A restaurant-worthy Thai Salmon Panang Curry in under 30 minutes.
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Curry once was something I loved but only saved for dinners out because I didn't know how to make it at home. I kept on trying but the results were lackluster at best. That was all, at least, until I discovered this Thai Salmon Panang Curry.
Then, Chris and I went to a Thai cooking class at Mama Thai in San Francisco a few years ago and my whole Thai cooking game completely changed. She broke it down in a way that I understood for once: flavors of sweet, sour, and savory need to come together over high heat and short cooking times. A homemade curry paste is best because of the complexity achieved through working the spices with a mortar and pestle, but a premade store-bought one can also stand if need be.
We made our own paste in class and though I had high hopes of making it at home, the heavy mortar and pestle weren't exactly friendly to an upcoming cross-country move. Also, the amount of elbow grease needed to get that authentic flavor was a bit of a turn off even to me so I broke down and brought my curry paste online.
The curry paste did not disappoint, thankfully. I now had my own go-to Thai curry for my repertoire. The vegetable ingredients are pretty flexible, but below is a selection of my favorite vegetables.
With few veggies and only 5 simple ingredients (including the curry paste) for the sauce, this number comes together in less than 30 minutes. Now I not only don't have to leave the house for a Thai curry, but I can have it on the table by the time I'd get dressed and to a restaurant. Talk about a cooking class well worth it.
Thai Salmon Panang Curry Cooking Notes:
- If serving this with rice: make sure to get that started enough ahead of time to have it ready by the time the curry is. Most long-grain white rice is done in under 25-30 minutes, but if cooking brown rice, you'll want to check how far ahead you need to start the rice.
- Curry paste: Mae Ploy curry paste is MY JAM. This paste is available on Amazon and at some specialty stores.
- Prep: cooking will go fast once you start so make sure to prep all your veggies before you start cooking. Nothing like getting caught off guard in a recipe without the next ingredients ready (ask me how I know!).
- Fish Sauce: Red Boat Fish Sauce is my fave, but I've also had a good experience with Thai Kitchen's fish sauce.
What tools do you need to make this Salmon Panang Curry?
- Large non-stick saute pan or stainless steel saute pan
- Thai Panang Curry Paste
- Wooden Stir-Fry or Saute Paddle
More quick dinner recipes:
- Thai Green Chicken Curry
- Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Spicy-Sweet Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Sweet Potato Hash Brown Burgers
- Juicy Chicken Sausage Meatballs
- Spicy Bourbon Glazed Baked Salmon
Questions or comments about this recipe? Post in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Recipe generously adapted from Mama Thai Cooking Club in San Francisco.
April says
Hello Mae, how would you rate the level of heat for this recipe? Love my Thai but not too hot.
Mae's Menu says
Hi, April! It does depend on what curry paste you use, but Panang is typically not too spicy. I'd say that this recipe, made with the directed about of Mae Ploy curry paste, is around a mild to moderate spice level.
Best,
Chelsea