By Jehan Yusoof | Updated September 06, 2026 | ★ 4.8 (4 reviews) |
Curry pasta, creamy coconut milk, and a tomato-based pasta dish for a quick one-pot family meal.
To give this vegetarian pasta recipe the curry flavours, you will be using only three curry spices: turmeric, red chilli powder, and curry powder.
If you try this, I’d love to know how it turned out. Just tap the stars★ in the recipe card; it helps other cooks find this recipe.
Why this coconut curry pasta works
Convincing a house full of kids who love cheese to try a no-cheese pasta is tough.
When I started making these vegan/vegetarian pasta dishes to go meatless a few days of the month, the first question in my mind was,
- “How can I make the pasta dinner, which usually has cheese, creamy enough that the kids won’t miss it?”
- “How do I make a fake creamy cheese sauce I can get the kids to try?”
- After a few trials, this coconut curry tomato sauce recipe is the result.
- But just to be on the safe side, I would recommend NOT telling them the “no cheese” part until they’ve at least had a few spoons of pasta.
Ingredients to cook the coconut curry pasta
You’ll find exact quantities in the recipe card below.
- Penne pasta: Penne holds the sauce best, and use egg-free pasta for a vegan dish.
- Thick coconut milk: makes a creamy sauce. Liquid coconut milk reduces into a richer and creamier sauce than coconut milk powder.
- Tomatoes and tomato paste: whole peeled tomatoes or 3 large fresh tomatoes chopped fine.
- Three spices: turmeric, red chilli powder, and curry powder.
- Onion and garlic: used to build the spice paste.
- Oil: coconut oil or any neutral oil.
- Vegetables: green peas and shredded carrot, or a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.
- Sugar, salt, and Italian seasoning: sugar balances the tomatoes.
Tips for the creamiest coconut pasta
- Have all your ingredients ready to cook the curry pasta.
- Maintain a low-medium heat while cooking the curry sauce for the pasta.
- Constantly taste the sauce and adjust the ingredients as per your needs.
- The pasta shape matters; I find penne pasta is a better shape to complement the coconut curry sauce.
- When you are cooking the penne pasta, cook it halfway through; you will be cooking the pasta in the curry sauce as well, so remove the pasta after 8 minutes, so they are still only semi-cooked.
- Once you’ve combined the pasta in the curry sauce, cook until the creamy dairy-free sauce coats the pasta, with a little sauce left over and remove the pasta dish immediately from the stovetop.
What you will need in the kitchen.
- Chopping board and knife.
- A deep pan to boil pasta.
- A wok or a large pan to cook the pasta dish.
How to make coconut curry pasta
Photo tutorial
Make the curry sauce
Have every ingredient measured before you start, as the spices go in fast.
Place a large wok or cooking pan over a low-medium fire.
Pour in the oil, add sliced onions and minced garlic, and gently cook until the onions turn soft.
Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and curry powder.
Cook for two minutes over low-medium heat.
Pour in the canned tomatoes or chopped tomatoes and tomato paste into the pan.
Season with salt and sugar and cook over low-medium fire for 3 minutes, until you have a wet, paste-like consistency.
Add the frozen or pre-cut veggies (carrots, peas).
I added green peas and some shredded carrots.
Combine with the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk; reduce the amount of coconut milk if you want less sauce.
Taste, and make adjustments by adding salt or extra curry powder.
Slow simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until the coconut tomato sauce is reduced (not too much)and thick.
When the coconut tomato cream sauce changes colour and turns slightly orange, and thickens.
Switch the stove off and leave it on the stove to keep it warm.
Cook the pasta
While the sauce simmers, place a cooking pot with 4 cups of water, season with salt, and bring the pot of water to a boil.
Add the raw pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes less than the time given on the pasta pack to avoid overcooking.
Once the penne pasta is cooked to a point where it’s still slightly hard in the middle, drain the water completely.
Let the pasta cool for 5 minutes.
Combine and serve
Add the pasta to the coconut curry sauce.
Turn the stove on and maintain low-medium heat while you combine the curry sauce with the pasta.
Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add the Italian seasoning (2 teaspoons; substitute with 1 teaspoon oregano and 1 teaspoon thyme).
Combine well.
Garnish with Basil leaves (optional).
Serve warm.
What to serve with coconut milk curry pasta
- This coconut milk curry pasta is a one-pot meal you can enjoy on its own. Add your favourite frozen veggies if you want a heavier pasta dish.
- Serve as a side dish with some air-fried chicken leg quarters or fried and sliced sausages for a quick dinner.
- Serve with some garlic bread.
- Barbecued or grilled chicken breasts on the side go well with the curry pasta.
- You can also toss a few stir-fried shrimp into the mix or air fry some shrimp to layer over the curry pasta
Storing and Reheating Coconut Curry Pasta
- Refrigerator: cool, then keep in a glass container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: I don’t freeze this pasta dish. The coconut milk sauce changes texture and taste once thawed.
- Reheat: warm on the stovetop with a few tablespoons of water or coconut milk, or microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
More pasta recipes
Easy spicy ground beef pasta (stovetop)
Red curry pasta (Thai & dairy-free)
Spicy penne pasta (penne arrabbiata)
Stovetop Tuna pasta dish
Watch more recipes on my YouTube channel
Creamy Coconut Curry Pasta (Dairy-Free)
Penne in a creamy tomato and coconut milk curry sauce with peas and carrot. Dairy-free and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil or any neutral oil
- 1 large onion sliced fine
- 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder (add more if you want it spicy)
- 1 tablespoon of raw curry powder (you can add any type or brand of curry powder)
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- A can of whole peeled tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes chopped really fine
- Salt to season
- 1 cup of green peas
- 1 cup of shredded carrot (about 2 medium-sized carrots)
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 cup and 1/2 of thick coconut milk (reduce to 1 cup if you need to make less sauce
- A pack of uncooked penne pasta (450g-500g pack)
- 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- Basil leaves to garnish (optional)
Instructions
Make the sauce
- Place a large wok or cooking pan over a low-medium fire.
- Pour in the oil (3 tablespoons), add onion (1 large, finely sliced), minced garlic (2 tablespoons), and gently cook until the onions turn soft.
- Add turmeric (1/2 teaspoon), red chilli powder (1/2 teaspoon), curry powder (1 tablespoon), and cook for two minutes over low-medium heat.
- Pour in the canned tomatoes or chopped tomatoes (3), and tomato paste (2 tablespoons)into the pan.
- Season with salt and sugar. Cook over low-medium fire for 3 minutes, until you have a wet, paste-like consistency.
- Add the frozen or pre-cut veggies (carrot, peas).
I added green peas (1 cup)and some shredded carrots (2 medium-sized ones). - Combine with the curry paste and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk (1 and 1/2 cups; reduce the amount of coconut milk to 1 cup if you want less sauce).
- Taste, and make adjustments by adding salt or extra curry powder.
Slowly simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until the coconut tomato sauce is reduced (not too much)and thick. - When the coconut tomato cream sauce changes colour and turns slightly orange, and thickens.
- Add the raw pasta to the boiling water and cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the time given on the pasta pack to avoid overcooking.
- Switch off the stove and leave it on the stove to keep it warm.
Cooking the pasta
- Place a large pot with 4 cups of water, season with salt, and bring the water to a boil.
- Add the raw pasta to the boiling water and cook 2 to 3 minutes less than the time given on the pasta pack to avoid overcooking.
- Once the penne pasta is cooked to a point where it’s still slightly hard in the middle, drain the water completely.
- Let the pasta cool for 5 minutes.
Combine and serve
- Add the pasta to the coconut curry sauce.
- Maintain low-medium heat while you combine the curry sauce with the pasta.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the Italian seasoning (2 teaspoons; substitute with 1 teaspoon oregano and 1 teaspoon thyme).
- Combine well.
Made this creamy coconut curry pasta recipe?
I'd love to know how it turned out.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 350Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 21gUnsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 10gSugar: 12gProtein: 7g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JEHAN
Recipe creator. Food Blogger. Video creator
I’ve been cooking and sharing Sri Lankan recipes, along with other dishes I love making at home on Island Smile since 2015. I’ve tested every recipe on this site more than once in my own kitchen before it goes on the blog.
I grew up eating this food, and I still cook it the same way my family taught me, just written down clearly enough that you can follow it too.
If a recipe doesn’t work the way I say it will, tell me in the comments; I read every one, and I’ll help you fix it.