• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Simply delicious oil-free vegan recipes

  • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Category
    • Recipes by Tag
    • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Press
  • NewsBites
  • Shop!
  • Website

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

April 28, 2011 By Susan Voisin 73 Comments
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy.

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

Make your own Thai Green Curry Paste using this recipe and then use it in a delicious vegan Thai green curry with tofu and vegetables.
Vegan Thai Green Curry with Tofu and Vegetables
I’m not one of those food snobs who think that absolutely everything I cook has to be made from scratch. Though I believe that the results are usually better (and more nutritious) when all the ingredients are homemade, I’m not above using packaged ingredients, such as vegetable broth or canned beans, when the ingredients aren’t polysyllabic. I usually draw the line at using pre-mixed spices, though I make an exception for my beloved Maharajah curry powder and for more time-consuming seasonings like Thai curry pastes.

So the first time I made this dish, I used green curry paste from a can, and it was delicious. It wasn’t food snobbery that led me to make my own green curry paste, but curiosity–a desire to see how all the individual ingredients combine to create something completely new. And in the process I found that the beauty of homemade curry paste is that you can still taste all the individual components–the heat of chiles, the sparkle of lime–a quality that’s lost during processing and canning. Homemade really is better.

But….It’s not so much better that you should pass up making Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu if you’re short on time or can’t find all of the ingredients for the curry paste. Look for a green curry paste without fish sauce in your supermarket or Asian grocery store. But if you do have access to the ingredients and a little extra time, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can make your own curry paste, which will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for 6 months. You’ll be able to make four to six batches of green curry from this one recipe:
Thai Green Curry Paste

5 from 4 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box

Thai Green Curry Paste

Gluten Free
Nut Free
Soy Free
Sugar Free
The beauty of homemade curry paste is that you can still taste all the individual components--the heat of chiles, the sparkle of lime--a quality that's lost during processing and canning. Homemade really is better.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 16
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 5 medium green chilies such as Serrano, stems removed and cut into large pieces
  • 3 stalks lemon grass white part only, chopped
  • 2 shallots peeled and quartered
  • 8 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and cut into pieces
  • 1 grated rind of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves or Italian parsley (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons water (more as needed)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small, dry skillet for about two minutes over high heat or until they become fragrant. Remove them to a bowl and allow to cool. Then grind them and the black peppercorns in a spice mill or coffee mill until powdered. (You may also grind them in a mortar and pestle).
    Thai Green Curry Ingredients
  • Place the spices and all remaining ingredients into a food processor and process until it’s a thick paste, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add more water, if necessary to keep the mixture moving, and be careful not to breathe in the fumes as you remove the cover (I know this from experience!)
  • Place in a tightly covered jar and refrigerate. Use within 2-3 weeks or freeze for later use.

Notes

Makes about 1 cup.
Nutrition Facts
Thai Green Curry Paste
Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)
Calories 9
% Daily Value*
Sodium 2mg0%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 0.5g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Seasoning
Cuisine Gluten-free, Thai, Vegan
Keyword green curry paste, thai curry, vegan thai curry
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
Share on Facebook Pin This Recipe Share by Email

Long-time readers may notice that this is the first time that cilantro has appeared as an ingredient in one of my recipes. As I was researching green curry paste, I found that some recipes contained cilantro leaves, stems, and roots, while others called for just the roots or no cilantro at all. As someone who is genetically predisposed to think cilantro tastes like soap, I couldn’t quite bring myself to add it to my curry paste. And then I read in Real Vegetarian Thai that Nancie McDerMott used cilantro or Italian parsley only to add green color to the paste. So I opted for the parsley (which you can’t even taste in the finished recipe) and sprinkled chopped cilantro over my cilantro-loving husband’s bowl of curry.

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu
5 from 4 votes
Print SaveSaved! Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

I make this curry lighter by making my own cashew-coconut milk, but you can make it richer by using 2 cups of lite coconut milk instead. Or reduce the fat even more by using unsweetened almond or soy milk.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 large onion halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2-3 tablespoons green curry paste
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
  • 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu cubed and lightly pressed(see variations below)
  • 4 cups swiss chard leaves thinly sliced (see variations below)
  • 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Juice of half a lime
  • 1 teaspoon sugar agave nectar, or sugar substitute
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro to garnish
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Place the cashews and coconut into a 2-cup measure and add water to reach the 2-cup line. Allow them to stand as long as possible, preferably several hours (but 20 minutes will do in a rush). When ready to use, transfer to a blender and blend at highest speed until as smooth as possible. Add cornstarch and blend again to combine. Set aside.
  • Heat a large, non-stick wok or pan and add the onions. Cook until they begin to soften, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking, and then add the garlic and curry paste and cook for another minute.
  • Blend the coconut mixture again briefly and add it to the wok. Stir in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and tofu. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add the Swiss chard and asparagus and stir well. Cover and simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender but asparagus is still slightly crisp. Stir in the lime juice and sweetener and add salt to taste. Serve over brown rice, garnished with chopped cilantro.

Notes

Variations:
Instead of uncooked tofu, you may use baked tofu or 2 cups of shelled edamame. Also, you can reduce fat by using lite tofu.
Instead of chard, use 4 cups of any green leafy vegetable that you like; bok choy, mizuna, and other Asian greens are particularly good.
Nutrition Facts
Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 142 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Sodium 336mg15%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 3.2g13%
Protein 10g20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai, Vegan
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
Share on Facebook Share by Email

For another way to use your Thai green curry paste, check out my recipe for Green Curry Tofu Cakes, a take-off on Thai Fish Cakes.

More Green Curries:

  • Green Curry Tofu Scramble at Show Me Vegan
  • Green Curry Duchesse Jewel Sweet Potatoes in Ginger Coconut Cream by Messy Vegetarian Cook
  • Easy Green Curry by Vegan Dad
  • Thai Eggplant in Coconut Curry by Herbivoracious

Please Pin and Share:

Make your own Thai Green Curry Paste using this recipe and then use it in a delicious vegan Thai green curry with tofu and vegetables.

Filed Under: Condiments, Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: Eat-to-Live, Gluten-free, Greens, Higher-fat, Soy, Sugar-free, Under 200

Get NewsBites!

Sign up for our newsletter to receive new recipes & tips by email!

Privacy Policy
Previous Post: « Simple Cabbage and Chickpea Soup with Fresh Basil
Next Post: Green Curry Tofu Cakes »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Caryn Coleman

    May 21, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    I love this!

    Couple hassled and forgetful mom tricks: I made it with unsweetened soy milk and a few teaspoons of coconut extract and used oil-free store bought curry paste. One time I even used frozen asparagus from Trader the Joe.

    When I can remember to soak the cashews and coconut in time (I bought them but …) I will try it chez you too. Including making the curry paste!

    <3 your blog.

    Reply
  2. Aparna

    May 24, 2011 at 10:00 am

    Love Thai curry and I just picked up a packet of readymade paste. 🙂
    Having grown up using cilantro/ coriander, I find it interesting that a lot of people find it “soapy”. But then parsley isn’t one of my favourites. 🙂
    Love those bowls you’ve served the curry in.

    Reply
  3. alison

    June 23, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    Hi
    I dont know if others have said this before but any chance of break downs of fat, calories etc for your recipes? That would be SO helpful
    Thanks
    Alison

    Reply
    • SusanV

      June 23, 2011 at 5:53 pm

      Um, Alison? The nutritional info is right at the end of the recipe! 😉

      Reply
  4. Tim

    July 26, 2011 at 10:38 pm

    I just made this and it smelled so good while I was cooking it. The aroma reminded me of the Thai restaurant curry. It tasted very good, although it came out thicker then this picture probably because I didn’t use as much soup broth as needed…. I am making some rice tomorrow and will have it as described with cilantro for lunch. Can’t wait!

    Reply
  5. Art

    August 23, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    Susan,
    New to your site. great stuff! I’ll change the nuts to either macadamia (raw) or raw pistacios (maybe). Do u think leaving out the sweetener will work. No sugar for me. I’m assuming there is sugar in unsweetened coconut?

    Reply
  6. cch22

    December 18, 2011 at 9:42 am

    HI,
    Ok.. I don’t have curry paste.. but i do have curry powder. Can I substitute somehow???

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      December 18, 2011 at 11:13 am

      I’m afraid not. They’re completely different in flavor.

      Reply
  7. SHERRY ERNSPIKER

    May 9, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    We made this tonight and it was delicous!!! Didn’t have enough green curry so we used the Red and everyone loved it. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Jan Wood

    May 15, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    Wonderful recipe! My husband loved it and it will definitely be prepared again. I only used 2 peppers and that was more than enough heat for me. Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
  9. Georgia

    June 25, 2012 at 1:14 am

    Hi Susan,

    Firstly I would like to say thank you and that I absolutely adore your website – as does my increasingly vegan family whom constantly request your recipes!
    Life is made much easier with thanks to you.
    Just curious, how many ounces of tofu do you suggest exactly here? Would that be a 14 or 16 ounce package? Forgive me if it’s obvious, as I am from Sydney where we talk in grams.

    Kind Regards,
    Georgia.

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      June 25, 2012 at 7:25 am

      Thank you, Georigia! I’m happy that my recipes are a hit with your family. I use a 14-ounce package of tofu in this just because that’s what’s available here, but an extra couple of ounces probably wouldn’t make a lot of difference.

      Reply
  10. Cecilia

    February 4, 2013 at 7:35 am

    Thanks so much for this beautiful recipe! I loved it and so did my husband. And it’s so easy to make. I’ll stay tuned;)

    Reply
  11. KalynsKitchen

    April 28, 2014 at 9:20 am

    This looks wonderful; saved!

    Reply
  12. MJ

    April 28, 2014 at 10:06 am

    I have read your blog for years and have made many recipes! I love green curry and I make my own green curry paste quite often so I thought I would share my tip. You can use 6 oz of romaine lettuce (or any nice green lettuce) to blend in with the curry paste to give it a more vibrant green color (in addition to the cilantro/parsley – got that tidbit from a Thai cookbook). The lettuce is completely neutral in flavor and in addition to color it also provides a bit of added nutrition:-D I get an abundance of lettuce from the CSA every year and when I can’t eat any more salads I make green curry paste and freeze it (I do use cilantro too though though – I love cilantro). Now I want some green curry!

    Reply
  13. kim baker

    May 3, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    My husband loved this meal! Meat and potao guy 🙂

    Reply
  14. Judy Kennedy

    May 21, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    Do you have a recipe for red curry paste as well as the green curry paste? Thanks, Judy

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      May 21, 2017 at 4:17 pm

      I don’t, but it sounds like something I need to work on.

      Reply
  15. Vicky

    September 16, 2017 at 12:14 am

    This recipe turned out beautifully. I am not someone who likes to eat leftovers but I happily had this for 3 consecutive meals. I absolutely love the work you do and have been frequenting your blog for the past few months and every recipe out here that I tried has been GREAT!
    You’re amazing!!! 🙂

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to My Kitchen!

Susan VoisinI'm Susan Voisin, and I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based dishes with no added oil. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Find It Fast

  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Ridiculously Easy Recipes
  • Weight Watchers Recipes
  • Recipes by Tag (ingredient, gluten-free, etc.)
  • Complete Recipe Index

Find a Recipe

Allergens

All of my recipes are vegan, dairy-free, and fish free. To find recipes free of other allergens, click on an icon below.

Gluten FreeNut FreeSugar FreeSoy Free

Footer

Fall Favorites

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin

See More Fall Favorites

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Photos, original recipes, and text © Susan Voisin. All rights reserved. Do not republish content without permission.

Nutritional information is approximate and is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers™️ and cannot guarantee accuracy of Points™️.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2023 · Susan Voisin · Privacy Policy· Log in