This colorful, aromatic Thai Vegetable Curry recipe may be vegetarian, but it doesn’t skimp on flavor. Creamy coconut milk and Thai red curry paste create the perfect base for tender eggplant, crisp vegetables, and fragrant Thai basil.
The beauty of this dish is its versatility. You can easily adjust the spice level by using less curry paste, and the vegetables can be swapped based on what you have in your fridge.
I have to say, while I’ve been really enjoying our Thai Red Curry Chicken recipe over the last several months, I don’t really miss the meat when I’m eating this vegetarian version!
Make It Your Own
The best part about this curry recipe is how adaptable it is. Here are various ways to adapt the recipe to your own taste preferences or simply what you have on hand:
- Adjust Spice Level: I call for 1 full can (4 ounces/115g) of curry paste here, which yields a spicy curry! Personally, it doesn’t have me running for a glass of milk or anything, but others have said that the spice level was way too much! If you’re spice averse or unsure, start with ½ a can, or even less.
- Change Up the Vegetables: While I love the combination of vegetables listed here, feel free to experiment with what you have on hand. Sugar snap peas, snow peas, baby corn, small cubes of sweet potato or butternut squash, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli would all work well. For each vegetable you replace, use the amounts listed in the recipe as a guide to gauge the weight/volume to use.
- Add Protein: For plant-based protein, you can add tofu—either firm tofu, preferably pan-fried, or soy puffs that have been cut in half. If you’re looking for more protein, see our Coconut Curry Shrimp and Thai Red Curry Chicken for preparation methods.
- Garnish or Don’t: I love adding chopped peanuts at the end for a little extra flavor, crunch, and protein. However, you can omit them if you have a peanut allergy—or simply don’t have them on hand.
- Substitute the Fish Sauce: Obviously, fish sauce is not vegetarian. If you want to make the dish vegan/vegetarian, substitute soy sauce or vegan fish sauce.
- Use a Different Basil: Don’t worry if you can’t find Thai basil. While it adds a special flavor, regular basil will work in a pinch. (I know there are people out there who would disagree. But I would rather use sweet Italian basil in this dish rather than having no basil in it at all.)
- Lighten Up the Sauce: To make the dish lighter, substitute vegetable or mushroom stock for up to half the coconut milk. (Or use light coconut milk.) If you make the dish as written, however, you’ll get that luxurious, restaurant-style curry sauce we all love.
Recipe Notes & Tips
There are a few additional tips to keep in mind for this recipe:
- While you can leave it out, I love using Chinese eggplant for this recipe. Unlike Italian eggplant, Chinese eggplant has a more delicate skin and tender flesh. It really soaks up all those beautiful curry flavors. You can find it in most Asian grocery stores, along with Thai basil.
- Don’t skip the step of properly searing the eggplant first. This extra few minutes gives it that beautiful caramelization that adds another layer of flavor to the final dish. It also ensures you have tender eggplant!
- Once you add the coconut milk, keep the curry at a gentle simmer. If you let it boil too vigorously, the coconut milk might split and become grainy.
Now, let’s get to the recipe!
Recipe Instructions
Heat a wok or large cast iron/carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and spread it around to coat. Add the eggplant, and stir-fry for about 7 minutes, until the eggplant is lightly browned and tender. Drizzle in a little more oil during this process if the eggplant looks dry, and try to keep it in one layer so it sears on all sides. Transfer the eggplant to a dish and set aside.
Over medium-low heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, along with the garlic and ginger, and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add the curry paste, and fry for another minute. Stir in the sugar.
Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, green beans, bamboo shoots, and vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce/regular fish sauce), and fry for 3 minutes, until the vegetables begin to get tender.
Then reduce the heat to medium, and add the coconut milk and eggplant. Bring to a simmer. (From this point on, keep the curry at a simmer. Avoid boiling it too vigorously, or the coconut milk may split.)
Simmer for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the Thai basil until wilted.
Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired, and serve over steamed rice.
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Recipe
Thai Vegetable Curry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- 1 Chinese eggplant (sliced on an angle into ½-inch/1cm thick slices)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 slices ginger
- 4 ounces Thai red curry paste (4 ounces/115g = 1 can; or to make the recipe milder, start with ½ a can; we prefer Maesri brand red curry paste, which is vegan & gluten-free)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar (or palm sugar)
- 1 small onion (cut into small wedges)
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 zucchini (halved lengthwise, and sliced on an angle)
- 6 ounces green beans (ends trimmed, and cut in half crosswise)
- 5 ounces bamboo shoots (drained)
- 2 teaspoons vegan fish sauce or soy sauce (use regular fish sauce if not keeping vegan)
- 13.5 ounces coconut milk (13.5 ounces/400ml = 1 can)
- ½ cup Thai basil leaves
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts (chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large cast iron/carbon steel skillet over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and spread it around to coat. Add the eggplant, and stir-fry for about 7 minutes, until the eggplant is lightly browned and tender. Drizzle in a little more oil during this process if the eggplant looks dry, and try to keep it in one layer so it sears on all sides. Transfer the eggplant to a dish and set aside.
- Over medium-low heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, along with the garlic and ginger, and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the curry paste, and fry for another minute. Stir in the sugar.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, green beans, bamboo shoots, and vegan fish sauce (or soy sauce/regular fish sauce), and fry for 3 minutes, until the vegetables begin to get tender. Then reduce the heat to medium, and add the coconut milk and eggplant. Bring to a simmer. (From this point on, keep the curry at a simmer. Avoid boiling it too vigorously, or the coconut milk may split.)
- Simmer for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the Thai basil until wilted. Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired, and serve over steamed rice.
