Tofu green Thai curry in a spicy coconut cream sauce elevated with loads of fresh coriander & Thai basil with crispy soy sauce tofu chunks.
This dish is gloriously simple and will come together in around 30 minutes, which includes all of the preparation.
Vegan Thai Green Curry
I love a good Thai curry, and my site is littered with examples that range from the ever-popular Thai yellow chicken curry to more left-field options like Thai duck curry and Thai curry mussels.
My latest offering is a glorious vegan tofu Thai green curry that has a wonderfully silky coconut cream sauce and loads of fresh herbs.
Just like my vegan tofu massaman curry the tofu is baked or air-fried to add some texture to the dish.
However, in this recipe, I marinate it in a little dark soy sauce and sesame oil to add more flavour.
But that second process adds no additional time to the cooking process, which is all done and dusted in around 30 minutes. That time includes preparation too!
It is a fragrant curry that packs a reasonable amount of heat thanks to a few extra chillies.
But they can be omitted or even added to if you are a real chilli heat fiend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of Thai green curry paste do you use?
When I am cooking for myself, I use my homemade Thai green curry paste.
I am not daft though (well, not all of the time) and realise that most folk will use a store-bought paste. As a result, I develop and test all of my recipes with commercially produced curry pastes.
The two brands that I prefer are Mae Ploy and Maesri; Lobo gets an honourable mention, but it seems to be less readily available in the UK.
Can I use coconut milk rather than coconut cream?
Yes, the substitution will work fine, but the resulting curry will be a little less rich and creamy.
Can I use dried lime leaves?
I would honestly rather omit them than use dried lime leaves because they have very little flavour. Fresh makrut lime leaves are relatively common in larger supermarkets, and they freeze wonderfully.
Can I use light soy sauce rather than dark soy sauce to marinate the tofu?
You can, but light soy is less sweet and a lot saltier than dark soy sauce. You will want to reduce the amount of soy by a third and reduce the marinating time, too.
Adding a pinch of sugar will help with the sweetness, but there is a risk of it burning when you cook it, so keep your eyes peeled.
Is it better to cook the tofu in an air fryer or the oven?
Cooking the tofu in an air fryer is much more efficient than the oven if that is all you are cooking.
As a result, that would be my first choice; however, efficiency aside, there is little difference in the final cooked ingredient.
Serving Suggestions
Thai curries are awesome, big bowls of tasty loveliness and as far as I am concerned, they require very little in terms of side dishes.
I've served this tofu Thai green curry with some simply cooked jasmine rice in these pictures.
If you want something a little more indulgent, some coconut rice is also a great option.
This curry is finished with loads of fresh herbs, but crispy fried shallots add a great texture and sweetness to the dish.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Air fryer or oven. If you are using an oven, you will also need a baking sheet.
- Wok.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Mixing bowl.
- Whisk.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, cups and spoons.
Vegan Thai Green Tofu Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For the Tofu:
- 275 g Extra Firm Tofu 10oz
- 2 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 Pinch White Pepper Be generous
For the Green Thai Curry Sauce:
- 50 g Thai Green Curry Paste 3 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 250 ml Coconut Cream 1 Cup
- 2 Thai Green Birds Eye Chilli Peppers
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Stick Lemongrass
- 6 Lime Leaves
- 100 g Sugar Snap Peas 1 Cup
- 6-8 Stalks Tenderstem Broccoli 125-150g
- 20 g Fresh Coriander ⅓-½ Cup
- 20 g Thai Basil ¼ Cup
- 125 ml Vegetable Stock ½ Cup
- 1-2 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1½ tablespoon Lime Juice
Instructions
- Drain the tofu, cut it into 15-20mm (½-¾") dice and pat it dry on some kitchen paper.
- Add the dark soy sauce and sesame oil to a bowl with the white pepper, whisk to combine, then add the tofu and mix thoroughly. Let this sit whilst you prepare the ingredients for the curry.
- Cut the chilli peppers into thin rounds.
- Peel and dice the garlic cloves as finely as you can.
- Bash the stick of lemongrass with the blunt side of a knife to bruise it.
- Strip the stalk from the lime leaves and then shred the leaves as finely as you can, discarding the stalks.
- Cut the sugar snap peas into bite-sized pieces.
- Finely chop the coriander.
- Finely chop the Thai basil, making sure that you pay attention to the stalks, and chop them very finely, discarding any that are woody.
- Just before you start cooking drain the marinade from the tofu.
- Heat a wok over a medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the oil, Thai green curry paste and bashed lemongrass stick, then cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, mashing the curry paste into the oil.
- Add the garlic, green chilli and lime leaves and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
- Add the coconut cream, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- As soon as the coconut cream goes into the pan, cook the tofu. I like to do this in an air fryer; it will take around 8-10 minutes at 200°C or 390°F. Make sure you give it a shake every 3-4 minutes. You can also do it in a fan oven at 200°C or 390°F (15-17 minutes) on a baking sheet, giving it a toss halfway through.
- Pour in the stock and add the soy sauce, lime juice and brown sugar. Start with the lower amounts of the final three of these ingredients and balance them to your taste.
- When you have two minutes left on the tofu, add the sugar snap peas and tenderstem broccoli to the curry sauce and cook for a final 2 minutes.
- Just before you serve, stir through the Thai basil and most of the coriander (reserving a little for garnish).
- Serve in a bowl with the tofu sprinkled over the sauce.
