Simple Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

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What’s better than an easy and soothing soup made in the slow cooker? Red curry and coconut milk come together to create a very flavorful vegan red curry noodle soup perfect for cold days. The best part of this red curry soup is its versatility. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand.

I will note that this soup can be very messy. We have nicknamed this soup Sloppy Soup because the slippery rice noodles love to splash around and make a mess on your table (or shirt). Sloppy Soup just doesn’t sound as appealing, so we’ll keep that name to my household (unless you’d like to adopt it as well!).

What is red curry noodle soup?

The combination of basil and red curry is one of my absolute favorites. If you can get your hands on Thai basil, even better! I love to throw this soup together when I know I’ll be having a busy day. As Ron Popeil would say: “Set it and forget it.” I may have just dated myself, but you get the point.

The slow cooker is one of my favorite gadgets I have in my kitchen. I’m not usually a gadget/appliance person, but this is something I have always had.

I will admit, this is not an authentic red curry noodle soup. It simply combines flavors and textures that I love into a bowl of soup that feels like a warm hug. I wanted to keep this soup really simple, and it is a staple in my kitchen. Long noodles aren’t something we eat often, but they are the perfect addition to make this soup more substantial.

What’s in red curry noodle soup?

Red Curry: this soup utilizes a pre made red curry. This can usually be found in the Asian section of the grocery store. I often use Thai Kitchen because it is the easiest to find. It isn’t a very spicy red curry which is why I use the entire jar. Feel free to use your favorite red curry paste.

Coconut Milk: this is an absolute staple in my kitchen. I always have full fat coconut milk for baking and I use it in this soup. I have tested the recipe with lite coconut milk, and it comes out great. If you’re looking for lower calories, it is a great option.

Bok Choi: this vegetable is part of the cruciferous family. You can use either baby bok choi or regular. I tend to use regular because it is less expensive and is being chopped up anyway. Use what you have, and if you’re not a fan, replace it with your favorite sturdy vegetable.

Basil: Thai food is filled with basil. I use regular basil that I find at my grocery store, but every now and then I seek out Thai basil for a more authentic taste. Use what you have on hand.

Maifun: these noodles are also called rice vermicelli and can be found in the Asian section of the grocery store. They cook quickly which makes them the perfect addition to this soup. If you want to use a different noodle, such as ramen or soba, I suggest you cook them separately and add them into the soup once cooked.

Substitutions: this soup is incredibly versatile. You can substitute different vegetables. I have tried it with broccoli and eggplant. If you are not vegan or vegetarian, use chicken stock and add seared shrimp on top. Paleo? Skip the maifun and add chopped chicken thighs at the beginning of the cooking process. The possibilities are endless with this one.

While you’re here feel free to check out my Pantry Pumpkin Soup or Swiss Chard Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Red Curry Noodle Soup

This warming red curry soup doesn't get much easier. Simply add the ingredients to your slow cooker, leave it for a few hours, add the noodles and 30 minutes later you have an amazing dinner.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Servings 5

Equipment

• Slow Cooker ot Instant Pot

Ingredients

  

Red Curry Noodle Soup

• 1 medium onion sliced in 1/2 circle rings
• 4 cloves garlic diced
• 2 each carrots diced
• 2 each bell pepper, red cut into strips
• 1 lb bok choi stems and greens separated; both sliced
• 1 each zucchini
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 8 oz white mushrooms sliced
• 15 oz canned coconut milk (lite is ok)
• 3-4 oz red curry paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 oz maifun (rice vermicelli)
• 2 tbsp chopped basil leaves

Instructions

 

Red Curry Noodle Soup

• In your slow cooker add the onion, garlic, carrots, bok choi stems, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, broth, coconut milk, curry paste (3 oz for milder and 4 oz for spicier), and salt.
• Stir together.
• Set the slow cooker onto high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
• After the 4 or 6 hours, put the slow cooker onto high (if not already) and add the bok choi greens, maifun, and basil leaves.
• Cook for an additional 30 minutes.
• Serve.

Notes

I prefer to cook noodles in the soup that they are going to be served in. This allows them to completely absorb the flavors, however, they will absorb a lot of your broth.

This soup is not very spicy, even with 4 oz of curry paste. If you would like to add heat, you can add one sliced jalapeno or serrano pepper.

You can use a lot of different vegetables in this soup. I like to make this soup to use up random leftover vegetables I have in the refrigerator. 

This soup would be delicious topped with seared shrimp or crispy tofu if you want to add a protein.

It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Keyword dairy free, easy, gluten free, vegan, vegetarian