Thai meets Italian in this soothing and spicy Red Thai Curry Gnocchi recipe. This delicious dish is comfort food with a kick, and it’s super fast and easy to whip together. It’s also vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and is one of the most popular recipes on this website.
Why You Will Love This Easy Gnocchi Recipe
- Dinner is done in 20 minutes (or less). You’ll want to make this recipe (again and again) whenever you need a weeknight meal that doesn’t take much time or effort!
- It’s creamy comfort food that’s vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free! If you’re going dairy-free and/or gluten-free, that’s music to your taste buds! And even if you aren’t, you’ll enjoy its soothing, spicy flavor. I love making this dish on cold, damp nights or when my sinuses complain. It’s the perfect elixir for body and soul. (note: to make this gluten-free, make sure you buy g-f gnocchi and g-f soy sauce)
- This curry recipe is unique. As a recipe developer, my first thought for gnocchi is something Italian. But that’s been done. So when I created this recipe, I thought: why not do a Thai-Italian mash up? And voila! (just to throw some French in there) 😉
- It’s budget-friendly! Need I say more?
Ingredient Notes
Gnocchi. Pre-made, store-bought potato gnocchi make this recipe a breeze. Gnocchi is dairy-free (always check labels, just in case). If you’re eating gluten-free, be sure to purchase gluten-free gnocchi.
Red curry paste. A small jar of Thai red curry paste packs a lot of flavor for your sauce. I typically buy the Thai Kitchen brand. Unfortunately, the popular Trader Joe’s version has milk in it.
Coconut milk. This recipe uses canned coconut milk. Opt for the unsweetened full fat kind (not a “lite” or sweetened version).
Vegetables. Fresh spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, onion and garlic add flavor and nutrients.
Soy sauce. The recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, make sure you’re buying a gluten-free soy sauce (or you can substitute with coconut aminos).
Watch How to Make This Fast and Easy Weeknight Meal
Want to see me make this meal? Watch my one-minute video for this great recipe. Who says a watched pot doesn’t boil?
Step 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Step 2: While you’re waiting for the pot to boil, wash and cut your veggies.
Step 3: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and then saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes on medium-high heat. I love to make this in my cast-iron skillet, but any large skillet will do.
Step 4: Add the mushrooms and saute until the oil is absorbed
Step 5: Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Add the red thai paste, full can of coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce and then spinach leaves to your large skillet
Step 6: Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi to the pot and cook per the package instructions. Typically, they will take only 2-3 minutes to cook. You’ll know they’re done when they pop to the top!
PRO TIP: Set a timer for 2 minutes. It’s easy to lose track of time (for me, at least), and you don’t want mushy gnocchi on your hands.
Step 8: When gnocchi is done, drain the water.
Step 9: Add the cooked gnocchi to the finished sauce. Gently stir to combine.
Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add chicken?
Yes. Some readers who aren’t eating vegan have added shredded chicken for added protein, and they love this recipe with the addition. One added white beans and loved it too.
Can I use more spinach than the recipe calls for?
Absolutely! I have doubled the amount without any issues. If you add too much more, though, you’ll start to change the flavor profile.
Can I use curry powder instead of the paste?
No. Curry paste is a concentrated mixture with fresh ingredients like chili peppers and garlic, and a lot of flavor. Curry powder is a dry powder and isn’t even close to being the same.
Can I swap out the mushrooms for something else?
Yes. This is a versatile recipe. Others have told me, for example, that they swapped mushrooms for broccoli and peppers and loved it.
Can I refrigerate and reheat any leftovers?
Yes. I make this dish often for just myself, and I love eating leftovers (all the pleasure, none of the work). I suggest eating it within 1-2 days to ensure the gnocchi doesn’t get too mushy.
Love This Sauce? Check Out This NEW Recipe Using It!
So many of you have asked for more recipes using the heavenly sauce in this popular recipe. After testing, tasting, re-testing, re-tasting, here’s one worthy of this amazing, creamy, dairy-free sauce!
- Chicken Curry Pasta (note: if you’re eating vegan, you can replace the chicken in the new recipe with mushrooms)
Looking For More Easy Gnocchi Recipes?
- Easy Gnocchi with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Spinach and Bacon
- Vegan Pan-Fried Gnocchi with Mushroom Cream Sauce
Looking for More Easy, Delicious Vegan Recipes?
Red Thai Curry Gnocchi
Equipment
- 1 large pot for boiling gnocchi
- 1 large skillet
- 1 vegetable knife
- 1 large spoon
Ingredients
- 1 package potato gnocchi (4 servings) (if you're eating gluten-free, use gluten-free gnocchi)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion (sliced thin)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 4-5 mushrooms, sliced thin
- 10 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 Tbsp red thai curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk (regular, full fat) (about 13 1/2 oz; 400 ml)
- 1 tsp sugar
- handful of spinach leaves (chopped if desired)
- 1/4 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil
- While you’re waiting for the pot to boil, wash and cut veggies
- In a medium-large skillet, saute the sliced onions and minced garlic in 2 Tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes
- Add mushrooms; saute until oil absorbed
- Add tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes
- Add gnocchi to your now boiling pot of water and cook per package’s instructions (typically you boil 2-3 minutes, until it pops to the top of the water)
- Add red thai paste
- Add full can of coconut milk and then stir in sugar and soy sauce
- Add spinach leaves
- When gnocchi is done, drain and then add to finished sauce. Stir, serve and enjoy!
This red Thai curry gnocchi is such a unique gem of a recipe. It’s super easy, quick, budget-friendly comfort food that tastes sooooo good!
I made this tonight. I’m retired so I have a lot of time and make my own ricotta and then ricotta gnocchi. I also live alone. Tonight I made the full amount of sauce and cooked one portion of my gnocchi. Then I added one cupful of the sauce to a small warm pan and added the gnocchi. The other change I made was to use frozen chopped spinach as a large bag of fresh spinach would be too much for me to use. The meal was delicious. I have some leftover stir fried prawns and veg in the fridge so tomorrow night’s dinner will be a cupful of this sauce added to the prawns and veg. The rest will be frozen in two single portions to use in the future.
A wonderful addition to my regular choices.
This recipe is incredible! We made it as part of my parent’s anniversary dinner and they are obsessed! Definitely will make this again, maybe with homemade gnocchi next time!
Hi Molly — I have been wanting to try it with green curry paste … but I haven’t yet! If you do, PLEASE let me know how it turns out! THANK YOU!! 🙂