This Thai green curry tofu is a simple and healthy recipe that’s bursting with Thai flavour! Cook it up and have dinner ready in less than 30 minutes!
If I could eat Thai green curry everyday I’d be a happy girl.
I mean, how can you go wrong with some crispy tofu tossed up in a luscious creamy coconut sauce with some spicy green curry served over a bowl of jasmine rice? You can’t.
Seriously this Thai green curry tofu is my saving grace weeknights when I’m in need of dinner in 30 minutes or less. That’s gotta be one of my favourite things about Thai cuisine. Almost every Thai dish comes together in less than 30 minutes. Seriously, Thai people know what’s up.
Vegetarian Thai green curry:
Traditionally, Thai green curry is made with chicken and uses fish sauce as the salty element of the curry.
If you’re wondering what spices are in green curry, the main components are green chillies, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and herbs like Thai basil. This gives the curry a bright green colour.
To make a vegetarian Thai green curry, the main thing you’ll want to swap out is fish sauce for soy sauce. Soy sauce does have a bit of a darker colour, so I like to use a light soy sauce. You could also use Tamari or a liquid soy seasoning.
Next, you’ll want to replace the chicken with a vegetarian alternative. In today’s recipe, we’re using tofu, (a very popular ingredient in Thai dishes!) but you can use anything you like really. Tempeh, chickpeas, or an assortment of vegetables will all work!
How to make Thai green curry:
Making Thai green curry is pretty simple, and once you learn how you’ll be making it ALL the time!
- start by cooking your tofu in a pan with some oil until it becomes nice and crispy.
- While that cooks, in a separate pan you’ll prepare your curry sauce. (*The key to making a great tasting curry sauce is all about balancing 3 elements: sweet, salty and sour. We get these flavours from coconut sugar, soy sauce and lime juice.)
- Once the sauce is prepared we add in the tofu and let it simmer together. Green curry is best served over jasmine rice.
A few notes on the recipe:
- You Might be wondering is Thai green curry paste vegan? When shopping for a green curry paste, make sure to check the label to make sure it is actually vegetarian/vegan friendly. Many green curry pastes contain shrimp paste in them, so it’s always good to double check!
- Some brands of curry paste tend to be A LOT spicer than others. So when preparing the dish, start by adding in 1 tbsp of curry paste, tasting the sauce and adding more as you go. I usually like to add about 2 tbsp of curry paste, but you may find that you need a bit more or less.
- You can add in any vegetables you like to this green curry. Eggplant, potato, broccoli or bok choy would all taste great!
- Thai green curry tofu is best enjoyed served alongside some jasmine rice or some vermicelli rice noodles.
More easy Thai recipes:
- Spicy Thai vegan ramen
- Thai basil tempeh stir-fry
- Northern-style Thai coconut soup
- Favourite vegan pad Thai
If you tried this Thai Green Curry Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
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This Thai green curry is a healthy vegetarian recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 block tofu, cut into cubes (approx 14oz, firm or extra firm)
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 med zucchini, chopped
- 1/2 red pepper
- 2 tbsp green curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- a squeeze of lime juice
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook on each side for 1-2 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
- Transfer the tofu to a bowl then heat the remaining 1 tbsp of avocado oil in the skillet.
- Add the onion and garlic and let cook for 2 minutes. Then add the zucchini and red pepper and let cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add remainder of the ingredients and mix everything together until well combined. Add back the tofu and mix.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Use extra firm tofu in this recipe for crispier tofu, or medium tofu if you prefer a softer texture.
Some brands of Thai Green Curry paste are spicier than others, so make sure to start with less if you don’t like your curry to spicy.
I like to cook the tofu separately then add it back at the end so it maintains some of its crispy texture.
This recipe is best served with a side of Jasmin rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of recipe
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
Keywords: Green curry tofu, Thai tofu, Thai curry tofu
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Is there a different sugar I can substitute the coconut sugar for?
Hi Heidi, you can use brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or just white table sugar.
Do we have to use soy sauce? Can we leave it out? xx
Hi Ayel, the dish will be off balanced if you do not add a salty element. You can substitute tamari for the soy sauce, or if you are not vegetarian you can use fish sauce, which is what is traditionally used.
I’m slowly converting my husband into a curry-lover and this recipe went over very well 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Jessica, that’s great to hear! Gotta love curry 🙂
How is yours such a pretty green? Mine turned browned with the soy sauce.
Hi Michelle,that would depend on both the brand of green curry and the brand of soy sauce you use. Some green curry pastes are more vibrant green than others, and some brands of soy sauce tend to be darker than others.
Are the calories per dish or serving? Do they include the rice?
Hi Gosia, the calories are for 1/5th of the recipe
This is so tasty and quick! I’m wondering whether it’s safe to freeze the leftover curry?
★★★★★
Hi Claire, you *can* freeze this recipe however it won’t be as good as made fresh. Coconut-based curries can separate in the freezer and may have a bit more of a grainy texture once defrosted!
I made this and it came out very delicious! Just wondering how does your sauce look so thick, mine was a bit runnier.
★★★★★
Hi Karo, thank you for the review! The sauce in traditional Thai cuisine is actually rather thin. This will depend a lot on how much the sauce cooks down in your pan before serving. If you prefer a thicker sauce, turn the heat up for a couple of minutes and the sauce will cook down.
Thanks! I’ll try that next time! 🤗
This curry was awesome! I added in some chopped eggplant and snow peas too, so good!
★★★★★
Those sound like some great additions to the recipe! Happy to hear you enjoyed!
What firmness of tofu do you use?
Firm or extra-firm will both work well! I’m also made this recipe with a soft tofu which is also delicious, but it will be a different texture!