Thai Green Curry with Tofu stands in a league of it's own when it comes to creamy curry sauces. It is fragrant, aromatic, bright and spicy. Mixed with fresh vegetables and tofu, this healthy, plant-based, one-pot dish comes together quickly and is both refreshing and comforting all at the same time.
If you've never ventured into the world of Thai green curry now's your chance! This recipe couldn't be more simple. Tofu is an excellent source of plant-based protein and something I've been trying to add into my diet more often. If you, like me, struggle with the texture of firm tofu you have to try this curry with soft tofu. The texture is creamy and luxurious and will keep you coming back for more.
If you love Thai flavours you might love this recipe for Thai Style Coconut Chicken Soup or Tofu and Vegetable Stir Fry.
Looking for a perfect dessert to serve with this dish? My Dairy Free Coconut Panna Cotta recipe will surely fit the bill!
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Why you will love this recipe
- It's fast and simple - once you have prepared the ingredients it only takes 10 to 15 minutes to come together.
- It's nutrient rich - this recipe covers all the bases for a balanced and nutritious meal.
- It's versatile - many of the ingredients can be switched to others you prefer or have on hand. You can even use chicken or shrimp instead of tofu. See below for details.
- It's easy and elegant - although this recipe is quick enough for a busy weeknight it's also impressive enough to wow your dinner guests.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Please refer to the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Avocado oil - can be replaced with olive oil or any other neutral flavored vegetable oil.
- Shallots - can be replaced with ½ cup of thinly sliced, or finely chopped yellow, or red onion.
- Green curry paste - I use Maesri Curry Paste which can be harder to find. My second choice is Aroy D brand. Thai Kitchen brand is what is found in most grocery stores where I live. This is a much milder version of the other two so you may want to add extra. If you are trying green curry for the first time, the milder flavor of Thai Kitchen brand might be a good place to start.
- Baby Bok choi - substitute with approximately 3-4 cups of chopped or sliced leafy green of your choice.
- Mushrooms, red pepper and carrot - I love the combination of these vegetables for this curry but you can substitute with any vegetables of your choice. You will need 2 to 3 cups in total. Some suggestions include green peas or beans, asparagus, any type of mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, Japanese eggplant, zucchini, baby corn, or bamboo shoots.
- Coconut milk - I recommend using full fat coconut milk (not cream) from a can. You can substitute with light coconut milk but keep in mind the end result will be less creamy.
- Vegetable stock - chicken stock works equally as well.
- Kafir lime leaves - find these as specialty Asian supermarkets. They freeze beautifully so buy a bag and have them ready to use anytime. Because these are harder to find I've added them as an optional ingredient. You can simple leave them out or add in ½ teaspoon of finely grated lime zest in Step 3.
- Soft tofu - I love the texture of soft tofu but feel free to replace with firm or medium-firm. Firm tofu also contains twice as much protein so is a great way to increase the protein without adding anything else.
- Fish sauce - can be replaced with equal amounts of soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
- Brown sugar - can be replaced with any type of sugar.
- Fresh cilantro - Thai or regular basil would be an excellent substitute. Or use both! I would have added basil to my recipe but there wasn't any available at my supermarket.
- Fresh lime juice - this adds acidity balance. If you don't have any limes use lemon juice instead. Or even a teaspoon or two of rice vinegar.
Variations
Make it with chicken - Substitute tofu with 350 grams (12 oz) chicken thighs or breast. Thinly slice the chicken. Add thigh meat in Step 2 along with the curry paste. If using breast meat add slices in Step 3 after bringing the coconut milk and broth to a simmer.
Make it with shrimp - Add in 1 pound of peeled and deveined raw shrimp in Step 4 with the vegetables and tofu.
Make it with a different curry paste - You can make this recipe with Thai Red Curry Paste. The amount is the same and adjust to your own taste.
Make it less spicy - Green curry paste is spicy so if you want a milder curry reduce the amount by half. Taste the sauce after it has simmered for a few minutes and add more if you like.
Make it more spicy - If you like it extra spicy add the whole can of curry paste. If using Thai Kitchen brand you may need to add 4 to 6 tablespoons to bring the heat up. Taste the sauce and add more if necessary. You can also add chopped fresh Thai chili peppers to the sauce or as a garnish.
How to make this recipe
Please see full instructions in the recipe card below.
Step 1 - Sautee the shallots until soft. Add curry paste and cook for one minute.
Step 2 - Add carrots and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 3 - Add coconut milk and broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste sauce to decide if you want to add more curry paste.
Step 4 - Add remaining vegetables and tofu and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Taste again and add more seasonings as needed.
Green curry is fragrant and aromatic including ingredients such as fresh coriander root, basil, green chili peppers, lemongrass and kafir lime leaves. Red curry has a more earthy flavor and includes ingredients such as red chili peppers, galangal, garlic, shrimp paste. Ingredients will vary greatly depending on the brand or the home cook making it.
Although they are both considered spicy, red curry typically tends to have more heat. However this isn't always the case. Depending on the preparation or the brand there could be more or less chili peppers added to the paste which will determine the heat level.
Yes you absolutely can. Keep in mind the taste and texture will be different. Soft tofu is mild tasting, with a silky and "custard-like" texture where as firm tofu has a stronger taste and spongier texture.
What to serve with Green Curry Tofu
Enjoy this curry just on it's own or over a bed of:
Rice - Thai curries are traditionally served over rice. My favorite is black rice for it's nutritional qualities. Jasmine is the classic and traditional choice but any rice would be delicious.
Noodles - Serve over your favorite rice noodles.
Low-carb options - This curry is delicious served over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and/or a comment below. You can also follow me on social media here on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Want to say thank you?📖 Recipe
Thai Green Curry with Tofu
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons green curry paste
- 1 large carrot, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 6 shitake mushrooms, about 80 grams, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 1-400 ml 14 oz can coconut milk
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth, no sodium
- 5 or 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half (optional)
- 2 small heads baby bok choi, bottoms trimmed, rinsed, and thinly sliced
- ½ large red pepper, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
- 396 grams 14 oz soft tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or 15 whole basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons lime juice (half a lime)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large fry pan or pot. Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes or until starting to soften.
- Stir in curry paste and cook for one minute. Add carrots and mushrooms and stir for one minute.
- Add coconut milk, broth, and lime leaves if using. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce to decide whether to add more curry paste (see note).
- Add bok choi, red pepper, and tofu. Bring back to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve with your favorite rice, noodles, or a low-carb option like cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. It’s also delicious all on its own!
Notes
3-4 cups of any type of leafy green can be used instead of Bok choi. Nutritional Facts are an estimate only and can vary depending on the brands and combinations of ingredients used. They do not include any sides.
Candace Kaine says
I made this recipe a few months ago when friends of mine who are vegan came to visit. The meal was a big hit with all! I served it over noodles and it was just delicious and I will definitely make it again.
Andrea says
Happy to hear it was a hit! Thanks for coming back here to leave a comment. Much appreciated!
Fay Walton says
I am definitely going to make this dish. I am obsessed with coconut curry dishes.
Andrea says
Be sure to come back and let us know how it turned out!
Diane says
Comments below mention Panang Curry - I can’t find your recipe
Andrea says
Hi Diane! I don't have a recipe for Panang Curry. Someone asked if they could use that curry paste with this recipe so I gave suggestions for that.
Diane says
Just made this for lunch - served on cauliflower fried rice - delicious!
I was not a fan of tofu - used medium firm tofu - perfect - I may be a convert!
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed the tofu!
Lorna Kozlowski says
My family suggested I try this as it has become a staple in their house. Tried it last night !! DELICIOUS!!
Definitely making it again ! Love your recipes… so easy to follow with standard ingredients most of which we have in the kitchen
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Lorna! Thanks so much for commenting 😊
May says
This was so quick to make and tasted delicious,we didn't have all the ingredients but it still tasted great and our 13 yr old said it was her favourite dish!
Andrea says
That's so wonderful and one of my favourite comments. If the kids like it then I feel I have done my job!
Shelley C says
Wow! As good or better than any restaurant. For sure find the kafar lime leaves, they make the flavours pop. Will make this again and again, healthy, tasty and easy!
Andrea says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it Shelley! Thanks for commenting ☺️
Monica says
This recipe is perfection and better than restaurant quality. I used the entire can of Maesri green paste as we prefer it spicy, substituted the tofu for chicken, omitted the carrot as I didn't have one on hand, but added extra mushrooms and peppers, as well as a can of bamboo shoots. So delicious, thanks so much for this recipe!
Question - what can I do with the remaining lime leaves? Do you freeze them?
Also, to make panang curry (I noticed a Maesri can option), would I follow the same directions from ths recipe?
Andrea says
Hi Monica! Yes the lime leaves freeze perfectly. Just pop them into a ziplock bag and they will keep forever. You can use the same method for a Panang curry although it usually has ground peanuts added to the sauce which makes it thicker. You can also add a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter and garnish with some chopped peanuts. I'm so happy you enjoyed the green curry. Thanks so much for your comment!
Monica says
Andrea, thank you so much!! I just made the panang tofu curry following your recipe as well as adding crushed peanuts and peanut butter from your reply- so yummy!!! Thank you for creating so many fabulous recipes, which are our family favourites!!!
Andrea says
It's my absolute pleasure and I'm so happy you are all enjoying the recipes!
Gail Foster says
I loved it. Would cut back on curry.
Pam says
This is a simple, yet oh so delicious recipe that came together in no time at all. I used a semi-firm tofu and served it over rice noodles. For the leftovers, I will be adding shrimp, just to change it up. The kefir lime leaves added and extra kick to the flavours as did the extra bit of curry paste I added. Thanks again for another keeper.
Andrea says
It's my absolute pleasure! So happy you enjoyed it and thanks for the comment!
Darnell says
This dish was so good. I went out on a branch knowing that Andrea’s recipes are tasty and easy to follow but I had never made Thai food or used green curry paste, lime leaves and put together this type of dish. It was sooooo good. I did omit the peppers(I can’t eat them) but added bean sprouts and put some prawns in to make my hubby happy. Served over rice noodles. We will be making this again. Thank you Andrea for sharing your talent.
Andrea says
I'm so happy you decided to try it and enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting!
Maria Taylor says
I have been following My Pocket Kitchen for recipes for the past couple of years. Ingredients are not that difficult for me to find and the food always turns out flavourful and healthy, which is important to me. I saw this recipe on Facebook and had to go out and get ingredients. I was able to find most, a few substitutes but it worked out great! Thank you Andrea for another great dish! I will be making this one often
Andrea says
Thanks so much for the comment Maria! I'm so happy you enjoyed the curry and have been enjoying the blog!