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    Home » Recipes » Curry

    Delicious Peanut Butter Curry in 30 minutes

    Published: Jan 21, 2021 by Jess & Dan · Modified: Jan 11, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links

    34 shares
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    A close up of a curry in a blue bowl, held by hands. There's text above the image
    A Pinterest image split into 3 sections showing three different images of the curry, two close up and one further away

    Do you know what makes peanut butter even better? Swirling it through a delicious, spicy Peanut Butter Curry. 

    The rich, creamy, nutty taste of the peanut butter compliments the fragrant spices in this curry really well. We absolutely love it!

    A man holding out a bowl of peanut butter curry, set against a blue and white t-shirt
    Peanut butter curry is a dreamy weeknight dinner!
    Jump to:
    • Can you cook with peanut butter?
    • 📋 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🥜 What to serve with this curry
    • 💭 FAQs
    • Other things you can make with peanut butter
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Can you cook with peanut butter?

    Peanut butter is amazing to cook with! It’s really tasty in this Indian style curry, and it also goes well in Thai curries. We especially like some peanut butter in a Thai green curry, yum! Would you try that?

    A top down view of a bowl of curry being held by a man's hand, on a pink background

    📋 Ingredients

    Despite how creamy it is, this Peanut Butter Curry is vegan! It’s a great way to get some extra veg into you, as it’s absolutely packed full. You will need:

    • Chopped onion. Red or white is fine, red is slightly sweeter and white has a stronger flavour.
    • Crushed garlic. If you’re like us you might sneak in an extra clove or two…
    • Broccoli. Try to use as much of the stem as possible to avoid waste - if you slice it up quite finely it will cook really well.
    • Cauliflower. Don’t throw the leaves away! Roast them up with some olive oil, salt and pepper and you’ll have a tasty snack or side.
    • Mushrooms. 
    • Chilli powder (obviously).
    • Madras curry powder.
    • Turmeric powder.
    • Peanut butter. If possible try to buy a brand where the only ingredient is peanuts. All you need to do to make peanut butter is blend up peanuts, but some brands will put a lot of sweeteners and palm oil in as well. It’s best to avoid these if you can.
    • Juice of half a lime
    • Salt.
    • Coconut milk.

    For detailed quantities please see the recipe card at the end of this article.

    Check out this video making our vegan peanut butter curry!

    🔪 Instructions

    The great thing about this vegan Peanut Butter Curry is that you can have it ready in less than half an hour. Excellent news for those busy days!

    • Start by heating a little oil in your wok. Once it’s up to temperature add your onion, and fry until it’s soft.
    • Once the onion has softened and gone slightly translucent, add the garlic and the spices. Fry them until they are fragrant.
    • Next, add the mushrooms. Fry them along with the spices for a few minutes so that they pick up some of the flavours.
    • Once your mushrooms have started to brown slightly, pour in the coconut milk and some water. 
    • Give everything a good stir and bring it up to a simmer.
    • Stir in the peanut butter. Ensuring that you keep stirring it regularly, allow the curry to simmer for 5 minutes. You should notice it thicken up once the peanut butter has gone in.
    • Stir in the cauliflower and broccoli, and continue to simmer for another 5-8 minutes.
    • Once the broccoli and cauliflower are cooked, add the tamarind and salt.

    Start scoffing! For detailed instructions please see the recipe card at the end of this article.

    A wooden board showing a bowl of curry in the foreground, and numerous other bowls in the background, including chutney, rice and naan bread on another board

    🥜 What to serve with this curry

    This vegan Peanut Butter Curry is so hearty that you could easily eat it all by itself and be very happy! However, if you want to make it even better then we can definitely recommend a few great dishes to have with it.

    Naan Bread

    Is it even curry night without Naan? The slightly annoying thing is that a lot of the Naans you can buy in the supermarket have yoghurt in them, and so aren’t vegan. More and more vegan brands are appearing though, so it’s worth checking from time to time, but why not make your own Vegan Naan Bread? It’s surprisingly simple, and it tastes so good. 

    Mushroom Bhaji

    You can knock up our awesome Mushroom Bhaji recipe in under fifteen minutes, and trust us, you won’t regret it! Something about curry night calls for as many sides as possible, right?

    Aubergine Bhaji

    The combination of creamy roasted aubergines and Indian spices is always a winner! Try this Aubergine Bhaji (also known as Brinjal Bhaji or sometimes Begun Bhaji) piled high on top of a hunk of Naan. You’ll thank us.

    Pilau Rice

    Do you ever find that the rice you get from a takeaway is so much better than the rice you make at home? We found that too… so in true Vegan Punks style we figured out how to make delicious Pilau Rice that tastes like it’s come from a takeaway.

    💭 FAQs

    Is Peanut Butter Curry spicy?

    This Peanut Butter Curry isn’t too spicy, but you can adjust it to your taste by leaving out the chilli powder or using a bit less. Try using less than you think to start with and then add a little bit more at a time. You can always add more but you can’t take it back out again!

    Should you use smooth or crunchy peanut butter?

    Either one works! We really like using crunchy because it adds a little bit of extra texture, but we’ve used smooth as well, and it was really tasty. 

    Can this vegan Peanut Butter Curry Be Frozen?

    Yep! Divide it up into portions before freezing and you’ll have a really convenient healthy ready meal. It should last in the freezer for up to three months. Just be sure to defrost it thoroughly before cooking it, and be warned that the mushrooms can sometimes go a little bit leathery from the freezing process.

    Do you use low fat or full fat coconut milk?

    We tend to use low fat but this is just a personal preference. We sometimes use full fat as it’s a bit thicker, and gives a slightly different consistency. Either one is fine to use, it’s all about balance!

    Two bowls of peanut butter curry, one above the other with a man's hand holding one of them

    Other things you can make with peanut butter

    We love to cook with peanut butter because it’s really versatile. It’s great in spicy dishes like this Peanut Butter Curry, and we also like to use it to make this quick and easy peanut butter stir fry. You can also try this peanut butter noodle soup if you’re looking for something hearty and warming on a cold winter evening.

    Peanut butter is a staple for our favourite savoury dishes, but it also adds a lot to sweet recipes too. Our no bake peanut butter energy balls are great, and these peanut butter cookies are really delicious! You can also try bashing some into your porridge in the morning to set you up for the day.

    Every vegan should have peanut butter in their cupboard because it’s absolutely full of protein. Protein is really important for building and repairing your muscles, so if you’re exercising regularly you should make sure that you are getting enough protein. We're not dieticians, we do what feels right for our bodies combined with research. We'd recommend doing the same, or contacting a nutritionist if you're worried!

    • Satay Sweet Potato Curry
    • Matar Dal (Yellow Split Pea Dal)
    • Butter Bean Curry (Vegan Jalfrezi)
    • Easy Jamaican Chickpea Curry with Spinach (One-Pot)

    📖 Recipe

    A tattooed hand resting his hand on the side of a bowl that contains peanut butter curry, where broccoli and cauliflower are in a brown sauce

    Delicious Peanut Butter Curry in 30 minutes

    Peanut butter curry is a perfect week night dinner! It's simple to make (ready in 30 minutes) and is so versatile, you can choose your fave veggies to add to it.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 377kcal
    Author: Jess & Dan

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 1 onion - chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic - crushed
    • 150 g broccoli - chopped
    • 200 g cauliflower - chopped
    • 250 g mushrooms - chopped into chunks
    • ½ tsp chilli powder
    • 2 tbsp madras curry powder
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 6 tbsp peanut butter
    • 1 tbsp lime juice (roughly half a lime)
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • 400 ml coconut milk
    • 250 ml vegetable stock
    • 1 tsp oil

    Instructions

    • Fry the onion until soft in a wok and a little oil, on a medium-high heat.
      1 onion, 1 tsp oil
    • Add the garlic and spices, fry until fragrant – around one minute.
      4 cloves garlic, ½ tsp chilli powder, 2 tbsp madras curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • Now add the mushrooms for a few minutes, and stir well, making sure they get a good coating of the spices.
      250 g mushrooms
    • Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Give it a good stir and bring it up to a simmer.
      400 ml coconut milk, 250 ml vegetable stock
    • Add the peanut butter, stir and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir regularly. It should thicken up after the peanut butter goes in.
      6 tbsp peanut butter
    • Stir in the cauliflower and broccoli, and continue to simmer for 5-8 minutes.
      200 g cauliflower, 150 g broccoli
    • Add the juice of half a lime and salt. Serve and enjoy with rice and naan!
      1 tbsp lime juice

    Notes

    • You can use tamarind paste instead of lime juice if you have it.
    • You can use your favourite vegetables if you don't have those listed in the ingredients list. Potatoes, carrots and courgettes all work well!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 802mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 340IU | Vitamin C: 63mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Tag us today!Mention @vegan_punks or tag #veganpunks!
    34 shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. T-Nasty

      November 03, 2022 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favourite ever recipes. It warms the cockles of my heart, in a vegan way of course…

      Reply
    2. Sashi

      October 09, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      5 stars
      Nice flavour…. Fancied something different with veg and found the PB just thickened up the sauce. Though it was nice, I think the PB overtook some of the other spices. Was this your experience at all?

      Reply
      • Jess & Dan

        October 11, 2022 at 11:06 am

        Hey Sashi, thanks for the feedback. The peanut butter does thicken up the sauce but we don't usually find that the PB takes over the other spices but they usually work together in harmony to make a creamy and a little bit spicy curry mixed with a satay flavour. Maybe it depends on the brand of peanut butter? Jess x

        Reply
    3. Michele

      November 04, 2021 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this a few times and it is a winner in our vegan household

      Thanks for sharing

      Reply
    4. Sasha

      February 09, 2021 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      Well, where do I even start with this.
      This is truly delicious and amazing, myself mother and grandma ALL really really enjoyed it, I served with rice it was just amazing. I also froze one more portion, this is something I shall be making more.
      Highly recommend!!

      Reply
      • Jess Saunders

        February 11, 2021 at 9:53 am

        It's so great to read that you and your family loved this recipe! Yay, and it's such a good one to have leftover in the freezer. A delicious ready made treat! Thanks so much for the review. Jess x

        Reply
        • Brendan Casey

          March 22, 2021 at 8:28 pm

          5 stars
          Truly amazing. This was so full of flavour and the creamy consistency was sublime. Thanks both for the recipe. Top marks!

          Reply
          • Jess Saunders

            March 23, 2021 at 7:14 am

            So glad you liked it Brendan! Thank you for your comment 😊 Jess 💚

            Reply
    5. Gina

      January 28, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a delicious dinner! Amazing how peanut butter can work so well in a savory dish like this. It's the perfect way to enjoy some decadence in the meal without going over the top.

      Reply
      • Jess Saunders

        February 06, 2021 at 2:31 pm

        Thanks so much! We absolutely love cooking with peanut butter for this reason! x

        Reply
    6. Claudia Lamascolo

      January 28, 2021 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      this recipe brings vegetables to a whole new level wow!

      Reply
      • Jess Saunders

        February 06, 2021 at 2:31 pm

        Thanks so much!

        Reply
    7. Jess

      January 28, 2021 at 12:41 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE cooking with peanut butter and I LOVE curry so this is a win-win for sure!

      Reply
      • Jess Saunders

        February 06, 2021 at 2:32 pm

        That's what we thought too! A perfect match! 😍

        Reply
    8. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

      January 28, 2021 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      I love a good vegetable curry and using peanut butter is such a great idea for flavour.

      Reply
    9. Dannii

      January 28, 2021 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      You can't beat a peanut butter curry. So creamy and so much flavour.

      Reply
      • Jess Saunders

        February 06, 2021 at 2:32 pm

        Totally agree! Thank you for your comment 💚

        Reply

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