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This was so easy to make and a big hit in our family. I made it with chicken and will be making it again.
I added the lime juice and the fish sauce
Mary Watson
This Green Curry Is A Veggie-Lover’s Dream.
Let’s talk about how awesome it is to eat vegetables that taste like cash money.
I mean, not literally, just in the way of, like, you know, when it tastes like, really good, like something that might cost you a lot of cash money, or has the same positive association of money, not that money is everything but, like… gah. You know what I mean.
This green curry sauce is a vessel for all those delicious veggies, but the sauce itself is a dream too. Creamy, packed with flavor, a little spicy, and it tastes so fresh. I can eat this curry any season, and any night, because hellllllo – it’s ridiculously weeknight-friendly. Just under an hour and you’ll feel like you’ve sat down to eat at a restaurant.
A little warning: this does have some untraditional stuff in it – for example, golden raisins and sweet potatoes. I love the pops of sweetness against the spicy green curry sauce. Just trust me, it is so, so good.
Hope you love this one!
Ingredients For This Green Curry Recipe
At its core, this is just a playful, easy five-ingredient recipe:
- Tofu, browned to crispiness – no more, no less
- Sweet potato chunks
- Broccoli florets
- Coconut milk
- Green curry paste
I added a handful of golden raisins (go on and get wild) and cilantro (WHEN IN DOUBT OBVI) and did not regret either of those very out-of-the-box decisions.
May I also recommend finishing it up salt bae style with a hit of 1) fish sauce, which will make you question everything you ever knew, and 2) brown sugar? Tell me about it, girl.
How To Make Green Curry
Just a few steps separate you and this green goddess bowl of coziness.
- Tofu: Press all of the water out of those lil’ soy cubes really well and crisp it up in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Veggies: Add your sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and curry paste to a large pot. Give it a stir, then let your sweet potatoes simmer and swim around in the coconutty broth for a bit. Toss your broccoli and tofu into the pot and simmer for a bit more until the broccoli turns bright green.
- Toppings: Maybe a quick toss of golden raisins, some cilantro sprinkles, a teaspoon or two of brown sugar, or a swish of fish sauce perhaps? Maybe all of those things? Yummo! Let’s dive in!
Best Green Curry Paste To Buy
I thought about making my own green curry paste, but friends, in my googling, I read that many Thai cooks think it’s better to just buy the commercial jarred curry paste than to make your own if you’re going to be making substitutions. So here are the two I’ve tried so far:
- Thai Kitchen green curry paste: I found this to be might tasty in this curry. To be fair, I wouldn’t describe the paste itself as write-home level good, but it works for making a green curry real nice and quick with a single, list-less trip to a single, basic grocery store. This is an automatic win.
- Mae Ploy brand green curry paste: I really enjoyed this one. However, it is MUCH, much spicier than Thai Kitchen. If you use Mae Ploy, I would suggest using more like 1-2 tablespoons to start and adding up based on what level of heat you’re comfortable with.
In conclusion: it’s up to you and your level of spice tolerance, and what’s most accessible to you! I am usually able to find the Thai Kitchen brand at my local grocery store, so that’s the one I typically use for this.
Variations On This Green Curry Dish
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to make it your own. May we suggest…
- A grating of fresh lemongrass, a squeeze of lemongrass paste, or a bit of ginger for a bit of brightness would be amazing
- A protein swap for the tofu and chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or shrimp for a switch-up
- Adding in bell peppers, garlic, onions, zucchini, or mushrooms for a different variety of veggies
- Tearing up some Thai basil to sprinkle on top
How To Make Green Curry (Video)
5-Ingredient Green Curry
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 (depends on hunger levels) 1x
Description
5-Ingredient Green Curry! packed with tons of veggies, an easy green curry sauce, and finished with golden raisins and cilantro.
Ingredients
For the Green Curry:
- 12 ounces firm tofu
- a swish of olive oil + a sprinkle of salt
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 tablespoons green curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
- three 14-ounce cans coconut milk
- 3-or-so cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup white rice
Optional Extras:
- a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
- a handful of golden raisins
- just a lil fish sauce (trust me!) and brown sugar to taste
Instructions
- Tofu: Press the tofu with paper towels to remove water. Cut tofu into cubes. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu, sprinkle with salt, and pan fry for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Rice: Start cooking your rice according to package directions.
- Veggies: Add sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and curry paste to the soup pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Add broccoli and tofu. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until broccoli is bright green.
- Finishing it off: I like to add a handful of golden raisins and cilantro (I know, I know, lots of levels of weird going on here) and I pinky promise that a quick swish of fish sauce and a sprinkle of brown sugar will take this over the top.
- Serve: Serve on plates or bowls with cooked white rice.
Notes
Update 1: As promised, I tried Mae Ploy brand green curry paste (affiliate link) and really enjoyed it. However, it is MUCH, much spicier than the one I used in this recipe (Thai Kitchen – affiliate link). If you use Mae Ploy, I would suggest using more like 1-2 tablespoons to start and adding up based on what level of heat you’re comfortable with.
Update 2: I’ve gotten a few comments from people who are wanting to use less coconut milk. That’s totally fine! You could use just one can of coconut milk, for example, and thin the rest out with water or broth of some sort. It is just the difference between a thick and creamy curry (how I like it) or more of a brothy, soupy curry. To be honest, green curry that I’ve had at restaurants is usually soupy, but in making this recipe, I kinda wanted it to stay rich and creamy like a Panang or Massaman curry.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: green curry, vegetarian curry, tofu curry, vegetarian dinner, vegetarian curry recipe
Green Curry: Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Chicken or shrimp would be delicious.
Some curry pastes contain fish sauce or other ingredients that don’t make it fully vegan, so just read the ingredient label.
Sometimes I make this with two cans of coconut milk, maybe thinned out with some water, and sometimes with three when I want it thick and creamy. It just depends on how much extra u0022sauceu0022 I want with it and what texture you want the sauce to be.
It depends on what type of green curry paste you use – the Thai Kitchen brand I typically use is not very spicy at all, but if you use the Mae Ploy brand, it is quite spicy! If using Mae Ploy, just start with 1-2 tablespoons.
You could swap in red or yellow curry paste, but it will give it a different flavor profile. You can read more about each type of curry paste here.
Three More Favorite Curry Recipes
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our best healthy winter recipes page. Check it out!
Made this for dinner last night and it was so quick and easy. Loved it!
I found this recipe of yours maybe a little over a year ago and it has become a staple in my kitchen ever since. I have done protein variations and played with different kinds of vegetables, I just wanted to thank you for sharing it with us!!
can you make this ahead of time, or will veggies get soggy
You can definitely make ahead!
What about adding some onions and mushrooms? Think they would get too mushy?
This 5-Ingredient Green Curry Recipe is a game changer! I love how simple yet flavorful it is. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. Can’t wait to try it out with some extra veggies! 🌿🥦
I’ve been making this for years and it’s one of my favorite meals. I never use the extra toppings, this recipe is amazing with just the main 5! I always use the full jar of Thai kitchen green curry paste which I believe is just over 6 tablespoons according to the nutrition facts on the jar.
So good, easy, and full of nutrients! I paired this with the Pinch of Yum air fryer tofu – chef’s kiss.
Hi Lindsay,
Great recipe! Going to make it as soon as Amazon delivers my curry paste.I Splurged on Thai basil too, yay!
Maesri is the healthiest, most flavorful green curry paste I’ve tried, IMHO, and it is vegetarian. Green curry tends to be hotter than the others and is easily adjusted to taste. Can be very hot if you use too much, so add slowly.
Mae Ploy calls itself vegetarian but actual contains shrimp paste.And Thai Kitchen is low on flavor and spice. If you like more bland food with a small hint of spice, that’s the one for you. I believe they stopped using fish sauce awhile ago.
Maesri is 4 oz cans on Amazon, 2 for $6.99 and 4 for 11.24, so reasonably priced too. I put any leftover paste in a mason jar and freeze it and it’s ready quickly when I need it and retains its texture and taste. Happy eating well !
This was so delicious, even with the seemingly odd toppings! We used shrimp instead of tofu due to soy sensitivities, and my whole family of 7 (even my pickiest 4yo) loved it!!
Recipes please
Every one I’ve tried is amazing
Sweet potatoes, raisins and broccoli?? This is the most white-washed green recipe I’ve seen so far.
Do you think this could be a freezer meal? Just throw the raw/uncooked ingredients into a ziplock and then cook in the crockpot the next day? I’m trying to meal prep for a friend and her family who is vegetarian since she’s starting chemo next week. Think this would be a good one, if so. Thanks for your thoughts!
Hi Teri! Great question! I think it’d work with a few caveats: The original recipe has you pan fry the tofu to get it a little crispy on the outside. The freezer meal version wouldn’t have that crispiness unless you fry it up before freezing. Additionally, the sweet potatoes and broccoli could easily become mushy if cooked for a long period in the slow cooker. Thanks for the question!
Please update the recipe to say that the tofu needs to be fried in a nonstick pan! The recipe as written says to brown the tofu in a soup pot, so I grabbed my Le Creuset thinking, great, a one pot meal, and the tofu just stuck to the bottom of the pot and crumbled all to pieces when I tried to stir it, despite a liberal application of oil.
My family found this comforting. I found this very simple and true to the green curry flavor I know. Will make again. We really enjoyed.
Glad to hear this, Lauren!
How much fish sauce and brown sugar?
Totally up to you. Just a sprinkling of each. We’d maybe start with a 1 teaspoon!
This looked so yummy but had no flavor. I used the Thai Kitchen green curry. At least it is healthy.
needs a spicier curry paste!
Super yummy and it made tons! I made this for meal prep this week and am so excited to have lunch each day. I used two cans of coconut milk instead of 3 which made the sauce a bit spicier, which I really liked. Such a healthy way for me to start the new year!
Hello,
How much fish sauce would you suggest? Did I miss a measurement?
Hi! We didn’t list an exact measurement. You could start with a teaspoon!
This is SO good! Especially leftover. And a handful of golden raisins in the whole pot? Oh no no – I did a handful per BOWL – oh yes!
I needed to cut the fat content, so I used 1/2 regular coconut milk and 1/2 vegetable broth. Lighter on the coconut flavor than most Thai curries that I eat, but still good. I will buy light coconut milk next time and use that to see if I can get the balance right. Thanks!
you really messed up this recipe! if you are using our traditional food for your own personal gain and interest, at least keep everything the original way. and another thing, do not post links where I can buy a simple green curry paste which can easily be made home. it lasts up to a week in refrigerator and it is preservatives free. shame on you!!!
I didn’t have 3 cans so split the order into a 1/3, enough for 2 people. So good! Definitely needed the fish sauce and brown sugar to taste for the pop. Will make this again!
Used maesri, added 3tbsps despite cutting to 1/3rd the rest…
So good!! Thank you!! I subbed 1 can coconut milk with chicken brotAdded about 1T of brown sugar and 2 tsp fish suace to the pot and a bit more salt. Served it all over rice. Whole family liked it. Will be making this again!
So glad it was a hit with your family, Shannon!