This Thai-inspired mango curry features juicy mango chunks, pan-fried tofu, and red bell peppers in a luscious coconut curry sauce. It’s easy to make and a total flavor bomb!
I’m a little bit obsessed with mangos. They’re the number one most eaten fruit in my house! And while I’m happy to chop them up and eat mango pieces all by themselves, it’s much more fun to incorporate them into creative new recipes that I can share on this site.
Savory mango recipes are especially fun. The little bursts of sweetness that you get from mangoes in a savory dish is always a pleasant surprise!
This mango curry is my new favorite savory way to enjoy mangoes. I honestly wasn’t sure how this would go, but it turned out delicious. This dish is is decadent, creamy, and full of flavors that compliment each other beautifully.
It’s also really easy to make!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tofu. Super firm or extra firm tofu both work well in this recipe. You’ll need to press your tofu if it’s the extra firm variety.
- Peanut oil. You can substitute any high-heat oil here. Coconut oil, vegetable oil, and avocado oil are all good choices.
- Onion.
- Curry paste. I chose yellow curry paste because it contains warming spices that go well with the sweet, fruity flavor of mangoes. You can substitute a different type of curry paste if you’d like though. Massaman or red curry paste would both be good choices. Whichever type you go with, make sure your paste is vegan. I used Maesri brand.
- Coconut milk. Use the canned variety of coconut milk, and not the drinking type sold in cartons. The recipe calls for full-fat coconut milk, but I think light would work as well.
- Fresh mango. Pretty much any variety of mango will work, but I prefer smoother, less fibrous types like Ataulfo mangoes for this recipe. Make sure your mango is ripe. Not sure how to determine that? Check out my guide to selecting a ripe mango.
- Red bell pepper.
- Lime juice. Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
- Salt.
- Fresh basil. Use Thai basil if you can get ahold of some. If not, Italian basil works just fine!
- Peanuts. Use roasted and salted peanuts. Cashews can be substituted if needed.
- Cooked rice. I like my mango curry with jasmine rice, but just about any variety will do.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe!
- Pan-fry your tofu. To do this you’ll need to heat up a bit of oil in a nonstick skillet, add diced tofu and cook the pieces for a few minutes.
- Flip the tofu once or twice while it cooks. This will get the pieces browned and crispy on multiple sides.
- Start your curry while the tofu cooks. Heat up some oil in a large pot, then add sliced onion. Cook the onion for a few minutes, stirring it from time to time, until the pieces become soft and translucent.
- Stir in your curry paste and cook it with the onion for a minute or two. Be careful not to let anything burn! You’ll want to stir the mixture continuously as it cooks.
- Stir in coconut milk, diced mango, and diced bell pepper. Raise the heat and let the curry simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened up a bit and the bell pepper pieces are tender.
- Stir the cooked tofu into your curry, then take the pot off of heat.
- Stir in lime juice, fresh basil, and salt to taste. Give the curry a taste-test and adjust any seasonings to suit your taste.
- Serve the mango curry over rice with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover mango curry will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is if your curry paste is certified gluten-free. Maesri yellow curry paste doesn’t appear to be. Thai Kitchen red curry paste is gluten-free and can be substituted, though it will give your curry a different flavor.
There are many varieties of curry, so it really depends on what type you’re working with. Thai curries in general go well with mango, and yellow curry in particular works really well with the fruity flavors in mangoes.
Not very. Nearly all Thai curries have a bit of heat to them, but yellow is one of the milder varieties.
More Thai Curries
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Thai Mango Curry
This Thai-inspired mango curry features juicy mango chunks, pan-fried tofu, and red bell peppers in a luscious coconut curry sauce. It’s easy to make and a total flavor bomb!
Ingredients
-
2
tablespoons
peanut oil
(or high-heat oil of choice), divided -
1
(1 ounce or 454 gram) package
super firm tofu,
cut into ½ inch pieces (Note 1) -
1
small onion,
sliced into thin strips -
¼
cup
yellow curry paste
(or more or less to taste) -
1
(14 ounce or 400 ml) can
full-fat coconut milk -
1 ½
cups
diced (½ inch) ripe mango
(about 4 small or 2 large mangoes) -
1
medium red bell pepper,
roughly chopped -
1
tablespoon
lime juice,
plus more to taste -
Salt,
to taste -
½
cup
chopped fresh basil -
¼
cup
roasted & salted peanuts,
roughly chopped -
Cooked rice,
for serving
Instructions
-
Coat the bottom of a medium nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of the oil and place it over medium heat.
-
Once the oil is hot, add the tofu cubes in an even layer. Cook the tofu for about 10 minutes, flipping the pieces once or twice in order to achieve browning on multiple sides.
-
Transfer the cooked tofu to a plate when it’s done.
-
While the tofu cooks, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pot.
-
Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
-
Add the curry paste and cook it with the onion for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
-
Stir in the coconut milk, mango, and bell pepper. Raise the heat and bring the sauce to a boil.
-
Lower the heat and let the curry simmer for about 10 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the sauce has reduced a bit.
-
Stir in the tofu cooked, then remove the pot from heat.
-
Stir in the lime juice, fresh basil, and season the curry with salt to taste.
-
Serve the curry over rice, topping each plate or bowl with a sprinkle of peanuts.
Recipe Notes
- Extra firm tofu can be substituted, but you’ll need to press it before cutting.
- Nutrition information does not include rice.
Nutrition Facts
Thai Mango Curry
Amount Per Serving
Calories 533
Calories from Fat 397
% Daily Value*
Fat 44.1g68%
Saturated Fat 26g130%
Sodium 1322mg55%
Potassium 699mg20%
Carbohydrates 25.8g9%
Fiber 8.9g36%
Sugar 15.3g17%
Protein 16.6g33%
Calcium 258mg26%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
