15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (2024)

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With lots of veggies, spices, and of course heaps of peanut sauce, there's a lotto love about Thai cuisine. But the best part? It's SO vegan and vegetarian friendly! Here are 15 delicious vegan Thai recipes you need to try!

15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (1)

I'm about to make a bold statement: Thai food is my absolute favorite. I have lots of favorites (so much good food in the world!) but I'm pretty sure Thai is up there at the top.

So, what's so special about Thai cuisine? First off, so much flavor! It's all about the spices, and delicious Thai dishes come in both mild and spicy varieties, but all are full of flavor. And the richness. With loads of peanuts, cashews and coconut milk, Thai cuisine always feels like a super indulgent treat.

But what I love the most is how so many Thai dishes are either vegan by default or easily veganized.

Watch out though — lots of seemingly vegan Thai dishes you'll see on restaurant menus actually contain fish sauce or shrimp paste other non-vegan seasonings. The solution: cook your own. Here are 15 delicious vegan Thai recipes to get started with!

Golden Spring Vegetable Thai Curry

This spin on yellow curry packs in the veggies, with asparagus, bell peppers and golden potatoes. Feel free to switch it up by using your favorites, or whatever happens to be in season. Get the recipe here.

Northern Style Thai Coconut Soup

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Spicy Thai red curry paste is the perfect way to season up this creamy coconut milk-based soup from Choosing Chia. Get the recipe here.

Thai Massaman Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Tofu

With lots of spices and a heavy hit of peanut butter, massaman curry is a proven crowd pleaser. This vegan curry puts a twist on traditional versions with the inclusion of sweet potatoes.Get the recipe here.

Easy Vegan Pad Thai

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Swap tofu for meat and miso paste for fish sauce to make this veganized version of a Thai classic from My Darling Vegan.Get the recipe here.

Thai Red Curry with Tofu and Eggplant

I couldn't call a collection of vegan Thai recipes complete without everyone's favorite! Red curry packs in the heat and goes great with crispy tofu and eggplant in this easy vegan stew.Get the recipe here.

Thai Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

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Crispy veggies and fresh herbs make these healthy spring rolls from Yummy Mummy Kitchen as pretty as they are delicious.Get the recipe here.

Thai Lemongrass Soup

This refreshing soup is made with a gingery lemongrass broth, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes. It's full of flavor and light enough to be enjoyed year round.Get the recipe here.

Seitan Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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Yes, this dish is vegan! Seitan makes an amazing meat substitute in these spicy Thai skewers from Sunny Side Hanne.Get the recipe here.

Red curry paste and a splash of coconut milk serve as a spicy stir-fry sauce in this easy vegan spin on a Thai favorite.Get the recipe here.

Thai Mango Sticky Rice Summer Rolls

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Like savory summer rolls? It's time to try this sweet version from Quite Good Food. These rolls are stuffed with fresh mint, juicy mango slices, and creamy coconut rice.Get the recipe here.

Cilantro, basil and jalapeño peppers pack the flavor into the homemade vegan green curry paste that's used to season up this spicy stew.Get the recipe here.

Vegan Thai Basil Fried Rice

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Have you ever had Thai basil? It's warmer and spicier than the Italian basil most of us are used to. Get your hands on some so you can make this flavor-packed Thai fried rice from Vegan Richa.Get the recipe here.

Five Spice Drunken Noodles

...and if you absolutely can't get ahold of some Thai basil, try this hack: use regular basil and add a bit of Chinese five spice. The flavor profile is similar and it works great in these vegan drunken noodles.Get the recipe here.

Thai Green Papaya Salad with Tofu

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Be sure to use unripe (green) papaya for this salad: it needs to be nice and firm so you can shred it. Recipe from May I Have That Recipe.Get the recipehere.

Portobello Panang Curry

Panang curry is basically red curry with the addition of some peanut butter. So basically the best idea ever. This vegan version uses portobello mushrooms in place of the steak you'd find in many traditional versions.Get the recipe here.

« Vegan Twice Baked Potatoes

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About Alissa Saenz

Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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Comments

  1. 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (18)Hanne says

    I am completely inspired to have a Thai themed summer party now. My boy is currently in Thailand living in a monastery and out of contact for a few months. Each morning he and another monk walk (barefoot) through the countryside to a village where they are given a bit of food to take back to the other two monks.
    Thank you for including my Seitan Satay recipe. xox

    Reply

    • 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (19)Alissa Saenz says

      That's so cool! I hope to make it to Thailand some day. :) And your seitan satay sounds absolutely delicious!!

      Reply

  2. 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (20)Sylvia Ramos says

    Hi, all of these recipes look great! Can you do a best Japanese vegan recipes post?

    Reply

    • 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (21)Alissa Saenz says

      Thank you! I will add vegan Japanese recipes to my list - thanks for the idea!

      Reply

  3. 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (22)Maria Garcia-Rojas says

    Thank you Alyssa for all the wonderful vegan dishes. I use your recipes all the time and my husbands loves them too!

    Reply

    • 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (23)Alissa Saenz says

      Thanks so much Maria! I'm so glad you're enjoying them!

      Reply

  4. 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (24)Nancy says

    I made asil fried rice recipe, taste was so good.

    Reply

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15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What Thai dishes are usually vegan? ›

Here are some of the best vegan Thai dishes worth trying.
  • Yellow Thai Curry With Mixed Vegetables. ...
  • Thai-Style Spring Rolls. ...
  • Thai Tom Kha. ...
  • Thai Sticky Rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang) ...
  • Experience Vegan Thai Food with Thai Ginger.
Jul 3, 2023

Which Thai curry is vegan? ›

Thai Massaman Curry

You'll find the flavours delicious, and the textures of the tofu and vegetables so hearty, there is no need or desire for meat. Try our vegan Thai massaman curry recipe here.

Is a lot of Thai food vegan? ›

The majority of Thai dishes are not vegan since most pastes and broths will contain crushed fish or seafood or are seasoned with dried shrimp, fish sauce, or oyster sauce.

Is yellow curry always vegan? ›

Thai yellow curry paste is ideal because it's normally always vegan. Whereas green and red curry pastes usually contain unwanted non-vegan ingredients.

Can a vegan survive in Thailand? ›

Thailand is very vegan friendly. With a history of traditional plant-based foods, Thailand has many traditional dishes that are commonly found on menus of cafes, restaurants or snack stalls.

Why is green curry not vegan? ›

The two non-vegan ingredients used in many traditional Thai green curry recipes are shrimp paste (used in the curry paste) and fish sauce (used to flavor the curry).

How to order vegan in Thai? ›

The word for vegan is jey (เจ). You can download a printable copy of my business card with these translations to take around with you here. Make sure you always say jey as it is a short word, easy to remember and to copy down the only two Thai script letters that you will need.

Can vegans have coconut milk? ›

Yes, coconut milk is vegan, making it a great alternative to dairy for those on a plant-based diet. So the next time you're in the mood for a co*cktail, you don't have to shun the Pina Coladas. Looking for some vegan milk recommendations?

What food is surprisingly vegan? ›

18 Snacks and Foods You Didn't Know Were Vegan
  • Sriracha Mayo. I'm just as surprised as you are that Flying Goose's brilliant sriracha mayo is completely plant-based. ...
  • Hackney Gelato Dark Chocolate Sorbetto. ...
  • Lotus Biscoff Spread. ...
  • Lindt Excellence 70% Dark Chocolate. ...
  • Ritz Crackers. ...
  • Jacob's Cream Crackers. ...
  • Oreos. ...
  • Twiglets.
Jan 11, 2023

What is the most extreme vegan? ›

Level 5 vegan

Level 5 vegans also avoid all animal-derived products such as eggs, dairy products, meats, fish and seafood, and will also avoid any food products where accidental traces of animal products may feature. They will also avoid leather, gelatin, and some food colourings.

What is the vegan symbol in Thailand? ›

The concept of veganism or 'jay'​ has been around for hundreds of years and relates to Buddhist spiritual practices. While looking for a place to dine, keep an eye out for red and yellow signs with the word 'jay' written either in Thai (​เจ) or in the traditional Chinese character (齋).

What is vegan in Thai? ›

The word for vegetarian is mangsawerat (มังสวิรัติ). The word for vegan is jey (เจ).

Is Thai red curry usually vegan? ›

Red curry (Thai: แกงเผ็ด, RTGS: kaeng phet, pronounced [kɛːŋ pʰèt], lit.: 'spicy curry') is a Thai dish consisting of red curry paste cooked in coconut milk with meat added, such as chicken, beef, pork, duck or shrimp, or vegetarian protein source such as tofu.

Can vegans eat Thai curry? ›

Thai food can sometimes be ordered vegan if — that's a big IF — the cook has access to tofu or other plant-based proteins AND has curry paste that does not contain fish sauce or shrimp paste (not to mention MSG).

What Thai dishes don t use fish sauce? ›

The most popular iconic food, Pad Thai, is nornally made with shrimp and fish sauce, but since I'm allergic to shrimp I usually get the version that uses soy sauce and no shrimp instead. None of the curry dishes use fish sauce either. The red, green and yellow curries don't usually use fish sauce and are exempt.

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