This simple Thai Green Curry is super easy and quick to make. It’s made with fresh spring vegetables and a couple other pantry staples that easily spruce up a store bought curry paste. Made with your favourite green vegetables, this makes for a delicious vegetarian or even vegan meal that is full of flavor and simple enough for weeknight dinners.
What vegetables work well with simple Thai green curry?
I like pretty much anything adding anything green — snow peas, garden peas, delicate French beans (haricot vert) or string beans. Green asparagus, purple sprouting broccoli or broccolini are also nice choices. And shortly before it’s finished cooking I like to add a little zucchini, so that it remains crisp-tender (al dente) and finally a handful or spinach or if I stumble on it at the market, a little baby kale. And if you want something other than green, Japanese eggplants also go great with Thai green curry and they cook quickly too!
Pantry ingredients used in this recipe
- Coconut oil – I like the extra coconut flavour, but olive oil is also fine.
- Onions, garlic and ginger – essential natural flavour enhancers.
- Coconut milk – full fat please! Fat is where the flavor is so choose a high-quality coconut milk and not a watered down or light version.
- Brown sugar – preferably palm or mascabado sugar for extra sweetness and a delicious caramel undertone to the sauce.
- Rice vinegar or fresh lime juice – for the perfect amount of acidity to balance the flavours. Choice Japanese rice vinegar for the best flavor.
- Soy sauce — need I say more. Umami pure.
- And a little side note, I use water to thin my curry but you could also use chicken or vegetable broth. Chicken lends a deeper flavor but vegetable broth or water is also fine.
What to serve with this vegetarian curry?
I like to serve it with whole grain basmati rice, but jasmine rice is also a nice choice. Or go for something like quinoa.
Looking for more protein?
Add a can of chickpeas, pan-fried tofu or even chicken breast or prawns to this recipe.
Easy Thai Green Curry with Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
For the curry:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste (Asian market)
- 1 x 400 ml can organic coconut milk (full fat)
- water, to thin (ca. 60-120 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut palm sugar or mascabado brown sugar
- 500-600 g mixed spring vegetables - choose from: French beans, chopped, asparagus spears, sliced, sprouting broccolini / Spargelkohl (or Bimi), sliced, fresh peas, shelled, zucchini, diced - see tips below!!
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar or fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- handful fresh greens, such as young spinach or baby kale (optional)
To serve:
- 1 cup whole grain basmati rice or rice of choice (200 g)
- fresh cilantro leaves
- red pepper flakes
- lime wedges
Method
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Prepare the rice, according to package instructions, (25-40 min, depending on type of rice). Cover and let the rice rest until ready to serve.
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Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet (or wok) with deep sides over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and garlic, plus a sprinkle of salt and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often.
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Add the spring vegetables (see tips below!) plus a small splash of water and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry paste and continue cooking, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
Note: I like to add the zucchini last, as I prefer it less cooked. I add it after I have brought the coconut milk to a simmer.
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Add the coconut milk and sugar to the pan, along with a little water to thin. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and cooked through, depending on preferred doneness.
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Once the vegetables are done cooking, stir in the greens (if using) and cook until the wilted, about 30-60 seconds.
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Remove the curry from heat and season with rice vinegar (or lime) and soy sauce. Season with more salt, if desired.
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Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on whether you like your vegetables well cooked of crisp-tender. Thin French beans cook quickly but larger garden green beans (Buschbohnen) take longer, so if you prefer them well cooked, then saute them on their own for a few minutes before adding peas, broccoli, etc. Otherwise, you can blanch them before adding to the curry to have more control over the texture. I like mine crisp-tender so my method works out fine for me.
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