Make Your Own Thai Red Curry Paste! Vegan Curry Paste Recipe
The right curry paste is the heart of many Thai dishes. Especially for an authentic Tom Yum or Tom Kha soup, a fresh, homemade curry paste is the key to the perfect flavor. This recipe shows you how to make Tom Yum curry paste easily—with fresh ingredients like kaffir lime leaves, dried chilies, and aromatic garlic—so you can use it in your flavorful vegan Tom Yum or Tom Kha soup! 🌶️🔥
Making your own paste has many advantages: it contains no additives, you can adjust the spice level to your preference, and it delivers a more intense aroma than store-bought products. This vegan red Thai curry paste is not only great for soups but also for curries, stir-fries, or as a seasoning paste for your creative Thai recipes. If you’d like to use your homemade Tom Yum paste right away, try my vegan Tom Yum or Tom Kha soup—it’s the perfect way to enhance the flavors! 😋
I learned these recipes at the vegan cooking school May Kaidee in Bangkok and then adapted them to my needs without losing their authentic flavor. While making curry paste takes about an hour and requires some love and care, it’s really quite simple! A bit of chopping, frying, blending, reducing, and adjusting the seasoning—then your paste is ready!
Here’s a link to the cooking school if you ever find yourself in Bangkok or Chiang Mai and want to take a cooking class. 🇹🇭
Recipe for vegan red Thai Curry Paste
This recipe yields enough paste for 10-20 dishes.
Ingredients
Sunflower oil
½ cup dried chilies (about 20g)
1 large red onion (about 150g)
10-15 cloves garlic
1 carrot (about 150g)
½ cup kaffir lime leaves (about 20g)
Juice of 2-3 limes
3 tbsp brown sugar (about 50g)
At least 3 tbsp soy sauce, to taste
Preparation
Step 1: Sautéing the Onion, Garlic & Carrot
Heat a non-stick pan or wok with plenty of sunflower oil (as it has a high heat resistance). The goal here is more frying than sautéing. Add the finely chopped onion, garlic, and carrot, and cook until the onions turn golden brown.
Step 2: Adding the Tom Yum Flavor
Tear the kaffir lime leaves and add them to the wok along with the dried chilies. If you prefer a milder and creamier paste, remove the chili seeds. Stir well and continue frying for a few more minutes until the aromas are fully released.
Step 3: Blending Everything
Remove the ingredients from the pan, leaving the aromatic oil behind. Transfer the fried vegetables to a blender and puree them into a smooth paste. If necessary, add a small splash of water to help the blender process the mixture.
Step 4: Reducing the Paste
Return the blended paste to the hot pan with the reserved aromatic oil. Keep the heat at medium—there’s no need for high heat. Fry the paste for a few more minutes to reduce excess water, intensifying the flavors and giving the paste its deep, rich taste.
Step 5: Adjusting the Flavor
Add the soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. Stir well and let the paste reduce further until it reaches a thick, creamy consistency.
Done!
Your homemade Tom Yum curry paste is ready! Use it immediately or store it in an airtight jar in the fridge or freezer. Perfect for soups like Tom Yum and Tom Kha, curries, or as a flavorful base for many Thai dishes. 🌶️🔥😋
How to Use Tom Yum Curry Paste
This homemade curry paste is incredibly versatile. It serves as the perfect base for:
Vegan Tom Yum Soup – Spicy, light & aromatic
Vegan Tom Kha Soup – Creamy with coconut milk
Curries & Stir-Fries – Packed with authentic Thai flavors
Marinades & Dips – Perfect for vegetables or tofu
With its bold base of chilies, kaffir lime leaves, onions, and garlic, this paste adds deep and intense flavor to any dish.
Enjoy cooking and bon appétit! 🙌🥄
