This vegan Thai green curry has become one of my new favorite winter/spring dishes. It’s cozy, comforting, herbaceous, and has just the right flavors that make it perfect for this time of year.
This green curry is a blend of aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, and Thai basil, paired with rich coconut milk and salty soy sauce, making this curry both comforting and nourishing.
And like most of my recipes, this vegan tofu Thai green curry is a balanced and nutritious dish; it’s high in protein and fiber, along with tons of other micronutrients.
A Quick Note on Authenticity
This vegan Thai green curry recipe is more of an inspired version of the classic Thai green curry. I loosely followed the traditional recipe, while adding a few twists and embellishments to make this dish easier and simpler for you to make at home.
One of the main differences is that this curry relies heavily on store-bought green curry paste, as opposed to making your own homemade paste. I chose to opt for a store-bought curry paste because the majority of the ingredients needed aren’t sold at traditional grocery stores. And I wanted you to be able to make this amazing Thai classic without having to go to 4 separate grocery stores.
Vegan Thai Green Curry Ingredients + Some Notes
Listing everything you’ll need to make this curry below, along with a few notes on which brands are best. So consider this your grocery list!
- High protein tofu
- Young broccoli or broccolini: Feel free to use any type of broccoli you like.
- Thai green curry paste: I highly recommend Mekhala Thai green curry paste – most grocery stores carry it, including Whole Foods and Sprouts.
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh lemongrass stalks
- Cilantro: You’ll need to use both the stems and leaves!
- Thai basil
- Soy sauce or gluten-free alternative: I love using Bragg’s liquid aminos.
- Coconut sugar
- Lime juice
- Jasmine or basmati white rice for serving
FAQ’s
- Where can I buy Thai ingredients like lemongrass and Thai basil? Both lemongrass and Thai basil can be found at most well-stocked grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, Albertsons, Central Market (if you’re in Texas), etc.
- How do I peel lemongrass? Slice both the bottom nub and top green stalks off of the lemongrass stalk. Then, using your hands, remove the papery outer layers from the remaining stalk until you reach the soft inner white core. From here, you can mince the lemongrass with a sharp knife.
- What do I serve this Thai green curry with? I love pairing this curry with steamed jasmine or basmati white rice. It’s the perfect comforting combo! And yes, I also love pairing this curry with toasted sourdough bread which is not authentic but is no less tasty and comforting.
- How long does this green curry last? Store the leftover curry in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Although, this Thai green curry does taste best within the first 2 days. Quick note that the curry does thicken up when stored, so add a splash of water when you reheat it to loosen up the curry.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or DM me on Instagram.
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! As always, love it when you rate and review the recipe, your feedback is always so appreciated!
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Vegan Thai Green Curry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
This vegan Thai green curry has become one of my new favorite winter/spring dishes. It’s cozy, comforting, herbaceous, and has just the right flavors that make it perfect for this time of year.
Ingredients
Tofu and Broccolini
- 1 block (16 oz) extra firm tofu
- 1 large head young broccoli, cut into florets (also called broccolini)
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
Green Curry
- 1/4 cup Thai green curry paste
- 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1” piece of ginger, finely minced
- 3 fresh lemongrass stalks, finely minced (use the soft inner part)
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems only, finely chopped (reserve the leaves for later)
- 1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup packed thai basil, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup packed cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
Finishing Ingredients
- A few thai basil leaves to finish
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Jasmine white rice
Instructions
- Prep the tofu and broccoli. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Tear the tofu into small bite-size chunks and add to the pan, along with the chopped broccoli. Drizzle generously with olive and salt and toss to mix. Keep the broccolini and tofu separate on the sheet pan as the broccolini only takes 10 minutes to bake. Bake the tofu and broccolini for 25 minutes, removing the broccoli at the 15-minute mark once it’s slightly browned on top.
- Fry the aromatics. Heat a large deep skillet on medium-high heat, then add in 3-4 tbsp of the canned coconut milk. This will be our fat/oil for frying the curry paste and aromatics – cool trick right?! Heat the coconut milk until it starts to bubble and sizzle. Then add the curry paste, minced garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and cilantro stems. Fry the aromatics for 3 minutes, stirring gently, until aromatic. If the aromatics or curry paste starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, just deglaze with a splash of coconut milk.
- Make the curry. Next, add in the coconut milk, chopped basil, cilantro, soy sauce, and coconut sugar. Mix the curry well until it’s a homogeneous silky mixture. Then pour the curry into a metal jar or keep it in the skillet, and blend with an immersion blender until the curry takes on a green-ish color. Transfer the curry back into the skillet and cook on medium-high heat until it reaches a rapid boil, continue cooking for 4-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Add in the veggies and finish. Finally, add in the baked tofu and broccoli, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the curry continue to cook, partially covered with a lid, for an additional 5 minutes. Make sure to adjust for salt as needed.
- Serve and garnish. Serve the cover over jasmine white rice or basmati white rice. Garnish the finished green curry with minced Thai basil and lime juice.
This turned out so good! I didn’t have any cilantro or basil, but it was still delicious. I can’t wait to try it with all the ingredients. Thank you!
So happy you liked it Meg!! Thank you so much for leaving such a lovely review, can’t wait for you to make it again with the Thai basil, it’s a game changer!
Hi! When do you add the cilantro stems vs leaves? I only see the one line about add cilantro. Thanks! 🙂
Thanks for flagging that, just updated the recipe to include that!! 🙂