Umami-Rich Thai Curry with Loads of Veggies!
You’re going to love this Thai Red Curry with White Beans, Mushrooms, and Spinach—it’s like a warm hug in a bowl!
Imagine creamy coconut milk infused with aromatic red curry paste, tender beans that soak up all the flavor, and savory miso butter mushrooms that add this incredible umami punch. Spinach brings a pop of freshness, and the whole thing is perfectly balanced with a squeeze of lime.
Why I Love This Recipe
It’s comforting, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to pull together. Whether you’re cooking for a cozy night in or sharing with friends, this dish is bound to impress.
For more easy weeknight dinner recipes, try my scallop and green bean curry, shrimp in coconut curry sauce, or this tender, flaky salmon curry next!
What You’ll Need
- Mushrooms: I really love Chanterelle mushrooms, but you can use any variety or assortment of mushrooms you like. They’re cooked with butter, white miso paste, and a little kosher salt.
- Scallions, shallot, garlic, ginger, and Thai red chile, sautéed in a bit of neutral oil. This is so fragrant and provides the base of the sauce!
- Thai red curry paste: Use a high-quality brand you love or make your own.
- Canned coconut milk: I recommend full-fat.
- Cannellini or butter beans along with their juices, which will naturally help to thicken the curry.
- Curry leaves, which add the most incredible and aromatic flavor!
- Fish sauce, which is balanced out with a little light brown sugar.
- Fresh baby spinach (or roughly chopped curly spinach). Feel free to substitute with other leafy greens.
- Kosher salt, to season everything.
- Fresh lime juice, plus extra lime wedges for serving.
- For serving: fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, or mint!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Spinach: Swap with kale or Swiss chard.
- Red chile: Use chile flakes or a pinch of cayenne as an alternative. Or try other chilies!
- Mushrooms: Feel free to use any blend of mushrooms you like.
- To make vegetarian / vegan: Replace the fish sauce with soy sauce.
- Feel free to add chicken, shrimp, pork, or any other meat you want.
Directions
Full instructions and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Make the Miso Butter and Mushrooms: Mix butter and miso paste in a bowl. Heat a skillet over medium-high, add mushrooms, and cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes until browned. Stir, season with salt, cook for another 2-3 minutes, and mix in miso butter. Set aside.
- Make the Curry Sauce: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté scallions and shallot for a couple minutes. Add garlic, chile, ginger paste, and curry paste, cooking for a few minutes more. Pour in coconut milk and stir.
- Add the Beans and Spinach: Stir in beans with their liquid. Add curry leaves, fish sauce, brown sugar, and spinach. Season with salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasoning.
- Serve: Divide curry into bowls. Top with miso butter mushrooms, fresh herbs, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges.
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Use high-quality curry paste and a full-fat canned coconut milk. These little things make a big difference!
- Sear the mushrooms properly. Let them brown without stirring too often for the best texture and flavor.
- Don’t skip the lime juice! It balances the richness of the coconut milk.
Make-Ahead and Store
- To make-ahead: This can easily be made a few days in advance, as it reheats beautifully.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or coconut milk if the curry thickens too much.
This curry freezes well without the spinach. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add fresh spinach when reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this curry with jasmine rice, quinoa, or naan bread. Alternatively, you could serve it with a fresh cucumber salad for a refreshing contrast.
I could not be more excited for you to try this easy weeknight curry! It is so rich and flavorful, and I just love all those miso mushrooms and butter beans. A total win!
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Thai Red Curry with White Beans and Spinach
Equipment
Ingredients
For the miso butter mushrooms
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp white miso paste
- 16 oz chanterelles or other mushrooms, ends trimmed, caps clean, ripped or cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil
- 3 scallions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced, plus more for serving
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Thai red chile, or 2 if you want it very spicy, finely chopped (don’t remove the seeds!)
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 2 Tbsp red curry paste
- 1 can (13.5oz) of coconut milk
- 2 cans cannellini or butter beans along with their juices
- 2 curry leaves
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 5 oz baby spinach, or roughly chopped curly spinach
- 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 medium lime, juiced + 1 extra lime cut into wedges for serving
- For serving: cilantro and basil (or other fresh herbs)
Instructions
- Make the miso butter. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 Tbsp unsalted butter and 2 Tbsp white miso paste, then stir well.
- Cook the mushrooms. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When very hot, add sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 6-8 minutes, or until beginning to deeply brown. Use a spatula to stir well, then season with ½ tsp kosher salt and cook for an additional few minutes on the other side. The mushrooms should be golden brown on both sides. Add the miso butter to the pan, then stir until the mushrooms are evenly coated on all sides. Either transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and wipe out the skillet or grab another skillet.
- Make the curry sauce. Heat 2 Tbsp neutral oil in a large pan over medium heat. When hot, add thinly sliced scallions and 1 diced shallot, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1 chopped red chile, 2 tsp ginger paste, and 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste. Use a spatula to help break up the curry paste. Season with ½ tsp kosher salt, then cook down for 2 minutes. Pour in a 13.5oz can of coconut milk.
- Add the beans. Add 2 cans of cannellini or butter beans, along with the liquid in the can. Stir well.
- Simmer with remaining ingredients. Add 2 curry leaves, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp light brown sugar, and 5 oz fresh spinach. Season with remaining 1 tsp kosher salt. Cook until the spinach has wilted, stirring occasionally, then simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the juice of 1 lime, stir well, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve with mushrooms! Divide the white bean curry evenly between bowls, then top each with some of the miso butter mushrooms. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, or mint and additional thinly sliced scallions. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make-ahead: This can easily be made a few days in advance, as it reheats beautifully.
- Leftovers and storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or coconut milk if the curry thickens too much.
- This curry freezes well without the spinach. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add fresh spinach when reheating.
Nutrition
Photography by Jo Harding.
Delicious! For me 1 red chili was just the right amount of spice. Flavor was excellent. I served it over rice, which was good, but next time I won’t because too many carbs. First time using Miso and really lijed the mushrooms. Will definitely make again.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this, Betsy! I’m a huge fan of Thai chilies, so I always add 2, but I agree that folks should start with 1 unless their heat tolerance is a bit higher. And totally agree, I actually prefer this without rice because it is so filling with the white beans and mushrooms as is. Thank you, thank you! xo, Ari