I absolutely LOVE pasta and I love quick and easy meals! So this Asian style vegan one pot pasta with coconut milk and red curry paste is absolutely perfect. It’s my new favorite meal for weeknight dinners. Easy, healthy, and so incredibly delicious and creamy.
And you need only one pot to make it! This vegan one pot pasta really couldn’t be much easier. You just throw in all of the ingredients – including the uncooked pasta – and then cook it for about 15 minutes.
This way it’s packed with flavor and it saves you lots of time and also dirty dishes. As all my recipes, it’s of course 100 % vegan.
When I first tried one pot pasta, I was actually really skeptical. I mean it does sound a bit weird, doesn’t it? And when I shared my vegan one pot spaghetti with vegetables on my Facebook page, some people actually got really mad. Haha!
One guy even commented that this would be considered a blasphemy in Italy. Well, this vegan one pot pasta might not be a traditional pasta recipe, but it’s so darn delicious!! It’s like an Asian style one pot pasta with the coconut milk and the red curry paste. Super aromatic, a bit spicy, and sooo creamy!
What You Need For This Vegan One Pot Pasta
- pasta (I used fusilli, but other small pasta work just as well)
- one zucchini
- frozen peas
- one red bell pepper
- cherry tomatoes
- one onion
- two cloves of garlic
- coconut milk
- diced tomatoes
- red curry paste (make sure it’s vegan!)
As always, you can find the full recipe beneath the text section in a separate, printable recipe box.
I hope you like this vegan one pot pasta with veggies as much as I do. Let me know if you give it a try. As always, I love hearing from you guys, whether it’s on the blog, on Facebook, or Instagram.
Hope you all have a great weekend! Sina – xx
Creamy Vegan One Pot Pasta (Asian Style)
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 4 1/2 cups uncooked fusilli
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste
- 3 cups diced tomatoes (canned) (do not drain)
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (whole fat) (use the creamy part)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a large pot and sauté the onion for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic, the zucchini, and the red bell pepper and cook for 2 more minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients except for the cherry tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes (uncovered and on medium heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for two more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Enjoy!
Oh my gosh, this sounds so good! I love red curry anything!
Love how you put a twist to the one pot pasta and made it a curry!
Could I use curry powder instead of curry paste? Why do some recipes call for powder and some paste. How do they differ?
Hi Lorraine, No, I definitely wouldn’t recommend using curry powder for this recipe. Curry paste is totally different from curry powder, it doesn’t even contain curry. Red curry paste is actually a mixture of different spices you use to make curries. It usually contains lemongrass, garlic, cumin, chili peppers, and shallots. You can either buy it at the grocery store or Asian market or make it yourself. Hope that helps! :-)
Do you cook the noodles first, set them to the side then add back in later… or when it says add remaining ingredients, you’re boiling the noodles with everything else??
Hi Kristen, No, you just boil the noodles with everything else. Super easy. :-) It might seem like you need more liquid at first, but it really works out. ;-)
Hi Sina! I was wondering if gluten free pasta would cook the same in this recipe. Also, all I am ever able to find in stores as far as curry paste goes is this reeeeaaallly spicy curry paste…is there a different curry paste or brand that you could direct me to? Thanks so much!
Hi Jess,
To be honest I haven’t tried the recipe with gluten-free pasta yet. But I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. :-) But depending on what kind of pasta you use you have to adjust the cooking time. About the curry paste: Do you live in the U.S.? My favorite red curry paste is from Exotic Food, it’s from Thailand. Do you maybe have an Asian supermarket where you live? They usually have a bigger selection of curry pastes.
Hope this helps! :-)
Hi what brand of this is vegan?
The Thai Kitchen brand is vegan☺️
I love all of the flavors in this dish! Red curry and pasta sound so wonderful together.
Love this creative spin! One pot pasta is the best – so easy. I think it’s hilarious that people got mad about your other one because it’s not “traditional”. If we only ate traditional foods, eating would get pretty darn boring! I’m all for NEW traditions – like ONE POT PASTA!
Mmmmm! I definitely need more pasta in my love. Love how simple and seriously creamy this beauty is!!
I just made this last night. I felt compelled to leave a comment. In one word, it was INCREDIBLE!! Thank you very much for this. I love your recipes! I made your bean balls last time and those were also great! This dish is 10 out 10! Wow. . Thanks!
I can’t believe that people got mad over your one pot pasta recipe. Big eye roll. This looks and sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing, Sina.
Hi Sina! I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! I had put down a zucchini on my grocery list but somehow forgot to buy it, so I had to improvise. The only other squash I had in my kitchen was butternut, so I threw some pieces in and it worked out well. The next time, I will remember the zucchini! This is the perfect meal for a busy weeknight, I love how quickly it comes together. Thank you! ?
I know curry powder is way different than curry paste but curry powder is all I had and it turned out great I added other spices as well
Hi
I made it with Hot Jamaican Curry Powder.
It was delicious!
Try it!
Blessings
How much curry powder did you use in place of paste? And what other spices?
Are your fucking serious?
Super Easy! My boyfriend loved it! Will definitely make again and again! Thank you!
I so enjoy your site and your recipes. Would you please consider adding a print option so we can enjoy your recipes a little more easily. Thank you.
Does the pasta have to be pre-cooked. I hope that’s not a stupid question. I believe that it doesn’t.
Hi Suzy, No problem! :-) The recipe is super easy and you’re right, the pasta doesn’t have to be pre-cooked. Let me know if you got any more questions. Hope you like the recipe. Have a great weekend! :-)
I didn’t pre cook the pasta and filled the recipe to a T. The pasta was chewy and not done when the cooking time was finished. I had to add 2 cups of water. Did I do something wrong? Thanks. Delicious!
Hi Megen, Oh that’s weird. I’ve tried it so many times and it always works just fine with the liquid. Did you cook it on high heat? I’m so glad it still turned out delicious! :-)
I wonder if she drained the diced tomatoes?
Hi Joyce,
No need to drain the diced tomatoes. You need the liquid. :-)
So I’m making this rn and I’m a little confused, you don’t add any water? How’s it gonna cook? ^^’
Hi Alice, No, you don’t have to add any water. It got enough liquid from the canned tomatoes and the coconut milk. :-)
Can I use almond milk instead of coconut milk. Trying to keep my fats down.
Hi Kristi, I wouldn’t recommend using almond milk instead of coconut milk in this dish. It just won’t get as creamy…
Just wondering……would you recommend 2 cans of diced tomatoes? The Muir Glen fire roasted cans are 14.5 oz and 1.5 cups per can?
This recipe looks delicious and EASY!!!! Thank you ????
Hi Denise, Yes, you need 3 cups of diced tomatoes for this recipe. Hope you like it. It really is super easy to make. :-)
Make sure you add the dry pasta right in with everything else in the pot, do not boil it seperately, I did not realize this and boiled it seperately and the whole dish turned out watery and not creamy at all, I’m guessing the dry pasta is supposed to soak up some of the liquid as it cooks? Did not turn out like I expected because I screwed up that step
Hi Jon, Oh, yes you definitely have to add the pasta with everything else! That’s why it’s so super easy. Otherwise it won’t work. The pasta will soak up all the liquid, which makes it really creamy. Hope you give this another try. :-)
I doubled the red curry paste for a more powerful taste and added 1 cup of vegetable broth because the pasta was not cooked enough and there was no more liquid left in the pot (started to stick to the bottom). Great taste, would make again.
Hi!
I always get confused. When people say Coconut Milk,
Is it the coconut milk in the cold section like to use with cereal or the actual coconut milk in a can? Sorry if it was a stupid question! :(
Hi Sheena,
It’s not a stupid question. ;-) It’s the one in the can. Hope you like the recipe!
Will coconut milk coming from the cold section as opposed to the can still work? That’s what I grabbed at the store, hoping I can still get a similar result..
Hi Jessica,
No, you need the canned coconut milk for this recipe. You mean the the refrigerated coconut milk that is similar to almond or soy milk, right? It is often watered down sometimes even sweetened, so you can’t get the same results.
Hope this helps. :-)
If you’re still getting these, you should update your recipe as people post things, if you can. I made a lot of the same mistakes people leaving comments made, including getting the milk from the cold section. Would be helpful for those of us trying something really new. I was wondering why mine was looking nothing like your pictures. Thanks for the recipe! Will make it again the right way!!
Hi Mike,
Sorry about that! I just updated the ingredient list to make it more clear that you need full fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. I also added some more information that might be helpful. Let me know if you can think of anything else. :-)
What kind of onion ? I got a red onion and now I’m thinking you meant thos long green onions!
Hi it’s me again! I made it & it’s the BOMB.COM AMAZEBALLS!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!
Hi it’s me again! I made it & it’s the BOMB.COM AMAZEBALLS!!!!! Thank you!!!!!!
Question: Is there only one cup of liquid in this dish? (I saw 1 cup of coconut milk). Did I miss something?
Hi Deb, You also got 3 cups of canned tomatoes. So in total 4 cups of liquid. :-)
Hi Sina:
Made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! I added some additional red curry paste and tossed in a can of chickpeas at the end.
I’m thinking I might try this in the instant pot in the future ????
Thanks!
4 and 1/2 uncooked cups of pasta?
Yes! The pasta gets cooked in the coconut milk and all off the veggies. It works!
Can you give a weight for pasta? Is it a pound? Half pound?
It’s 12 oz. I used Creamettes brand (Rotini).
PS: If you can find fresh Thai Basil (worth my 15-mile drive to a little Asian market), it really enhances this dish, as much or as little as you like, and is a pretty garnish.
I made this last night for dinner and everyone loved it! It was so easy to make and we loved how creamy it was. I did end up adding some broth – my tomatoes weren’t very liquidy and I think my pot choice wasn’t the best. I used a big soup pot, but I think a wider shallow pot would have worked better for me. This was actually my first time trying a one pot pasta dish if you can believe that. :) Anyway, loved it, Sina! Thank you!
I’m wondering if this might also work with rice instead of pasta? If so, how much rice?
I doubled the curry. I also used the yellow curry paste. It came out so good. 100% recommend!
thanks for sharing this yummy look recipe. will surely try this out.
Great flavorful one pot meal. I needed just a bit more depth for my taste so doubled the curry paste, added a bit more water and also sprinkled crushed dried fenugreek (kasoori methi) leaves over the top to serve. Looooove.
Could this be made in an instant pot? If so, what needs to be changed or added? Cooking times? Thanks! :)
Nutritional info? Carbs, fat, protein, calories???
Just made this – I used red lentil pasta and added a bit more lemon juice at the end of cooking. Sooo good!!
Yummy! I LOVE red lentil pasta. Great idea! :-)
Just made this recipe and it turned out great! I loved how creamy and flavorful it was! I will definitely be making this again!
Hi Victoria,
Thanks so much for your comment. So glad you liked it! :-)
Sina
Soooooo good!!!! Tasted great. Will be one of my go to recipes. It has flavor!!
Hi Liz,
So glad you liked it this much! It’s one of my favorite weeknight dinners as well! :-)
Sina
Should this be covered while cooking?
I used penne rigate pasta so it may have needed more liquid. So I added a half cup more coconut milk and put a lid on…came out perfect. Great recipe
This was by far the most impressive vegan recipe I’ve had. I’m kinda new to the vegan lifestyle. This dish was delicious! I did worry there wasn’t enough liquid but it turned out just right! Also, not sure if I missed it or it’s not posted, but it doesn’t say how high the stove should be or if it should be covered or not. I had mine on med-high and covered once I put everything in. I did keep stirring to get the liquid covering everything. I also wasn’t sure how the ingredients would come together but they DID. My kids loved it as well. Thank YOU for this!!!
THIS IS DELICIOUS!! Because I do not use oil in anything, I sauted the onion by themselves. Onions make their own “juice” and no need to use oil! I also added 2x the red curry paste (yum). Also, this recipe takes MUCH longer than 13 minutes for the pasta to cook. More like 30 minutes, covered pot on medium heat . Because of the extra cooking involved, I don’t add the peas until the VERY end, right before you eat (along with the cherry tomatoes), because they get mushy. This was such a hit that I am making it for my non-vegan company tomorrow!
I just made this. So yummy! I did add a little water because I didn’t read the comments first. Next time I won’t add the water. This is so satisfying! Comfort food for vegans!
I made this and it was wonderful. I saved it and make it on rotation now. Very easy and quite tasty.
This was amazing!
I wouldnt add or change a thing, and I never five stars but I would on this one.
I’m confused how people are making this without any additional liquids?! I had to add the entire can of coconut milk, essentially doubling the entire curry portion (which I’m not complaining about!) AND 2 cups water.. maybe I chose the wrong pot?! Anyways, it tastes fantastic!
This is delicious and super easy to make. I added extra curry paste and cooked it covered in medium heat. The entire family loved it!
OMG I just made this and I can’t stop eating it. WOW. thank you.
I made this and after looking at the recipe again, I had forgotten to add the canned tomatoes, no wonder it didn’t cook through and I wound up adding a bit of vegan yogurt and some water. It was still delicious and will give it another go with the canned tomatoes. Thanks!
Looks delicious!!
Going to make this dish in the upcoming days!!
Thanks for the recipe.
How many ounces of pasta is this?
12
ah i was excited for this but it never came together for me taste wise :(
Sina,
Covered or uncovered? And do you boil it when you put the noodles in?
Hi Deanna,
Uncovered and on medium heat. Hope that helps! :-)
I cooked exactly to the recipe except for one of the cups of diced tomatoes I used crushed because I had some leftover. It came out creamy and rich and deliscious and I don’t understand why people are saying to add wate or broth. Great recipe!
This was so amazing. The flavors were perfect, and I was so scared the noodles wouldn’t cook, but I trusted the recipe, followed it to a T, and it worked out perfectly!! I’ve never left a comment on a recipe before, but as soon as I took my first bite I knew I had to leave a reply to let everyone know how much we appreciate this recipe. Thank you, thank you!
I made this last night. The only change I made was I added about a heaping Tbsp of red curry paste. It was very good but it didn’t taste Asian. It was more Italian and so we added some parm cheese. I was expecting more of a Thai flavor? I used 2 cans of diced tomatoes. Maybe it was too much?
I also had to add a can of veggie broth to make this work. Maybe the type of noodles you use affects how much liquid you need? Also doubled the amount of curry paste.
Just made this and loved it! I used a whole tablespoon of red curry paste, and the whole can of coconut milk, and it is just delightful! Best recipe I’ve made in a while! :)
Oh my goodness. I was skeptical about this recipe at first because I’m usually not a huge fan of coconut milk but I decided to give it a try anyway. I’m so glad I did! This recipe turned out amazing and I will absolutely be making it again. I added a little bit of tomato sauce for a saucier pasta but I loved the flavors and it was the perfect amount of coconut. Great recipe!
This is a great recipe but 4.5 cups of dry pasta is way too much in my opinion. I use 2 cups dry and it’s perfect!
Does this really only serve 3 people?
Hi Lori, Depends a little on how much you eat, but yes for us it’s only for 3 people. :-)
I’m a huge fan of simple one pot meals! Love that his recipe is loaded with veggies. ????
Omg, I made this pasta tonight and I have to say it’s not only super easy to make but also just absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! Thank you for this recipe! <3
This turned out great. I added extra veg, so I ended up adding the whole can of coconut milk, a touch more curry paste, and a bit of veggie broth for moisture as it cooked. Thanks for an easy, flavorful recipe, that even my 3 year old daughter ate up!
Just made this tonight, pretty sure I messed it up but it turned out good. ate 3 bowls myself and took some to a coworker that loves to try my new vegan creations(Vegan in a small town means im the oddball and nobody understands).
Pretty sure I cooked on to high of a temp since it came out more like a goulash than a creamy pasta. and I had to muscle some burnt offerings off the bottom of my pot. Not sure if i used the right coconut milk as my can was half liquid half solids. wasnt sure how to measure it so i used the whole can. i had a slightly larger can of diced tomatoes aswell so i figure theyd balance out.
Eventually I will give this another go, gonna try and go lower on the heat, and a bit more on the curry paste as I didnt get much heat or anything(but im not used to curry so maybe im just missing it). Also have to be sure to prep all my chopped veg before i start. New recipes make my panic and i lose track of what im doing(my onions were ready to add the other vegetables before i even had them chopped.)
Any tips I can get would be helpful as I am totally new to basically all of this, pasta, one pots, etc.
This is my FAVORITE pasta dish ever! It is so easily customizable. I have made the dish with the red curry paste and with plain old curry powder and made a makeshift paste, and it was great both times (although I prefer the red paste). Love it.
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I made this dish today, I it was easy however I did have to add extra liquid and even so some of the pasta almost burnt! Also I found that the coconut milk gives it a very strong after taste!
Hi from Scotland 🏴
Great recipe , all the ingredients were easy to get. I will make my own red Thai paste in future as it’s a struggle in a small town to get a vegan brand . So yummy though and my 3 year old son and partner loved it too 👌🏽❤️🌱
I wasn’t sure how much chicken to cook so I just added to taste. The meal was amazing thank you
Made this with some tweaking tonight, no curry paste or coconut milk, did my best with spices and coconut oil plus macadamia nut milk, also didnt havecanned dicded tomatoes so i just chopped up the whole pint of cherry tomatoes and threw them in a bit earlier
It turned out great!
I really liked it.
now its my time to try this
thanks
This is simply AMAZING!! Made it twice last week and it came out so good. Thanks for the recipe, Sina!
This pasta is BOMB! So easy and so delicious! Added some pressed tofu for protein. Will be a regular in our rotation going forward.
My daughter loves this!!!
Thanks Sina
Was feeling pretty depressed lately and this was such an easy shop + cook on a busy day. Uplifting and I love how the pasta soaks up the coconut curry. I let it simmer abit longer than stated. Thank you!
Thank you for this collection of simple vegan recipes. I am new to vegan cooking and it was just what I needed for inspiration.
Tonight I made this recipe and loved it. I made it as written except I used whole wheat pasta. My sauce started to be too thick so I added the rest of the can of coconut milk. I was worried that the whole grain pasta would not cook without more liquid, but it was fine. I just wanted more sauce so I added the extra coconut milk, I don’t think it was really needed.
Tomorrow I will try the pesto spinach quinoa tomatoes. Thanks again!
This was SO yummy. Wow! The whole family loved it. Also, I accidentally bought chipotle diced tomatoes, and it added an extra kick. Delicious.
This was SCRUMPTIOUS!! I made it after work one night and had enough for lunch the next day (and the day after that)! So good!! I will be making this for all of my friends. I used chickpea pasta for a little protein. Super easy, and all stuff I have in the cabinet and fridge at almost any time!!
Dang this stuff is good!
Made this tonight actually very yum, I added an extra can of milk and my pasta was cooked but a bit gluey,will definitely make again 👍
Tried this and it was super good!!! I was very leery about cooking the pasta in the pot without boiling them beforehand, but it came out well. I did end up using 2 cans of diced tomatoes, because if i measured it out, about 1/4 of the can was left over. I also used the whole can of coconut milk, not just the creamy part. I also used double the amount of the curry paste. But all in all, I will make again!
Tasted amazing, thank you very much for the recipe. Highly recommended
Hi Sina, I love your recepi, and the fact that you included the nutritional data. Just wanted to check with you, is the serving size 1 cup?
Thank you for this recipe. I made it last night and it turned out terrific. I used chick pea fusilli for the pasta. For my meat-eater, I did a little chicken in another pan and then threw it into his bowl. I love how the pasta cooked without adding liquid. I’ll definitely be trying some of your other one-pot dishes. Thanks again.
I love this recipe! So simple to make and so delicious! I just wonder if anyone tried to make it with gluten free pasta? I’d love to make it for my mum but she can’t eat gluten.
Hey Sina! Thanks for the recipe! I decided to add Asian mushrooms and one cube of vegan bullion. Delicious!
We love this dish! It’s a staple in our dinner rotation. We also add sliced mushrooms and chic peas for some protein. We’ve tried it with other types of pasta, but decided we like rotini or curly pasta the best. Thanks for sharing!
Just made this with Gluten free pasta, and its sooo good! I added an extra teaspoon of curry paste and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
This recipe was DELICIOUS!! We doubled the curry paste (maybe more than doubled, it was eyeballed but we love curry), added a diced “little hotties” hot pepper from food lion, and about 8oz or so of cubed chicken seitan for some protein. Next time we will probably add some more halved tomatoes (those were little treats hidden in the pasta). We were wary there wouldn’t be enough liquid, but it totally worked out and the pasta was cooked through. It tried to stick a bit, but with constant gentle turning it was just fine. Thanks!! Next time we’re doubling the recipe so we can eat it all week! Yum! (And so colorful!!)
Thanks for sharing! I made this in advance for weekday lunches at placement. This will definitely fuel me for a 12 hour shift! In addition, I added a crown of broccoli and about 1/2 cup of snow peas in with the peppers and zucchinis too cook. I omitted the garlic and added a few handfuls of spinach in at the end with the tomatoes. Unfortunately the curry taste wasn’t all there, but that’s nothing a little sprinkle of hot curry powder can’t fix on each serving! Loving how easy and creamy this recipe is :)
It’s annoying when recipes say “add the remaining ingredients.” It’s confusing for newer cooks who are trying to follow the order. This one says add the remaining ingredients, except for the tomatoes, and then adds lemon juice at the end with no mention of it in the steps.
I have not cooked with curry since I tried a curry recipe a couple of years ago i was not pleased with. I decided to give it another try and I am so glad I did. At first I wasn’t sure but it grew on me very quickly. I made the recipe mostly as written – I forgot to purchase the cherry tomatoes so had none and I used gluten free rice fusilli. It was great (even without the cherry tomatoes). This will be in my rotation. Since my husband and son are neither gluten free nor vegan, quick meals are a blessing. I will be trying more of your posted recipes this week. Thank you for taking the time to share these!!
This was DELICIOUS!! So easy and quick to prepare.
I made some ingredient modifications – subbed frozen peas for fresh broccoli florets and canned tomatoes for fresh tomatoes. I was super skeptical at first, but the pasta cooked perfectly only using only the cream part of the coconut milk and 3 cups of diced tomatoes. In the future, I plan to use more fresh tomatoes (maybe 4 cups?) to have more of a “sauce.”
So, what does one do with the left over coconut liquid in the can? I thought I could drink it, but it was too intense. I’d hate to waste it.
I added a cup of broth because it wouldn’t cover all the ingredients, especially the pasta. It turned out good and tastes good. I doubled the red curry paste but it still just tasted like an Italian pasta dish, however, there was no red curry flavor. I would make this again, but not expect it to be a curry dish whatsoever.