai Home Red Curry Paste – Great flavor, on the spicier side.
Mike’s Organic Curry – Whole30 and organic, and come in a variety of styles. Medium spice level.

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (4)

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (5)

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (10)

How to make curry noodles

These curry peanut noodles are not only delicious, but also super easy to make. All you have to do is cook your noodles, prepare the simple peanut sauce in a skillet, and toss everything together!

Here’s the step-by-step

Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep from sticking together. Set aside.
Make the red curry peanut sauce. In a large skillet heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic. Next add chopped garlic and optional chili flakes and cook another minute or so. Add coconut milk, broth, peanut butter, lime juice, coconut sugar, and coconut aminos or tamari. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce is thickened slightly. Add noodles to the skillet and toss to coat and warm through.
Garnish and serve. Top with cilantro, green onions, and peanuts and/or sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for cooking rice noodles

Cooking perfect rice noodles can be a little bit tricky.

Because not all rice noodles are the same, the most important thing to note is the specific cooking instructions for the rice noodles you’ll be using.

For example: Therice noodles I love and recommendare boiled in water similar to traditional pasta, but other brands only require a soak in wateroff the heat.

Once you figure outhowto cook the rice noodles you’re working with, it’s also important to follow these tips:

Don’t overcook them –This tip might seem obvious, but rice noodles have a tendency to break apart and lose their chewy texture if they are overcooked – even more than regular noodles. If you’re not sure, drain them early since they’ll cook a little longer in the sauce anyway.
Rinse them with cold water –Thoroughly rinsing your rice noodles with cold water right after cooking helps wash away any extra starch to prevent them from sticking together. You can repeat this process again just before adding the noodles to the sauce if they have clumped together while you were cooking.
Test doneness as you cook –Like most noodles, the best way to tell if they’re done is to test them as you go. Whether you’re boiling them in water or soaking them on the counter start testing the noodles a few minutes before the “cook time” is up.

What if the sauce gets too thick?

If at any point during the recipe the sauce seems to thicken up too much, all you have to do is thin with a little bit of water or broth until desired consistency is reached.

Storage and reheating

These noodles are best enjoyed fresh, but can also be stored and reheated later.

Storing:To store leftover noodles in the refrigerator, allow them to cool and then transfer to an air tight container. Will keep for up to 2-3 days.

Reheating:They can easily be re-heated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Freezing:I do not recommend freezing these noodles, however the sauce could be made in advance and frozen until ready to thaw and use.

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (11)

Red Curry Peanut Noodles - Vegan + Gluten Free (12)

Love these healthy rice noodles? Here’s some other yummy recipes to try!

Loaded Rice Noodle Stir Fry
Mushroom Soba Noodle Stir Fry
Vegan Soba Noodle Salad with Vegetables and Herbs
Crispy Pork and Zucchini Noodle Soup
30 Minute Chickpea Curry Soup

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