Coconut Curry Recipe for Kids

This vegetable Coconut Curry Recipe for Kids is on regular rotation in our house! This is a great curry recipe for kids (even picky eaters) also because the ample veggies blend smoothly and unobtrusively into the sauce. The mild and creamy coconut flavor compliments the vibrance of the curry seasoning perfectly. And, like all of our recipes, this coconut curry takes 28 minutes or less to cook!

What inspired me to make this coconut curry was having chili the other day! I don’t know about you, as the weather gets colder, I find myself craving warm, belly-filling dishes. So, the other day I made our delicious, veggie loaded non-spicy vegetarian chili over rice. It was such a hit with the kids, and fit the cozy cold weather vibes so perfectly that it has me wanting more saucy, warm, filling dishes…and not the kind that rely on heavy meats for flavor.

👍 Why This Curry is So Kid-Friendly

Not spicy! This curry is flavorful but so mild and even a has a little sweetness to it from the coconut milk.

Incognito veggies! This vegan coconut curry has tons of veggies (and nutrients!), but they blend so seamlessly into the creamy sauce that picky eaters have an easier time with them.

Super customizable! Switch out the veggies for your kids’ faves. Serve over rice, even pasta – whatever your kids like. Have lots of fun sides. There are so many ways to adjust this curry.

Note – to make this curry friendly for spice-loving-adults (haha), try adding some of this spicy chili crisp sauce. It’s my fave!

🛒 Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

First of all, don’t be overwhelmed by the number of ingredients. This is an easy recipe!

• Veggies – Just make sure you have potatoes and onion. The rest is so adjustable! You can even use up what you have in the fridge. (see possible substitutions below)
• Carrots – I prefer shredding the carrots for a couple reasons: they cook faster, they bulk up the sauce, and they’re less visible, letting the potatoes shine 🙂
• Coconut oil – if you haven’t used coconut oil before, just know that it may be completely solid in the jar and that’s normal. Coconut oil liquifies with heat.
• Coconut milk – Important – this has to be canned coconut milk (not from a carton) in order to get maximum thickness and flavor.
• Curry powder – note that every curry powder will be a little different. You can even make it yourself if you like [like this awesome DIY curry powder for kids].
• Toppings/garnish – these crispy onions are the best! But small crackers or crushed cashews/peanuts could also work. For some green, you can also add a bit of cilantro, basil or parsley.

Ingredient substitutions (Lots!)

Loads of other veggie options: almost any potato, broccoli, cauliflower, chickpeas, red or yellow bell pepper, etc.

Coconut oil –> olive oil, avocado oil or sunflower oil

Curry powder –> red curry paste or korma paste

Fresh, minced garlic cloves –> pre-minced jarred garlic

Peeled, grated fresh ginger* –> pre-minced ginger

Better than Bouillon Vegetable base –> any broth or stock

Shredded carrots –> sliced or diced carrots

Yukon gold potatoes –> red potatoes or Russets

Canned, diced tomatoes –> diced fresh tomatoes or tomato paste

Canned coconut milk –> carton coconut milk (but note this will make the curry way thinner and less flavorful)

Lime juice –> lemon juice or a variety of vinegars (something acidic to help kick up the flavor)

*Helpful tool: microplane (for ginger)

🍚 Let’s Talk about Rice

In a curry recipe for kids, you gotta go with rice! It really is the best base, soaking up the coconut curry sauce beautifully. For curry I think basmati rice is king. And if you start cooking basmati rice immediately, it can be fully cooked by the time the curry’s done. However, minute rice is definitely the fastest…or those pre-cooked rice pouches. It all works!

If not rice, you can also serve the coconut curry over quinoa, naan, cauliflower rice, or even pasta (not conventional, but doable!)

👩🏾‍🍳 Instructions

Kids Cooking Steps

For this recipe, kids can totally be in charge of 3 things (or more!): adding ingredients to the pot (and stirring), taking the lid on and off the pot, and timing everything.

🥄 Add ingredients! Your kiddo can jumpstart the cooking by adding oil to the pan (fun to watch melt!) and the curry powder. They can be in charge of adding and stirring ingredients, as you cook! Good opportunity to teach them how dropping ingredients from too high up can cause hot liquid to splatter, and that it’s safer to add them into the pot slowly and closer to the pan’s bottom.

🧤 Cover & uncover the pot! Using these awesome Alselo mini oven mitts (cute designs, heat resistant & non-slip), your kiddo can carefully remove the lid from the pot and put the hot lid back on the pot, as needed in the recipe.

⏲️ Use a timer! Every step in this recipe suggests a cooking time. Have your kiddo set a timer (our kids love Kikkerland’s cute cat-shaped timer) for each step. Emphasize the importance of being time-keeper, so food doesn’t overcook or burn.

✔️ Expert Tips and Tricks

• Time crunch – This recipe really takes the full 28 minutes, assuming all ingredients are pre-cut/chopped. To cut down on prep time, you can use powders for onion, garlic, and ginger (see recipe card for quantity). Or use pre-minced garlic & ginger. Buy pre-shredded carrots, and don’t peel your potatoes (I never do anyway). No shortcuts to chopping the pepper and potatoes, though.
• Choice of pot – I really liked using my 5 1/2 qt dutch oven. It’s wider than a stockpot and still fairly deep. Just more comfortable to stir and scoop ingredients into.
• Don’t rush step 1. Cooking the curry powder in oil for a few minutes makes the curry flavor and aroma extra vibrant. It brightens the whole dish.
• Coconut milk – use canned coconut milk (not from a carton) in order to get maximum thickness and flavor. I’ve tried it with each, and wow, what a difference!
• Shred the carrots. They cook faster than sliced carrots, bulk up the sauce nicely, and are more hidden from picky eaters’ eyes. I cooked this curry with sliced carrots, and the consistency and flavor wasn’t as good. You can sometimes find pre-shredded carrots in the store too!

👶🏾 Tips for Picky Eaters

Choose a mild curry powder. We used McCormick curry powder, which has no heat. This is something you can check – just make sure to read the seasoning label. Curry is often a mix of some of these spices: turmeric, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, ginger powder, cinnamon, black pepper. You can even make it from home yourself to be sure it’s mild.

Set aside some plain rice, just in case!

Pick easily palatable sides (aka whatever your kids like)! Cucumber slices, raisins, naan or crackers, carrot sticks, baby tomatoes, nuts, set aside some of the frozen peas.

🧶 Crafts for this Recipe

While you’re cooking, set your kiddo up with one of these three fun crafts. (1) Make some play carrots – just like the carrots in the curry. Or (2) set aside some dry rice before cooking and your kiddo can form colorful rice letters and words. Or (3) make potato people using 1-2 spare potatoes, veggies scraps and toothpicks!

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