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!
I have eaten leftovers of my Red Thai Curry Gnocchi recipe the next day, and it’s delicious. As with any pasta, the gnocchi is a little mushier. A possible solution is to make everything but the gnocchi the day ahead … and then boil the gnocchi the day you serve it. Once you bring a pot of water to a boil, the gnocchi only takes about 2 minutes to boil. 🙂 Let me know how it works out for you!! Thank you 🙂
This recipe looks amazing and I am so excited to try it out! I was just wondering if I can make this dish a day ahead of time & if it would still taste as good served the following day.
I’m so glad that both you and your hubby enjoyed it!! Thank you for letting me know … and good idea with the beans! 🙂
My husband and I both enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for sharing it. I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious. After trying it, we decided to add a drained can of cannellini beans to make it a little more filling as the main dish. We will make this again often.
Hi Jack – a lot of people have been sharing about making this recipe on Pinterest. 🙂 Due to not having one of the recipe’s vegetables in the house at the time (or an aversion or allergy to one), several people have shared that they either left one ingredient out (like mushrooms) or substituted one for something else they had on hand. One subbed mushrooms for broccoli and peppers and loved it; another left out the tomatoes; another added water chestnuts. I think you can’t go wrong by leaving out the mushrooms! Please let me know what you think if you make it.
This looks delicious! For someone with a mushroom allergy, what do you think would work as a substitute for the mushrooms?
I haven’t cooked this with condensed coconut milk, but it’s thicker and sweeter than regular coconut milk. I think you could try using it as a substitute, but I would leave out the optional 1 tsp of sugar in the recipe. Since the condensed milk is thicker (and sweeter), maybe you could use about 2/3 condensed coconut milk and 1/3 water … so since a typical can of coconut milk is 13.5 oz, you could try about 1 cup condensed milk and about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup water (depending on how thick you want the sauce). I hope that helps! Please let me know how it works out!! – Kelly
I have a can of condensed coconut milk! What do I do!
I am so glad you enjoyed it!!! Thank you for letting me know. You just made my day!! 🙂
Omg I just made this and it was SO GOOD. Followed the recipe exactly and it’s great! Adding it to my regular meals!
Yes, drain it as soon as it’s done … then add to the veggies/sauce. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Thanks, Kelly
Do I drain the water after boiling gnocchi?
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and I’ll have to try your one pot suggestion!!
This was so delicious. I did add some chili garlic sauce to add some zip. Will make again and again!
This is hands down one of the best meals I have ever had. One of the easiest too!! This is absolutely the ultimate comfort food…completely healthy comfort food!
The author can make this even more popular by making this a one dish meal. After sauteeing the onions garlic mushrooms together, i added the remaining ingredients including the dry gnocche and cooked it for several more minutes and the gnocche was plump and soft. Perfect!