Ground turkey and veggies come together in this easy red curry that’s rich in flavor and short on prep time—a delicious option for a quick weeknight meal.
This quick and easy red curry recipe is made with ground turkey, green beans and bell peppers, but can be made with any vegetables that you have on hand. If you are the family cook, you know that you can never have enough 30-minute meals on hand, particularly ones that use pantry staples.
And hopefully this recipe will convince you to keep Thai curry pastes on hand at all times for quick and easy meals. Add your favorite protein and veggies, and mix in some broth and coconut milk for a tasty curry gravy. I use in it my Thai Shrimp Stir Fry and Vegan Thai Red Curry.
Choosing red curry paste
Red curry paste is made from red chili peppers and a variety of spices, and acts as the base for many Thai dishes. It is spicier than yellow and green curry paste, so if you prefer a milder dish, try one of the others in place of the red curry paste.
There are quite a few store-bought Thai curry pastes available and I’ve tried several of them. My favorites are the Mae Ploy pastes, which can be purchased alone (red curry paste only) or in a variety pack of green, yellow and red.
Adjusting the spice level:
In this recipe, I used 3 tablespoons of red curry paste, which produced a curry with a good amount of zip. If you prefer less spice, here are two options:
- Use less curry paste (1 to 2 tablespoons) to start. Before adding the veggies (at the end), taste the curry. If you prefer more spice, sauté an additional tablespoon of curry paste in a little coconut oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir it into the curry.
- Alternatively, use the yellow or green curry paste, which have significantly less spice than the red version.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Ground turkey: I suggest lean (93%) ground turkey. It has a lower fat content than 80% lean turkey, but doesn’t have the tendency to dry out like 99% lean turkey.
- Curry paste: See the tips box above for more details. I used the red curry paste from this variety pack of Thai curry pastes.
- Aromatics: Use minced fresh ginger and garlic.
- Vegetables: Green beans and red bell peppers are delicious and colorful. Good substitutions are zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower. Cooking times may need to be adjusted depending on the veggies you choose.
- Broth: Chicken broth is best in this recipe, but vegetable broth is a good substitute.
- Coconut milk: I chose to use lite coconut milk for a lower fat option. For a thicker curry gravy, regular coconut milk can be swapped in.
- Oil: Coconut oil is used for sautéing the curry paste, ginger and garlic. Feel free to substitute with a neutral oil, such as avocado oil.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce is added for balanced flavor. Feel free to omit.
- Brown sugar: Use light brown sugar.
- Herbs: Fresh cilantro leaves and basil. If you can find Thai basil, use that. Otherwise, regular basil works well.
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
How to make ground turkey red curry
- Cook the turkey: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. An enameled cast iron skillet is perfect for this! Lightly coat with cooking spray and cook the ground turkey, breaking up with a wooden spatula or spoon. Transfer the cooked turkey to a bowl.
- Cook the curry paste and aromatics: Melt the coconut oil in the skillet, then add the curry paste, ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer the curry gravy: Add the chicken broth and coconut milk, stirring to combine. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce , lime juice and brown sugar, and add the cooked ground turkey.
- Add the vegetables: Add the red bell pepper strips and green beans, and partially cover the skillet with a lid. Cook until the green beans are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes (depending on the thickness of the beans).
- Taste and serve: Taste the curry gravy and adjust the seasonings (fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice), if needed. Serve over rice.
- Step 1: Cook the ground turkey, breaking up with a wooden spoon.
- Step 2: Sauté the curry paste with ginger and garlic.
- Step 3: Simmer with broth and coconut milk. Add the cooked turkey.
- Step 4: Add the vegetables and simmer for a few minutes.
Make ahead and storage
This red curry tastes fantastic the next day. Cool the leftovers to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a skillet set over medium heat. This is a better option than reheating it in the microwave to avoid overcooking the green beans.
Printable Recipe
Red Curry with Ground Turkey
This richly flavored red curry with ground turkey is so easy to make! It’s packed with vegetables and flavor, and is ideal for a quick weeknight meal.
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Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 264kcal
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Instructions
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Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. An enameled cast iron skillet is perfect for this! Lightly coat with cooking spray and cook the ground turkey, breaking up with a wooden spatula or spoon. Transfer the cooked turkey to a bowl.
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Melt the coconut oil in the skillet, then add the curry paste, ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the chicken broth and coconut milk, stirring to combine. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar, and add the cooked ground turkey.
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Add the red bell pepper strips and green beans, and partially cover the skillet with a lid. Cook until the green beans are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes (depending on the thickness of the beans).
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Taste the curry gravy and adjust the seasonings (fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice), if needed. Serve over rice.
Notes
Note 2: There are quite a few store-bought Thai curry pastes available and I’ve tried several of them. My favorite are the Mae Ploy pastes, which can be purchased alone (red curry paste only) or in a variety pack of green, yellow and red.
Adjusting the spice level:
In this recipe, I used 3 tablespoons of red curry paste, which produced a curry with a good amount of zip. If you prefer less spice, here are two options:
- Use less curry paste (1 to 2 tablespoons) to start. Before adding the veggies (at the end), taste the curry. If you prefer more spice, sauté an additional tablespoon of curry paste in a little coconut oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir it into the curry.
- Alternatively, use the yellow or green curry paste, which have significantly less spice than the red version.
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the built-in recipe card calculator. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25cups | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 553mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g
