My very first vegan Instant Pot recipe is here! I finally took the plunge and purchased an Instant Pot after being on the fence about whether I wanted a new appliance to take up real estate on my counter (it would have to fight for space next to the kids’ piles of artwork, after all). Thanks again for the Ask Angela weigh-in back in February. I’m usually suspicious of new trends and like to wait a good while before I take the plunge, but I’m loooving it so far. I had totally underestimated how nice it is to put the lid on a recipe and walk away! But this same convenient feature also makes it challenging to develop recipes because you have ONE SHOT to get the cook time/pressure correct. No big deal. This curry took over 10 trials to get perfect…I changed up the flavours, cook time (6 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute, 4 minutes…ahh!), liquids-to-solids ratios…you name it, I tweaked it! Nicole and I love a challenge, though, so it’s been fun figuring it out and I do think we’ll get quicker as we go.
I had a stovetop pressure cooker back in the day and that thing used to scare the bejesus out of me with all of its rattling and clanking around. So the first two times I cooked with my new Instant Pot, I handed Eric a wooden spoon and instructed him to release the steam while I hid. I’m not proud, but hey, at least I’m now doing it myself! It’s really not that bad at all, and it feels so much safer than my old stovetop pressure cooker ever did.
Don’t worry if you don’t have an Instant Pot, though! I got yo’ back. We’ve tested this curry on the stovetop as well because I want everyone to be able to make these easy recipes at home! I haven’t had a chance to test this curry in a slow cooker yet, but if any of you do, could you please leave a comment and let us know how it goes? The beauty of this curry is that you literally throw everything (except the greens) into a pot, stir it, and cook. It couldn’t be easier! Of course, I wouldn’t call this an authentic Thai curry by any means, but it’s delicious and comes together quickly on those busy weeknights.
Anyway, if you have any questions about this recipe or the Instant Pot in general, please fire away below! If I can’t answer your question, maybe someone else can help by chiming in with their experience.
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Instant Pot Cauliflower Thai Curry
Yield
5 1/2 cups (1.3 L) or 4 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
I love the soft, stew-like texture of this spicy curry and how serving it over a cup of fluffy rice lends just the right amount of chewiness! This dish is one of those crave-worthy comfort foods that I reach for again and again. I created this recipe out of a need for more go-to pantry dinner options that take advantage of my speedy new Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. Not to worry if you don’t have one, though—follow my directions in the tip below to make this curry on the stovetop instead. It’s important to follow the Instant Pot directions carefully to avoid overcooking the veggies. This recipe's directions (steps 1 and 2) have been lightly edited as of January 10, 2018 to avoid some machines getting a burn notice. This recipe is adapted from my 8-Minute Pantry Dal.
Ingredients
For the curry:
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can light coconut milk
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices*
- 2 cups (260 g) chopped cauliflower florets (1-inch pieces)
- 2 cups (340 g) peeled and cubed (3/4-inch) butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) red curry paste**
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried flaked onion***
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup (100 g) uncooked red lentils
- 2 cups (75 g) packed stemmed and finely chopped kale or chard
Serving suggestions:
- Cooked jasmine rice or grain of choice
- Fresh chopped cilantro leaves
- Fresh lime juice
Directions
- Add all of the curry ingredients (except the red lentils and kale/chard) to the Instant Pot and stir until combined.
- Add the red lentils on top of the mixture and gently press them into the liquid (do not stir the lentils into the mixture as this can result in a burn notice in some machines).
- Secure lid in the lock position and check that the Steam Release Handle is pointing to the “Sealing” position.
- Press the “Pressure Cook” button (or “Manual”, on some machines) and set the cook time to 5 minutes on high pressure. After 5 seconds you’ll hear a couple beeps and the screen will say “on”. The cooking process has begun! You can now go do something fun for about 10 to 15 minutes while the curry cooks.
- You’ll hear a few beeps when the timer is up. Immediately do a “Quick Pressure Release” to avoid overcooking the curry. I stand back and use a wooden spoon handle (never my hand!) to shift the Steam Release Handle to the “Venting” position to release the pressure. Once all of the pressure has been released, the float valve will sink and you won’t hear steam anymore.
- Carefully open the lid and stir the curry. To achieve a thicker texture, I like to mash a bit of the curry with a potato masher, simply pulsing about 4 or 5 times around the pot. You can also blitz it for a second or two with an immersion blender.
- Stir in the chopped greens until thoroughly combined and secure the lid. Set the Instant Pot to the “Keep Warm” setting and allow the greens to wilt for about 5 minutes in the curry. Press “Cancel” to turn the heat off and release the steam again, if necessary, before removing the lid.
- Serve over rice or grain of choice, if desired, and garnish with cilantro and lime. The lime juice gives it a lovely brightness, but avoid using too much as it can overpower. I always add a sprinkle of salt and pepper before serving too.
Tip:
* The canned diced tomatoes that I use are quite "soupy" and liquid-y. If your can seems to be on the low end of the liquid content, I would recommend adding a 1/2 cup of water to this recipe before cooking.
** I love this Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste—it’s shelf stable and comes in a small glass jar. You can often find it in the international cuisine aisle of grocery chains.
*** Dried flaked onion is less concentrated than onion powder. Onion powder will work as a substitute if that's what you have on hand, but I would suggest using a smaller amount (around 1/2 teaspoon) as it’s more flavourful.
STOVETOP OPTION: Not to worry if you don't have an Instant Pot as this recipe works great on the stovetop too. Simply add all of the ingredients except the kale (or chard, if using) to a large pot, stir, and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes (adding the kale/chard during the last 10 minutes), until the veggies and lentils are tender. Stir the curry every 5 minutes while cooking, and reduce the heat if necessary to prevent it sticking to the pot. Follow directions #5 and #7.
Note: Cauliflower amount has been changed from 2 1/2 cups to 2 cups as of Sept. 25/18.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Angela,
I’m in love – I stumbled across this recipe the other day and decided to try it tonight. As a long time vegetarian, this was perfect. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more – I’m going through your recipe list now. Fantastic!
Hey Bob, oh that makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad you loved the curry. I’ll be experimenting more with my Instant Pot in the future and can’t wait to share more recipes. Thanks for your support!
Hi, I have a question. Can this be doubled ? And would the cooking time change ?
Hi Toni, In one of my early trials of my pantry dal (in the Instant Pot) I did double it successfully, however I haven’t tried it yet with this recipe. And I’m sorry but I can’t remember if I adjusted the time. If you try anything I would love to hear how it goes!
Such a great recipe! I have not taken the plunge and purchased an IP yet, so I made this in my slow cooker instead. I cooked it for 3 hours on high, mashed it up a bit with a potato masher, then stirred in the chopped kale and let it cook for about 15 minutes more. Super delicious and I will definitely be making his again. Next time I might try cooking it on low when I’m going to be out of the house all day. Thanks Angela!
Hey Johanna, thank you so much for sharing! I was curious how the curry would turn out in a slow cooker and am hoping to try it myself sometime too. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
I was JUST scrolling through comments to see if I can do this in my slow cooker and for how long since I haven’t pulled the trigger on an IP yet! Thank you for sharing, Johanna!
Love your recipes! ? Where did you get those beautiful wooden bowls? ?
Hey Paula, thank you so much! The bowl is from Crate and Barrel :)
I made this tonight and it was super delish!!! Loved it. However, it burned pretty badly on the bottom of my instant pot. The burn indicator kept coming on and I had to depressurize twice. I put it on high pressure for 5 minutes. Did you have this experience at all? Would love to make again but it took so long dealing with the burn indicator. Appreciate any feedback!! Thanks.
Hi hannah, Oh no, that’s awful! We didn’t experience any burning, but I’ve heard that it can happen if the liquids-to-solids ratio isn’t right. Did you make any changes even small ones to the recipe? Was your cauliflower or butternut squash dried out (which could make the veggies absorb more liquid)? Did you use full-fat coconut cream instead of light (full-fat has less water)? Did you add the water in the canned tomatoes? Also, I’ve heard that machine size can sometimes impact the outcome of a recipe so I’m wondering which model you are using. Sorry to barrage you with questions…haha…I’m just trying to think of reasons this may have happened! If you didn’t change anything, I would try adding more water next time – maybe 1 cup – and adjusting the seasonings to taste after cooking. I also read that putting the liquids in the pot first, and adding the veggies last on the top and gently pressing them into the mixture can help. I’d love to hear how it goes if you do try it again. :)
Thanks so much for your help! I used full-fat because that’s all I had on hand so I bet that was the issue!!!! I’ll use lite coconut milk next time or add more water. It was seriously SO good so I’ll definitely be making it again. Love the instant pot recipes…keep ’em coming :)
Hey Hannah, happy to help! :)
I made this tonight! So easy and delicious! I haven’t used my Instant Pot much so I was happy to see a recipe on your site where I could use it. I added the juice of a whole lime at the end. Yummy!
Hey Lisa, I’m so glad the curry was a hit!
This recipe has changed my life.
Hey Kelly, glad the curry was a hit! ;)
I loved this! Very good! Served over thin pasta with a crusty roll for my hungry teens, and plain for myself. Worked perfectly in the IP. Thank you!!
Hey Ann, I’m so happy you and your family loved the curry!
I followed the recipe to a T and got burn notice :-( so far I have depressurized twice and now just added some water to attempt to salvage dinner. I used all the exact ingredients!
Hi Jamie, I’m so sorry to hear that! We didn’t experience any burn notices (nor did my tester Nicole), but I’ve heard that it can happen if the liquids-to-solids ratio isn’t right. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Here are some things I was thinking about which could impact the moisture content: Did you add the water in the canned tomatoes (they shouldn’t be drained)? My canned tomatoes were quite “soupy” and liquid-y so I wonder if cans that don’t have as much water may need a boost with added water. Was your cauliflower or butternut squash dried out by chance (which could make the veggies absorb more liquid)? Did you use full-fat coconut cream instead of light (full-fat has less water)? Also, I’ve heard that machine size can sometimes impact the outcome of a recipe so I’m wondering which model you are using. If you didn’t change anything, I would try adding water next time – maybe 1 cup – (and adjusting the seasonings to taste after cooking). I also read that putting the liquids in the pot first, and adding the veggies last on the top and gently pressing them into the mixture can help. I’d love to hear how it goes if you do try it again. :)
Just made this and it is So Dang Good! Thank you for putting in the work to come up with such great results. I’m trying to shift to vegan and meals like this make it work for someone who only knows meat comfort food cooking. Much gratitude!
Hey Nikki, I’m so happy you loved the curry! And it means so much to me to know the recipe inspired you…I’d love to hear what you make next. :)
First of all, we LOVED this curry!
Secondly, we used the Breville Fast Slow Pro (6qt) and had a lot of success using the “bone-in meat setting” (gives high pressure and quick release) for five minutes. Probably could have done with only four minutes (though my husband said it was still “frigging delicious”).
Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Emily, I’m so glad you and your husband loved the curry! Thanks for letting me know about your experience using the Breville pressure cooker too.
I was JUST wishing you would make some recipes for the Instant Pot. I was looking at an Instant Pot cookbook a couple minutes ago and I thought, “The thing about Oh She Glow is that I know the recipes will taste good.” (No shade to this other cook book, I haven’t tried it yet!) Then I thought, “If I was rich, I would commission Angela to do an Instant Pot cookbook.” (If I was that rich, maybe I would just hire someone to cook for me!) Then I sat down to see what your latest recipe was – and it’s an Instant Pot recipe! What kismet! I’m going to try it tonight. Thank you for taking the time to get your recipes just right!
Hey April, haha I’m glad we’re on the same wavelength! ;) I’d love to hear what you think of the curry…thank you so much for your support!
This was great! I tripled the curry paste because I love spice and wanted to use up my whole can ;). The veggies were cooked perfectly. Keep the IP recipes coming :)
Hey Taylor, thank you so much! Glad I could help you polish off that can of curry paste. ;)
I just wanted to let you know that this is one of my favorite recipes and I’m still making it weekly!! <3
Thank you for a beautiful recipe. Made this tonight for my family and the kitchen smells divine. It tastes even better.
Hey Allison, I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the curry. I love the smell of those warm spices too. Thank you!
Hi Angela,
Put it together in a flash last night and was surprised by how amazing it tasted even without the saute / open the spices / cut onion/ peel garlic – I had ALL the ingredients and I followed the recipe to the T. It is really delicious! Shared with coworker at lunch today and she had the same reaction.
Thank you for an easy, fuss free and delicious recipe! Waiting for more instant pot recipes
Hi K, I find that red curry paste is such a magical flavour enhancer! A great secret weapon for adding flavour when you don’t have time for chopping fresh onion, garlic, peppers. :) I’m so glad you both loved it! I’m craving it on this cool, windy fall day.
Hi Angela! I don’t know where to drop you an “Ask Angela” question, so hopefully you’ll see this comment! My question for you is: What recipes do you recommend I make when cooking for a date? First time cooking for my current significant other, and he’s NOT vegan… Any good date go-to recipe ideas? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Lux, Ohhh I’m gently wiping a sweat bead from my forehead over this one! Haha. I can’t speak for all men, but my husband loves all of my pasta recipes. I don’t think there’s been one that he has passed up over the years! I’d recommend this pasta casserole served with fresh bread or rolls, and lightly dressed mixed greens or your favourite salad: https://ohsheglows.com/2017/11/10/cheesy-lentil-bolognese-casserole-celebrating-9-years/ I’d love to hear how it goes!
How exotic! I don’t do Thai food too much so this is going to get interesting.
I’d love to hear what you think if you try the curry, Sean!
I made this tonight and it was fantastic. I subbed pumpkin from my garden for the butternut and I added a tablespoon of coconut sugar. This was so good I wish I didn’t get full and have to stop eating! Like usual, another 10/10 from OSG.
Hey Leanna, oh thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so happy you loved the curry, and what a cool idea to swap garden-fresh pumpkin too.
My kitchen smells amazing! I can’t wait to try it! But I made a mistake and ended up having to double the recipe. (I got carried away with squash and cauliflower ?). Do you think I can freeze leftovers?
haha a double batch of this recipe is never a bad idea! :) I do think leftovers should freeze well!
Hi Annie and Angela – Annie, sounds like you successfully DOUBLED this recipe? Please confirm — I’m going to try it too!
This recipe was perfect and SO so delicious! Lennon (20 months) seriously scarfed it. Only changes: 1 1 /2 Tablespoons red curry paste — 1/2 T red chile paste (very mild in spice…wasn’t sure if 2T of curry paste would be too spicy for Lennon) — Also, used frozen cubed butternut squash. Cooked perfectly, but took about double the time to come to pressure, most likely due to the frozen squash taking longer to heat. — Just wanted to mention this option for others! It saved a lot of time and since it breaks down anyway, it’s the perfect recipe to use frozen. :) Will be in our regular fall/winter rotation!
Thanks for the review Ash! I can’t wait to try it with frozen squash…I bet that makes it even thicker and creamier. mmm!