Creamy Curry Pasta

This creamy curry pasta is a quick and delicious fusion dish that's naturally vegan and full of flavor. It has all the goodness of a creamy pasta dish and the flavor of a veggie curry for the best of both worlds!

Since I'm someone who loves both pasta dishes and curries, this creamy curry pasta was bound to happen.

Curry and pasta are a smashing combination, and it's a mix that should definitely be more mainstream in my opinion.

This is a vegan curry pasta recipe, but you can easily customize it and add some protein if you like. Roasted chicken or shrimp are two good choices. You can also keep it vegan and bulk it up with a can of chickpeas.

The creamy sauce is made with coconut milk, which makes this curry pasta dairy free. You can also use your favorite plant-based cream alternative instead.

Why you'll love this creamy curry pasta

• It's super easy to make with pantry essentials and whatever veggies you may have in the fridge.
• Curry pasta is the kind of meal you can make vegan and then add some protein for any non-vegans in the family as needed.
• You can have it on the table in under 30 minutes - just perfect for a busy weeknight.

What goes into coconut curry pasta

Olive oil - Coconut oil is another good choice for this pasta sauce.

Red onion and bell peppers - I like to dice the onion and pepper on the smaller side for this pasta so they cook quickly. You can also use yellow onion and any color bell pepper you like.

Garlic and ginger - Fresh garlic and ginger are best here, but you can substitute with a garlic ginger paste or frozen garlic and ginger.

Curry powder - I used a mild curry powder to keep this curry pasta family-friendly, but you can use a medium or even hot curry powder if you'd like the sauce fiery. Alternatively, use some red curry paste instead to transform this into a Thai red curry pasta.

Extra veggies - This is where you can add any veggies you like. I went for zucchini and frozen peas, but other options include mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and sweetcorn.

Coconut milk - You only need the top creamy part of a can of full-fat coconut milk. A small can of coconut cream is another option.

Pasta - Any kind of short pasta is great in this dish - I went for fusilli.

Baby spinach - I like baby spinach in this type of pasta dish because it wilts very quickly, but you can also use kale if you like. Add it to the sauce a couple of minutes before adding the pasta, so it has time to wilt.

How to make curry pasta sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven and cook the red onion and bell pepper for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.

Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for another minute. Next, add the curry powder and vegetable stock.

Bring to a simmer and add the frozen peas, zucchini and coconut milk.

Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the pasta and baby spinach.

Toss well to cover in sauce, adjust the seasoning and serve.

Leftovers and storage

• Any leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• You can reheat the pasta in the microwave or serve it at room temperature, pasta-salad style.
• I don't recommend freezing this pasta dish.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can use heavy cream (double cream) instead of coconut milk to make this curry pasta vegetarian.
• Curry pasta is great on its own or as a side for chicken or fish.
• If you want the curry pasta to have more sauce, add some of the reserved pasta water after stirring in the cooked pasta.
• Add some lime juice right at the end for extra brightness.
• To make the pasta fiery, add a chopped red chili or some red chili flakes with the garlic and ginger.

If you liked this curry pasta recipe, you might also like some of my other creamy pasta recipes:

• Creamy Pasta with Bacon and Peas
• Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Pasta
• Creamy Rasta Pasta Recipe
• Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

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