Almond Butter Curry Ramen
There's something almost suspicious about how good this broth is, given that it takes maybe twelve minutes to pull together on a Tuesday night. Almond butter does what peanut butter has always done in Thai cooking, except it brings a lighter, slightly floral nuttiness that doesn't announce itself quite so loudly. Red curry paste and coconut milk do the heavy lifting on depth and richness, and then a good squeeze of lime at the end pulls the whole thing back from the edge of sweet. It smells like a Thai takeout place that actually knows what it's doing, the kind where the steam hits you before you even open the door. This one is fully vegan, which is worth mentioning not because it makes it virtuous but because it makes it low-effort on a night when you just can't deal with raw chicken. You eat it with fresh basil and some crushed almonds on top and you wonder why you ever bothered with the jarred curry sauce from the grocery store.
Almond stirs the pot—Coconut and curry bloom—Lime cuts through it all
Let Me Tell You...
The first time I made something like this, I was trying to use up a half-empty jar of almond butter that had been sitting in the cabinet developing that weird oil slick on top, and I just sort of stared at it and thought, okay, this is going in something savory today.
I had coconut milk and a tube of red curry paste, and I knew those things worked together because I had eaten enough Thai food to understand the basic logic.
What I did not know was that almond butter would slip into that broth like it had always belonged there, quieter than peanut butter, less aggressive, but warm and round in a way that made the whole pot smell like it had been simmering for hours.
The sweetened kind will throw off the whole balance of the broth.
Thai curry pastes are doing a lot of work in a small container and it is very easy to underestimate them.
I have added what I thought was a modest tablespoon and a half and ended up with something that made my eyes water in a satisfying but slightly alarming way, and I have also been overly cautious and produced a broth that tasted like warm almond milk with ambition.
Two tablespoons is the number.
Start there, taste the broth before you add the noodles, and adjust. If you want more heat, a sliced red chili on top at the end does more for the experience than just piling in more paste.
The lime is the part people skip when they are in a hurry, and it is the part that makes the biggest difference.
Without it, the broth sits heavy on the tongue, all richness and no edge, and you end up eating it and thinking it's fine but you could not tell me exactly what it was doing.
With a full tablespoon of lime juice stirred in right before serving, the whole thing lifts, the coconut milk stops tasting fatty and starts tasting tropical, and suddenly you are paying attention to what you are eating.
Fish sauce works in here too if you are not keeping it vegan, just a small splash, but the lime is non-negotiable regardless.
You can eat this in a bowl you never wash adequately because the broth clings to the sides and you will not care.
The crushed almonds on top add a crunch that the broth keeps threatening to soften but never quite does, and the Thai basil goes in last, tossed on loose so it wilts just slightly from the steam without completely disappearing.
It is the kind of weeknight meal that makes you feel like you have a reasonable grip on your life, even when you clearly do not.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 1/3 cup smooth unsweetened almond butter
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime), plus wedges for serving
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted almonds, roughly crushed (for topping)
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (for topping)
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions, about 2-3 minutes until just tender. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- While the water comes to a boil, heat sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Add red curry paste to the saucepan and stir it into the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute, pressing the paste against the bottom of the pan to toast it slightly.
- Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, whisking to combine with the curry paste. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Add the almond butter and whisk steadily until fully incorporated into the broth with no lumps remaining, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the lime juice and taste the broth. Adjust salt as needed. The broth should be rich and creamy with a bright citrus finish.
- Divide the cooked noodles between 2-4 bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Top each bowl with crushed roasted almonds and fresh Thai basil leaves. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges on the side.