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    Profusion Curry » Dinner

    Vegan Thai Massaman Curry – Instant Pot Option

    Published: Aug 23, 2020 · Modified: May 5, 2022 by Prajakta Sukhatme · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Vegan Thai Massaman Curry is an authentic rich curry with complex flavors. A one-pot meal perfect for make-ahead lunches or easy weeknight dinner.

    You will need under 20 minutes to make this bright and hearty Vegetarian Thai Curry. This luxuriously elegant curry is better-than-restaurant curry. I am including stove top and Instant Pot instructions to make this savory recipe.

    Calling all curry fans! If you love Thai curry, you’ll find yourself loving this wholesome and mild Vegan Massaman Tofu Curry. This savory healthy curry is also gluten free.

    Thai Massaman Curry dinner served with white rice and red onions.

    Skip the takeout. This semi-homemade recipe tastes simply AWESOME ! Plus it is filling, cheap and budget friendly one pot wonder meal.

    The creaminess of the curry and it’s rich aromatics are so addictive. Plus, it packs enough rich flavor to even win over the hearts of carnivores.

    Coconut milk makes it rich and creamy. I am using store brought curry paste which is full of sultry flavorful ingredients.

    A dinner plate with thai massman curry with vegetables, white rice, red onions and lime wedges.

    And the curry itself is bit sweeter than normal  Red Thai Curry or green curry. As we love curry dinners, we also do have Thai Red Curry and Thai Green Curry recipes on the blog.

    Typically, Massaman Curry is made with chunky meat and fish sauce. In this vegan version, I am bulking it with potatoes and tofu.

    You can make all sorts of substitutions in this curry depending on what you have on hand.

    Serve over noodles, brown rice or white rice.

    A close up showing luxuriously creamy yellow coconut curry with peas, carrots and potatoes.

    My Recommendation for Quality Curry Paste

    For an authentic Asian flavor, a good quality curry paste is a must. I love the Maesri Massaman Curry Paste. It has perfect balance of coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, lemongrass and galangal for the true Thai taste that you crave in ordering in restaurants.

    I highly recommend to stock up on these variety pack of curry pastes and coconut milk for last minute dinner ideas. Use whatever veggies, lentils or protein you have in hand and whip up gourmet dinners in no time.

    They have long shelf life and are available in many US grocery stores in addition to Amazon.

    SUBSTITUTIONS

    • Use different vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers or squash.
    • Add some tempeh instead of tofu. For non vegetarian meal, use chicken or shrimps.
    • I have made this curry with plain almond milk and it works too.
    • For WFPB cooking, skip oil and use water to sauté the veggies.
    • To make it truly dump and go recipe, you can skip the sautéing part and just cook all ingredients at once. I personally however, like to sauté the curry paste first which brightens the flavors.

    Vegan Massaman Curry made in Instant Pot.

    INGREDIENTS

    • Vegetables – small onion,  2 medium potatoes and peas and carrots. ( I used frozen )
    • Hard pressed firm Tofu – remove as much excess water as possible.
    • Aromatics – ginger,  garlic,  thai massaman curry paste
    • Coconut Milk
    • Lime or lemon juice
    • Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes
    • Thai basil, cilantro, green onions for garnish – optional

    Ingredients needed to make this curry recipe.

    HOW TO MAKE VEGAN THAI MASSAMAN CURRY

    Start off by sautéing onions in warm oil. Once they get translucent, add minced garlic and ginger and curry paste.

    Sauté well for couple minutes till you sense the aroma.

    Add diced potatoes, vegetables, coconut milk, tofu, salt and pepper. Add water.

    Let it come to boil. Reduce the heat, cover and it cook till potatoes get fork tender.

    Open the lid. Simmer for few minutes. Turn off the heat. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Your delicious curry is ready.

    Garnish it with fresh herbs. Serve warm over rice. Enjoy!

    Process step collage showing how to make Thai Massaman Curry at home.

    We have got a big spot for hearty curries from around the world. Check out our amazing curry collections for scrumptious recipes for easy family dinners. Here are some to name a few:

    • CHICKPEA COCONUT CURRY
    • RED BEANS CURRY – RAJMA MASALA
    • JACKFRUIT COCONUT CURRY
    • EASY PALAK PANEER
    • PUMPKIN PEANUT CURRY
    • EASY SPROUTS CURRY
    • YELLOW PEAS CURRY – MATAR CHAT
    • CHANA MASALA – CHICKPEA CURRY
    • DAL MAKHANI – CREAMY LENTIL CURRY
    • PUNJABI KADHI PAKORA

    Join us on Pinterest and FACEBOOK . You will love all our delicious, wholesome, plant based recipes from around the world.

    ★ If you make this VEGAN THAI MASSAMAN CURRY RECIPE do let us know how you like it by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below.

    A dinner plate with thai massman curry with vegetables, white rice, red onions and lime wedges.

    Thai Massaman Curry with Vegetables

    Prajakta Sukhatme
    Easy, Budget friendly and gourmet delicious! This Thai Massaman Curry will be your family favorite dinner curry for quick dinner or lunch
    4.70 from 26 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Curry
    Cuisine Thai
    Servings 4 cups
    Calories 216 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 teaspoon oil
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 2 medium potatoes - cubed
    • 1 cup firm tofu - cubed
    • ½ cup carrots -chopped
    • ½ cup green peas
    • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
    • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
    • 2 tablespoon Thai Massaman Curry Paste
    • 1 teaspoon raw or brown sugar
    • 1- 14 oz. can full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
    • Salt and pepper per taste

    Optional Garnishes

    • 5-6 stalks green onions chopped
    • 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves chopped
    • 1 tablespoon thai basil leaves chopped
    • Red Pepper Flakes and ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    Instant Pot Thai Massaman Curry

    • Turn Instantpot on and press SAUTE button. After it displays HOT, add oil, chopped onions, curry paste and minced ginger and garlic. Stir well till onions get translucent and you sense the aroma. ( about 3 minutes)
    • Add all the veggies to the pot. Saute them for a minute. Add water and stir everything together making sure to DEGLAZE by scraping the base with spatula.
    • Add coconut milk, sugar, salt and pepper. Give the mixture a good stir.
    • Cancel SAUTE. Close the lid with valve at SEALING. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK and select 4 minute.
    • After InstantPot done cooking, wait on keep warm timer for 5 minutes and then do QPR - quick pressure release by turning the valve to venting.
    • After the silver pin drops, carefully open the lid. Add tofu cubes. Mix well. Your steaming hot curry is ready.
    • If necessary, add more water to thin the curry. Alternatively, if you feel it's too thick, simmer it back on SAUTE for couple minutes.
    • Add in the thai basil leaves, cilantro leaves and chopped green onions and mix. Add lime / lemon juice just before serving.
    • Serve this vegan Thai Massaman Curry with jasmine rice or steamed white rice, brown rice, quinoa or noodles. Enjoy!

    Stove Top Instructions

    • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch Oven or soup pan on medium high heat.
    • Once oil is hot, add chopped onions, curry paste, and minced ginger and garlic. Stir well till onions get translucent and you sense the aroma.
    • Add all the veggies to the pan. Toss veggies for around 2 minutes on medium high heat.
    • Add tofu cubes. Mix well. Add water and stir everything together making sure to scrape the base.
    • Add coconut milk, sugar and salt. Give the mixture a good stir.
    • Cover the pot and let the curry cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. It will come to a light simmer and become thick and creamy.
    • Adjust the consistency of the curry at this point. You can add water to thin it out if you so desire.
    • Add in the thai basil leaves, lime/ lemon juice, cilantro leaves and chopped green onions and mix. Remove pan from heat.
    • Serve this vegan Thai Massaman Curry with jasmine rice or steamed white rice, brown rice, quinoa or noodles. Enjoy!

    Notes

    For Instant Pot Cooking : Since potatoes need to cook longer than rest of the veggies, cut them into small bite size pieces. That will ensure even cooking. Also, I am addding tofu after it's pressure cooked to avoid it from overcooking and get crumbly under pressure.

    HOW TO MAKE MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE AT HOME

    2 shallots sliced
    5 garlic cloves minced 
    2 thai red chilies
    1 tbsp. galangal or ginger minced
    1 stalk lemongrass minced,
    ¼ cup dry roasted peanuts
    1 tsp. ground coriander
    ½ tbsp. ground cumin
    ¼ tsp. ground cardamon
    ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
    â…› tsp. ground nutmeg
    â…› tsp. ground cloves
    1 tsp. palm sugar (or brown sugar)
    Roast the ingredients on medium high heat with some oil. Once they cool down, add couple tablespoons of water and grind it to smooth paste.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.5 cupCalories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 11gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 137mgFiber: 6gSugar: 6g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @ProfusionCurry or tag #ProfusionCurry!

    More Easy Family Dinner Recipes

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    Filed Under: Curry Recipes, Dinner, Gluten Free, Instant Pot, Vegan Recipes, Winter Meals

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    Comments

    1. Sakshi

      February 19, 2021 at 11:42 pm

      Love your pot-in-pot method. Just wanna let you know that the curry paste you’re using has shrimp in it. So, your dish isn’t truly vegan. I have made this mistake before. In case, you try some vegan paste that you liked, do update it here please.

      Reply
      • admin

        March 01, 2021 at 10:03 pm

        The Maseri Curry Paste does not have shrimps in it. These are listed ingredients on the pack- garlic, sugar, soybean oil, dried red chilies, tamarind juice, shallot, salt, lemongrass, spices (coriander seeds, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, galangal, cloves), kaffir lime, galangal, citric acid.

        Reply
    2. Christine

      October 31, 2020 at 2:00 pm

      Can this be converted to be made in a slow cooker?

      Reply
      • admin

        November 02, 2020 at 5:58 pm

        It does not need to be cooked for too long so I am guessing slow cooker will not be needed. Stove top will work perfect

        Reply
    3. Julie

      August 27, 2020 at 10:46 pm

      This sounds delicious! Can you swap curry powder for paste?

      Reply
      • admin

        August 28, 2020 at 10:35 am

        You sure can.

        Reply

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