Thai Panang Curry Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

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Panang curry is one of the most popular curries offered in Thai restaurants outside of Thailand. Growing up, it's a curry we made at home a lot because of its simplicity and speed. There's very little prep involved (if you buy the curry paste), and it's done in just a few minutes. It's also gluten-free, and can be made vegan (more on this in the FAQ). This panang curry recipe is made with pork, but panang beef is also great, or sub any other protein!

Thai Panang Curry Recipe (1)

What is Panang Curry?

Of all the different Thai coconut milk based curries, panang is one that is quite unique. Instead of having plenty of sauce that is creamy but soupy, like a Thai green curry, panang comes in a small amount of thick, rich sauce. You can make an argument that it's more of a saucy stir fry!

Another defining feature is the generous use of cumin and coriander seeds which distinguishes its flavour from the basic Thai red curry. Peanuts are also ground into the curry paste, making the resulting sauce thicker and richer, though for commercial panang curry paste the peanuts are sometimes omitted or replaced with mung beans to avoid allergies.

You can buy panang curry pastes from some Asian grocery stores that stock a lot of Southeast Asian products, but it's not an easy one to find. If you want to make your own, try this from-scratch panang curry paste recipe, or if you're short on time, try the semi-homemade version that builds upon store bought red curry paste.

How to Make Panang Curry

The steps are outlined below so you can see an overview of the process, but all my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success.

  1. Saute the curry paste in oil until aromatic, then deglaze with about ⅓ of the coconut milk. (This is the "quick" method, you can also saute the curry paste in reduced coconut milk, as is traditionally done. See my panang beef recipe for that technique.)
  2. Add the makrut (kaffir) lime leaves and cook to infuse the flavours for a few minutes.
  3. Add the pork and toss to coat in the curry paste.
  4. Add the remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar and cook just until the pork is done. Remove from heat.
  5. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, julienned red chilies and a few finely julienned makrut lime leaves. Serve with jasmine rice!

Video Tutorial

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FAQ

What is panang curry made of?

Panang curry is a Thai curry that is made from thinly sliced meat in a rich and thick coconut milk-based sauce. You may be surprised that there's no vegetables in it, aside from some garnishes and herbs. Typically, meats used are pork, beef or chicken, but it can be made with any kind of protein.

The base flavour of panang is similar to a Thai red curry, but it has a heavier use of cumin seeds, coriander seeds. It's also thickened with peanuts (or another legume), and is always scented with makrut (kaffir) lime leaves.

Is panang curry hot?

All Thai curries are spicy to some degree, but panang is one that is usually quite mild, so it's a popular "starter curry" for kids in Thailand (also because there aren't any pesky vegetables!).

If you're making your curry paste from scratch, be sure to use mild dried chilies such as guajillo peppers, or use gochugaru - Korean pepper flakes.

How it Panang curry different from other Thai curries?

The main difference between panang and most other Thai curries is that panang has a smaller amount of sauce that is thick and rich, whereas most other Thai curries have plenty of liquid that is quite soupy.

Panang also does not involve any vegetables, and uses only one herb, makrut lime leaves, in addition to what's in the curry paste. I have to say, though, that if you order panang curry in a N. American Thai restaurant, it might not be as I just described because I have seen many restaurants make it soupy, with added vegetables, but now you know that that is the "Westernized" way!

In terms of the curry paste itself, the ingredients are all of the usual suspects of Thai curries: lemongrass, galangal, dried chilies, etc., but roasted peanuts are added to thicken the sauce. In commercial pastes, sometimes beans are used instead to avoid allergies.

How can panang curry be made vegan/vegetarian?

If you're making the curry paste from scratch, the first thing to do is omit the shrimp paste. Most store-bought curry pastes are already vegan, but do check the ingredient list for shrimp paste.

You can replace the meat with sliced and pan-fried tofu or your meat substitute of choice, but I love making vegan panang with hearty roasted or grilled vegetables such as roasted portobello mushroom, grilled peppers, or roasted eggplant. The fish sauce can be simply replaced with soy sauce.

Simply cook your veg separately, make the curry sauce as per the recipe, then toss the two together.

More Thai Recipes You'll Love

If you're ready to try more dishes, here are some popular classic Thai recipes to check out, complete with video tutorials as always!

  • Thai Curry Crab: The Hidden Gem of Thai Cuisine
  • Mother-in-Law's Chinese Tomato Beef Stir Fry
  • Khao Soi: Thai Curry Noodle Soup
  • Ultimate Thai BBQ Chicken (Gai Yang)

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Thai Panang Curry Recipe (6)

Panang Curry พะแนงหมู

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
  • Yield: 2 servings
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Ingredients

  • 3-4 tablespoon panang curry paste, store bought or homemade(see note)
  • 1 ½ tsp sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoon fish sauce
  • ¾ cup coconut milk
  • 8 oz (230g) thinly sliced pork tenderloin or another protein of your choice
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn into chunks
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, very thinly sliced for garnish
  • 2 Tbsp coconut milk for garnish (optional, see note)
  • Spur chilies or other types of mild red chilies, sliced into rounds for garnish

Kitchen Tools & Ingredients I Use

Instructions

  1. Sauté the curry paste in some vegetable oil until aromatic, 2-3 minutes, and deglaze with ¼ cup of the coconut milk. Note: Traditionally, we sauté the curry paste in rendered coconut oil. See more information about this method inGreen Curry videos.
  2. Add the 3 torn kaffir lime leaves and let the mixture cook, stirring constantly, until the coconut milk dries up again.
  3. Once the coconut milk has dried up, add pork to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly in the curry paste.
  4. Add remaining ½ cup of coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and cook until the pork is done.
  5. When the pork is done, remove from heat immediately.
  6. To serve: pour the curry on to a deep plate or a shallow bowl, spoon the 2 tablespoon of coconut milk over the top for garnish if desired. Top with thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves and spur chili slices. Serve with hot jasmine rice!

Notes

If you are using store bought curry paste, start with 3 Tbsp. Depending on the brand, you may need to add more so taste and adjust as needed. You will also need to add 2 tablespoons of ground roasted peanuts because most store bought pastes leave out peanuts.

When you let coconut milk sit, the fatty part usually floats to the top. This thick, fatty coconut milk is great for using as garnish, so don't stir your coconut milk until you have spooned out some!

More Gluten Free

  • Northern Thai Laab (Larb) Recipe
  • Thai Glass Noodle Soup: My Weekly Staple (Gaeng Jued)
  • Aunty's Best Vietnamese Pho Recipe
  • Easy Chicken Wing Tom Yum Soup

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

  1. Rodney Suffolk

    oh baby oh baby that panang curry paste ....just wow!! the extra nuts thickened the sauce so I was like satay. I used fresh kaffir and lime zest (summer just finished) as well as galangal and lemongrass from my garden...What a mouth sensation! Thank you

    Reply

  2. Lisa

    I made this recipe with chicken and it was amazing!! Tasted just like we remember from Thailand 😋

    Reply

  3. Nunoub

    I made this using Mae Ploy Panang curry sauce. I only used about 2-3 tablespoons. I could not find Kafir leaves. I also added in some sliced bell pepper and green beans. It turned out wonderfully. Thank you.

    Reply

  4. Brendon

    Delish!

    Reply

  5. Nocke Chiangmai

    Paneng originates from Penang in Malaysia, hence the name

    Reply

  6. Rachael

    I made this once with the homemade curry paste from this website and we totally loved it!
    I made it again with a store bought paste and we were disappointed that we couldn't add more of the paste (i.e. more flavour) without also adding more heat. Since I still had some of the paste left I ended up making another round with a bit of the store bought paste together with the homemade panang curry paste here on HTK but made without the dried chillis! I just threw the curry paste ingredients (minus the chillis) in a magic bullet blender with some coconut milk, so it was easy easy. We enjoyed that MUCH better than the version with only the store bought paste.

    Reply

  7. Pey-Lih

    I made this recipe using kabocha squash with Chinese spinach, thinly sliced carrots, baby corn, and sugar peas. The kaffir lime made it more fragrant. Wonderful over jasmine rice or even buckwheat noodles. The starch from the squash thickened up the curry nicely. Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply

  8. Michael

    Panang curry(gai) has a fresh lemon taste.
    I make it with chicken(gai)
    Even when cooking it smells wonderful!
    A bit spicy but yummy.

    Reply

  9. Dan

    Made it with Lobo brand panang curry paste and pork tenderloin. Excellent. Pleased to find that the pork, despite being lean, came out nice and tender. I only found frozen kaffir lime leaves, but they definitely added a nice flavor.

    Reply

Thai Panang Curry Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is panang curry made of? ›

Panang curry paste is made up of lovely fragrant ingredients, such as red chillies, lemongrass, shallots, garlic, galangal, shrimp paste, coriander seed, cumin and kaffir lime leaves.

What is the best protein for panang curry? ›

Typically, meats used are pork, beef or chicken, but it can be made with any kind of protein. The base flavour of panang is similar to a Thai red curry, but it has a heavier use of cumin seeds, coriander seeds. It's also thickened with peanuts (or another legume), and is always scented with makrut (kaffir) lime leaves.

What meat is best in panang curry? ›

Quick-cooking, lean cuts of beef such as sirloin or strip steak are a popular choice for panang, with the meat sliced thin and simmered briefly until cooked through with the curry paste and coconut milk. For this version, I use thick, bone-in short ribs that are browned and braised with water and coconut milk.

What is a substitute for panang curry paste? ›

Panang curry paste is what you'll see in authentic panang curry recipes, but it is somewhat difficult to find in the U.S. A great substitute for panang curry is red curry, because the two taste quite similar.

What is special about panang curry? ›

Panang curry is rich and creamy, spicy yet balanced, with underlying notes of peanut and coconut. I make my panang curry with lots of bell peppers and carrots, and optional tofu for extra protein. It's a perfectly satisfying weeknight meal for cold days.

What are the spices in panang curry? ›

In the case of panang, the paste starts out with many of the same components as a basic gaeng phet (red curry)—chiles, lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime zest, cilantro roots, garlic, shallots, shrimp paste, white pepper, coriander, and cumin seeds.

Is Thai panang curry healthy? ›

It is healthy and delicious and packed full of flavor. Panang curries are from Thailand, where they use curry pastes that come in green or red, making this one of the easiest curry with chicken recipes out there. Thai food has a special place in my heart, and Thai Panang curry recipes are a comfort food like no other.

How do you thicken panang curry? ›

Make a slurry of cornflour and water, say a teaspoon of flour to a tablespoon of cold water, mix it well and drizzle it into the curry sauce, drizzle half in and stir to thicken and if not thick enough add more and so on.

Is panang curry high in carbs? ›

Cook Thai Chicken Panang Curry (1 serving) contains 18g total carbs, 18g net carbs, 33g fat, 36g protein, and 510 calories.

Why is it called Panang curry? ›

Panang (also spelled Penang and Phanaeng) curry is a mild Thai curry that gets its name from the Malaysian island of Penang. It is similar to Thai red curry but is richer and creamier, and typically uses crushed peanuts as a major part of the dish (I personally use cashews).

What is the flavor of Panang curry? ›

Panang Curry tastes like a more intense version of Thai Red Curry. While it has similar ingredients, Panang curry is a bit stronger, richer, sweeter and thicker than Red Curry, as well as slightly nutty thanks to the addition of ground peanuts in the paste. The curry paste is a quick 30 second stick blender blitz!

What does panang mean in curry? ›

Panang curry is a curry that is hard-pressed and not spicy. Panang is often flavoured with a sweet taste and doesn't have a lot of vegetables. Usually, it uses only red chilli, sliced long beans and torn kaffir lime leaves or sliced as decoration.

How is panang curry different? ›

Panang curry is typically milder, sweeter, and richer, due to the addition of peanuts and the lower amount of chili used in the curry paste. Red curry, on the other hand, is often spicier and more aromatic, courtesy of a larger quantity of red chilies used to create the curry paste.

What is the difference between panang and regular curry? ›

The main difference is that Panang Curry has a little less chilli and slightly more mellow flavour, and also has roasted peanuts mixed through (which we do with good old peanut butter). Meaning – if you can't find Panang Curry paste, just get Red instead.

What's the difference between massaman and panang curry? ›

Massaman has much more complex in flavour and includes ingredients like mace (outer covering of nutmeg), cinnamon, clove and cardamon. These additional ingredients make this dish towards Malaysian and Indian flavours. Panang Thai curry is basically Red Thai curry's sister, just a sweeter and milder version!

What's the difference between red curry and panang curry? ›

Panang curry is typically milder, sweeter, and richer, due to the addition of peanuts and the lower amount of chili used in the curry paste. Red curry, on the other hand, is often spicier and more aromatic, courtesy of a larger quantity of red chilies used to create the curry paste.

Is panang curry hotter than red curry? ›

Usually, the Panang curry also includes a bunch of various vegetables. While very similar to red curry, Penang is usually seasoned to be less spicy than red curry and has the added ingredient of peanuts that gives it a sweeter flavor.

Is panang curry different than red curry? ›

While it has similar ingredients, Panang curry is a bit stronger, richer, sweeter and thicker than Red Curry, as well as slightly nutty thanks to the addition of ground peanuts in the paste.

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