Hetty Lui McKinnon’s budget-friendly mushroom massaman keeps the richness without the meat

A Thai classic known for its gentle heat gets a thrifty, plant-based twist. Food writer and cookbook author Hetty Lui McKinnon has outlined a budget-friendly massaman curry that replaces the usual beef or chicken with mushrooms and potatoes, aiming to keep the dish’s signature richness while making it vegetarian and vegan-friendly.

McKinnon underscores what defines massaman: it should not be overly spicy. Its hallmark is mildness, with a slightly sour edge and a subtle sweetness. Unlike many other Thai curries, massaman leans on dried spices such as cumin, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom—seasonings that reflect the dish’s origins in the spice trade.

Thailand sat on routes linking east and west for centuries, and massaman is said to have emerged from spices introduced from India and Persia. The curry’s roots in an area of Thailand with a large Muslim community help explain why traditional versions typically feature beef or chicken.

In McKinnon’s vegan take, hearty mushrooms do the heavy lifting, supported by robust potatoes. As a shortcut, she uses store-bought red curry paste, then layers in a mix of dried spices. Where traditional massaman curries usually include shrimp paste to add depth, she opts for soy sauce to provide umami and body.

She notes that pre-made curry pastes vary widely in flavour, so home cooks should taste and adjust, adding more or less paste as needed. McKinnon, originally from Sydney and now living in Brooklyn with her family, is a longtime champion of vegetable-focused cooking.

She has written six vegetarian cookbooks and won the James Beard Award for Vegetable-Focused cooking in 2024. For cooks seeking an affordable, meat-free massaman that stays true to the curry’s mild, balanced profile, McKinnon’s approach offers a straightforward path: lean on mushrooms, bolster with potatoes, and build complexity with spices and carefully adjusted curry paste.