Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry with Tofu

Too busy after work to make dinner? Place all of the ingredients for this Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry in your crockpot in the morning, and dinner will be ready when you are! Made with cauliflower, green beans, tofu, and Thai red curry paste, it's the perfect dinner for busy weeknights. This super easy recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the slow cooker is a thing of beauty. Health coaching clients have told me that slow cookers scare them, and that they're afraid their house will burn down while they're at work. I've never actually heard of anyone having a slow cooker fire in their house (outside of tear-jerker tv shows, that is), so I really don't think there's anything to worry about.

Temperatures on slow cookers vary between 170 and 200 degrees, and they're actually safer than ovens and stovetops, because of the lower temperatures and closed lids. And I can't emphasize enough how wonderful it is to come home to a hot cooked meal. And, bonus: there's only one pot that needs to be washed after dinner!

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I donated my crock pot once I received an Instant Pot, so that's what I use for slow cooking  I now wish I hadn’t gotten rid of it, but my kitchen was overflowing with too many small appliances.

How to Make Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

This curry is extremely easy to make! I like to chop my vegetables the night before, so it's all ready to go in the morning. (I'm just not a morning person!)

• First you mix the coconut milk, vegetable stock, and red curry paste together in your slow cooker.
• Then you add the onion, garlic, cauliflower, green beans, bell pepper, tofu, and salt.
• Cook your curry on low for 6 to 8 hours.
• Just before serving, mix the dried chiles and lime juice into your curry.
• Serve your curry over brown rice, if using, and top with the toasted cashews.

Baked Tofu

I use baked tofu in this recipe, as I've found that pressed extra firm tofu and fall apart in the slow cooker. If you don't mind that, you can use it instead. I like to use my favorite baked tofu recipe, but store-bought baked tofu can also be used.

Curry Paste

Red curry paste is made with red chili pepper, garlic, lemongrass, shallots, cilantro, and kaffir lime. Sometimes fish or shrimp is added, so make sure you check the label, even when buying a brand you’ve purchased before. (Formulas change and manufacturers don’t always make it clear on the front label.) I like Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste. It can usually be found in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.

How to Toast Cashews

To toast your nuts, place a large, dry (no oil) frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. They can also be roasted in a 400°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because they go from no-yet-done to totally burnt in a matter of seconds.

 

How to Customize Your Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry

You can easily make this recipe your own.

• If you're worried that the onion will have too much of a bite, you can sauté it before adding it to your slow cooker.
• The garlic can also be lightly sautéed before adding it to the slow cooker.
• If you don't like cauliflower or green beans, you can try carrots or sweet potatoes.
• Yellow or green curry paste can be used instead of red.
• If you like your curry spicy, you can add the dried chiles to the crock pot at the beginning.
• I like to serve my curry with brown rice, but you can serve it as is or with noodles.

How to Make Vegetable Curry on the Stovetop

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can make this recipe on your stovetop.

• First you heat about a teaspoon of vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat and cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until it begins to brown.
• Then you add the garlic and cook for another minute or two longer, until it turns fragrant.
• Next you stir in the coconut milk, vegetable stock, curry paste, tofu and salt.
• Then you stir in the cauliflower, green beans, and bell pepper.
• You bring the curry up to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender.
• Once the curry is done, you stir in the lime juice and dried chiles, if you're using them.
• Serve your curry over brown rice, if using, topped with toasted cashews.

Originally published January 19, 2012. Revised September 26, 2021

More Slow Cooker Recipes You Might Like Include:

• Slow Cooker Seitan Stew
• Slow Cooker Chickpea Cacciatore
• Vegan Kung Pao from The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester
• Black Eyed Pea Chili from The Plant-Based Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson

More Curry Style Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:

• Pumpkin Curry
• Coconut Curry Noodles and Butternut Squash from One-Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson
• Thai Sweet Potato Curry from The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook by Jenn Sebestyen
• Green Curry with Green Beans and Sweet Potatoes