Easy Vegan Thai Green Curry

This Vegan Thai Green Curry is fragrant, creamy, spicy and super nutritious. Naturally gluten-free, it makes a perfect quick yet healthy dinner.

When I ask around me, green curry meals always seem to win over the red curry ones. Last year’s Thai green curry vegan meatballs was such a success that I decided to share a basic green curry recipe. I made it vegan, so you can use it as a base and then use any vegetables or protein of your choice. The most important part remains the creamy green curry sauce.

Green versus red curry: what’s the difference?

Before we go any further, let’s take a minute to discuss about the differences between a red and a green curry. Obviously, the main difference between the two curry dishes is the color and the chilies used. Each chili has its own characteristic and flavor. Red curry is made from dried red chilies while green curry comes from fresh, green chilis.

When it comes to the flavor, red curry is spicier than green curry. It also has a bolder flavor and more depth. In contrast, green curry’s flavor is milder and sweeter, with a brighter and sharper taste. As a matter of fact, in the Thai language, red curry is called gaeng phed, translating as “spicy soup” while green curry is known as “sweet green curry” or gaeng keow wahn in the local language. I also find the green curry more subtle in taste.

How to prepare the perfect green curry base?

Great news: it’s easy to make a curry (red or green) and basically anyone can do it! What really matters are the ingredients you choose to use. Green curry requires to find a green curry paste, which you can usually find in the world section of your grocery store. It comes in a very small jar, as you don’t need much for a curry, and any curry paste leftover will keep for weeks in the refrigerator.

The green curry sauce must be fragrant, spicy, and creamy. In order to bring as much flavors as possible in my curry, I used fresh ginger and garlic, to which I added some lemongrass. One stalk lemongrass is enough, and you will need to smash it with a the bottom part of a knife so that it can release all of its flavors. Don’t forget to remove it from the pot when it’s ready, as it is not easily edible this way. I also infused some Thai basil leaves but it’s really up to you to use them or not.

Note that I used tamari sauce in the recipe, which could be replaced by soy sauce. If you are wondering what is the difference between the two, note that tamari is a wider class of soy sauces, and is made with no (or very little) wheat, while traditional soy sauce does contain wheat.

Also you want your curry to be as creamy as possible. I’m always struggling with this part until I noticed that some recipes called for nut butter. It could be almond, cashew or peanut butter. All of them will thicken as the curry sauce is simmering and you can then turn off the heat when you obtain the desired consistency.

About the toppings

I chose to make my green curry entirely vegan, which means I use mostly vegetables. Here I went for broccolini (that you can replace with small broccoli florets) and finely sliced red pepper as main vegetables, to which I added some sweet peas. Take these vegetables more like an example rather than a strict recipe to follow. You could totally use completely different vegetables and still have a wonderful green curry. Some of my favorite ones are spinach, bok choy, zucchini or green beans.

You can then serve your green curry as is, with an exclusive vegetable base, and together with jasmine rice (or rice noodles if you want to serve it as a soup). Or you can add some protein of your choice. As I wanted mine vegan, I added some diced tofu that I first fried in a pan before adding to the sauce at the last minute. If you are not into tofu so much, replace with chickpeas and the dish will remind you of the one I created last year.

That being said, you do not necessarily need to follow an exclusive plant-based diet to enjoy this green curry and you can totally use the sauce as a base and then add your share of chicken (make sure you cook it first). Be creative!

Easy Vegan Thai Green Curry

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: Savory
• Cuisine: Vegan

This Vegan Thai Green Curry is fragrant, creamy, spicy and super nutritious. Naturally gluten-free, it makes a perfect quick yet healthy dinner.

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the green curry:

• 1 block (400g) firm tofu, diced (optional)*
• 1 large red pepper, finely sliced
• 1–2 small heads broccolini or 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
• 2–3 teaspoons green curry paste
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2-inch (3 cm) knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 piece lemongrass, smashed
• 3 small cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon tamari
• 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth
• 1 Tablespoon cashew butter**
• 1 can (400 ml) full fat coconut milk
• 2–3 leaves Thai basil
• 1 handful snow peas
• 1/2 lime, zest and juice

For serving:

• Jasmine or basmati rice
• Fresh basil or cilantro
• Cashews or peanuts, chopped
• Lime juice

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Instructions

1. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan and once hot, sauté the diced tofu on all sides, until goldent brown. Set aside.
2. Place the pan back on the heat, add a little bit more oil and sauté red pepper and broccolini (or broccoli florets) for a couple of minutes. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, add one tablespoon of oil, green curry paste, ginger, smashed lemongrass and garlic over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until aromatic, stirring constantly to prevent from burning.
4. Add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, tamari and peanut butter and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and whisk well to dissolve the cashew butter. Infuse thai basil leaves and simmer for 6-8 minutes, until reduced slightly and the curry is thickened to your liking.
5. Add the diced tofu and vegetables and continue simmering until they are just-tender. Squeeze in the lime juice.
6. When ready to serve, spoon into bowls over jasmine or basmati rice. Top as you like with fresh herbs and additional nuts.

Notes

* A curry is a very forgiving recipe and you can go with or without tofu.

** I like to use cashew butter because it is neutral in taste. Another option is to use almond butter or if you don’t mind additional flavors to your curry, you can go for peanut butter.

Dairy-Free, Family-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Soups & Stews, Vegetarian, Year Round

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Easy Vegan Thai Green Curry, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!