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This Thai-Inspired Tofu Pineapple Curry is comfort in a bowl. Sweet, tangy, and full of crunchy veggies for the most refreshing vegan curry you’ve ever tasted!
I think it’s safe to say that you haven’t truly lived until you’ve had pineapple in your curry. It adds a touch of tangy sweetness that’s the perfect complement to creamy coconut milk and Thai curry spices. This Vegan Tofu Pineapple Curry brings all of those tangy, mouthwateringly creamy flavors, plus it’s loaded with colorful, crunchy veggies and hearty tofu. Trust me when I say this is a dish you don’t want to live without!
INGREDIENTS + INSPIRATION
Juicy pineapple chunks combine with a slightly spicy Thai red curry that’s packed with vegetables and tofu for a hearty, refreshing meal. I love to make this curry recipe when fresh pineapple is in season (around March through July), but you can enjoy this year-round thanks to frozen or canned pineapple! When it comes to spice, I like my curry on the more mild side, but if you’d like to turn up the heat, you can add chili oil or fresh Thai chilis for a spicier kick.
The main “curry” flavor for this recipe comes from the combination of Thai red curry paste and coconut milk. You can find red curry paste in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores – the Thai Kitchen brand is vegan, but double check the ingredients on other brands because sometimes they will have fish in them.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN TOFU PINEAPPLE CURRY
Ready in about 30 minutes, this Vegan Tofu Pineapple Curry couldn’t be easier to make! Simply sauté your curry paste, ginger, and pineapple, pour in the coconut milk and a few other ingredients, then add your veggies and let everything cook. A quick squeeze of fresh lime juice and a scoop of warm, fluffy rice and you’re ready to enjoy!
- Sauté the curry paste and ginger in coconut oil, then add the pineapple and caramelize.
- Pour in the coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt and stir until the curry paste has dissolved. Add in the bell peppers, carrots, bamboo shoots, and tofu.
- Cover and bring to a simmer. Once bubbling, uncover and reduce heat. Cook until the carrots are tender.
- For a thicker curry, dissolve arrowroot powder in water and stir into the curry (optional).
- Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Serve over rice and top with fresh cilantro.
Almost any given night of the week, I’m craving curry from my favorite Thai restaurant. This cozy Pineapple Tofu Curry is the perfect homemade version for when I need a warm bowl of creamy red curry from the comfort of my own kitchen 😊 Of course, my favorite way to enjoy this is over a bed of fluffy white rice, but sometimes I like to mix things up and serve it over chewy rice noodles for a fun twist! Whether you serve yours over rice or noodles, don’t forget to add that squeeze of fresh lime juice for the ultimate finishing touch.
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes, this recipe is gluten-free; I would recommend double checking the ingredients on your red curry paste just to be sure though!
- Can I use frozen pineapple? You can use either frozen pineapple or canned pineapple instead of fresh. If you used canned pineapple, make sure it is stored in juice, not syrup.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days after making. You can also freeze your leftover curry for up to 2 months for easy meal prep you can throw in the microwave!
If you’re looking for more Thai-inspired recipes, you’ll love this classic Thai Green Curry, this Easy Vegan Pad Thai, and this Fresh Thai-Inspired Salad with Tempeh!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintVegan Pineapple Curry (Thai-Inspired)
This Thai-Inspired Tofu Pineapple Curry is comfort in a bowl. Sweet, tangy, and full of crunchy veggies for the most refreshing vegan curry you’ve ever tasted!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3 to 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/2“-1” knob of ginger, finely grated
- 3–4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 3/4 cup fresh cubed pineapple (or sub canned)
- 1 14 ounce (403 mL) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 5 ounces (142 g) canned bamboo shoots, rinsed well
- 1 16 oz (460 g) block super firm tofu, cubed
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch (optional)
- Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
- Cooked jasmine rice, for serving (optional)
- Fresh Cilantro, chopped, chopped, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Aromatics: Melt the coconut oil in a large sauté pan or pot over medium high heat. Once warm, add the red curry paste and ginger and fry for 60 to 90 seconds. Then, add in the fresh pineapple and sauté for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring only occasionally to help caramelize it.
- Make the Curry: Pour in the coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt. Use a spoon to mix well, until the curry paste has completely dissolved. Then, add in the bell pepper, carrots, bamboo shoots, and tofu.
- Simmer: Cover the pan, raise the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once bubbling, uncover the pan and reduce the heat to medium; simmer for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Thicken the Curry (optional): If you would like a thicker curry, dissolve the arrowroot powder in 1 tablespoon of water, then add to the curry and stir well; this will help to create a thicker sauce.
- Garnish & Serve: Remove the curry from the heat and add in the lime juice; serve warm over rice and top with cilantro. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Substitutions: you can use canned pineapple instead of fresh if you would like. The tofu and veggies can be swapped out for your favorite veggies of choice, just keep the relative amount of them the same! Coconut sugar can be replaced with cane sugar.
Keywords: pineapple curry, thai pineapple curry
This was SO GOOD!! I also threw in some shiitake and thai basil (mainly because I needed to use it up lol) and it’s my favorite thing I’ve made in a long time.
So yummy and flavorful 😋
★★★★★
Happy you enjoyed it, Holly!
Good recipe! One thing that was off for us was the salt–we LOVE salt but 1 t. was too much. I would cut it down to 1/2 add then add as needed.
This was my favorite recipe I tried this year! It was delicious and super easy to make! I added some red pepper flakes for some heat and ate it over stir-fry rice noodles and even my 7 year loved it! I’ll definitely by making this again!
★★★★★
Thanks for the review, Tiffany! So glad the whole family enjoyed it!
I’m confused on how much ginger? There’s a typo in the recipe. It says 1/12/2″. Please clarify.
Good eye, Jan! It has been corrected now. It’s 1/2″ – 1” (half an inch to an inch size) knob of ginger
This is so so delicious. Caitlin did it again!
★★★★★
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the curry, Ann!
This was seriously soooo good! I don’t think I’ll ever order red curry out again haha
★★★★★
It’s a game-changer! Glad you loved it, Aubrey.
This was a yummy recipe with loads of flavor! 😋 I had a 20 oz can of Del Monte deluxe gold pineapple so I used that and I replaced the water with the drained pineapple juice. Thanks for a quick and delicious recipe! 😊
★★★★★
My pleasure, Debra! I’m so glad you enjoyed the curry!
Delicious and so comforting meal! I didn’t have coconut sugar so I used regular and brown sugar, it worked well! It is a recipe that I’ll make again for sure! 😋
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Barbara!
Really tasty! I used mushrooms, snow peas, and a bell pepper as veggies. I subbed canned pineapple for fresh. Everything turned out perfectly and i will definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Mar!
I made this last night – omg it was sooo good! I can’t wait to make it again!
★★★★★
Glad you liked it, Ludivine!
This was so dang good! I loved that it was easy being all in one pot and the flavors were just perfect, especially with pineapple. This definitely satisfied my craving for Thai takeout and I’ll absolutely be making it again!
★★★★★
Thank you, Bethany!
I made this for dinner last night. Used snap peas instead of bamboo shoots as that’s what I had on hand & baked my tofu (as per your Kung Pao recipe – SO GOOD!) and added it at the end. Loved it! So quick, easy & delicious. Will definitely be making this one regularly. Thanks Caitlin!
★★★★★
This was perfect. Easily the greatest recipe I’ve found on the internet- others always being too thin, flavorless, etc. I never end up having to tweak any of your recipes, it’s like they were made for me, lol!
★★★★★
Happy you found this recipe and loved it, Torrie! Thank you so much!
Pretty dang good!! I followed your recipe with some minor changes.
– I had a mix of veggies pre-chopped – 1/2 red bell pepper, 1/2 zucchini, 1/4 red onion, & 1/2 yellow squash. Though I am confident a bell pepper would have very sufficient. I roasted them all beforehand. I still used carrots per recipe.
– Tapioca starch instead of the starches mentioned
– Coconut cream instead of full fat coconut milk
– Plain tempeh instead of tofu (highly recommend! especially for those who tend to dislike tofu)
– Served with millet instead of rice
All in all, this has been my favorite curry recipe off the internet & I really appreciate your time & effort. (:
★★★★★
Thank you so much!