Vegan Panang Curry Soup

Panang curry paste does the heavy lifting in this vegan Panang curry soup recipe. It's a sweet, salty, spicy, rich curry soup you'll love for a busy weeknight.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Calories: 604kcal

Equipment

Large pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 red or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 Thai chili peppers, trimmed and minced
2 tablespoons lemongrass paste
4 ounces Panang curry paste* see note
15.4- ounces coconut milk
4 cups water or vegetable stock
12 ounces rice noodles
1–2 cups vegetables of choice, like sugar snap peas, baby corn, sliced bell peppers, snow peas, or sliced carrots
16 ounces soft tofu, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste

For serving:

Cilantro, minced scallions, thinly sliced red onion, crispy shallots, chili oil, and lime wedges

Instructions

Sauté the aromatics:

Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until it just begins to soften.
Add the garlic, chili peppers, and lemongrass paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Bloom the curry paste:

Stir the paste into the aromatics and sizzle in the oil for 2–3 minutes until it deepens in color and begins sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Pour in enough coconut milk to cover the paste. Bring to a boil for a few minutes and pour in the remaining coconut milk.

Simmer the soup:

Pour in 4 cups water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the vegetables and cubed soft tofu. Stir gently to combine, being careful not to break up the tofu too much. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Simmer for 10–12 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and crisp. Turn off the heat.

Cook the noodles:

As the soup simmers, soak or boil the noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and divide between bowls.

To serve:

Ladle the broth over the noodles and pile the tofu and vegetables on top. Garnish with cilantro, minced scallions, sliced red onion, crispy shallots, and chili oil if you like. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!

Recipe notes

Look for vegan curry paste. Certain brands prepare their Panang curry paste without animal products. For instance, Maesri’s Panang curry paste is vegan, but Mae Ploy uses shrimp paste.

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