Packed with tons of veggies, an easy green curry sauce, and finished with golden raisins and cilantro.
5-Ingredient Green Curry
Alert alert! BIG flavors ahead with fresh broccoli, sweet potatoes, and tofu swimming in a warm, cozy coconut Thai-inspired sauce.
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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
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.
Have you started school again? Or your kids? O your kids’ kids? Or you’re the teacher? Or you work from home and you’re looking out the window to borrow some back-to-school vibes from the kiddos in backpacks walking to the bus? Back-to-school is upon us all. See also: OH. MY. GOSH.
It sounds so basic to say that I can’t believe that it’s already that time of year – probably because it IS so basic. It’s what I say every season, every year. But with the upheaval and constant grief of this last year, time just feels especially weird. Like it’s been both too slow and too fast all at once. But as usual, time ticks on, and that is, I guess, is how you find yourself staring down the completed ravaged back-to-school section at Target wondering why the pencils are already out because didn’t summer just start? Here we go again.
I’m making it sound like this is a bad thing, but I actually adore everything about the fall season. As a former teacher, I think I will always have a little bit of that super zealous back-to-school spirit running through my veins. At top of my list of things I love about fall is really, really good food. Like, comforting, cozy, wrapped in a sweater kind of good food. Think ancho turkey chili and cornbread after the first week of school. Carnitas and magic green sauce on game day. Detox lentil soup and no-knead bread for your first official on-time dinner in months.
And think curry.
Green curry. Green curry with some weirdo stuff in it (tofu? golden raisins? sweet potatoes?) that is going to make you feel like you won both the nutritional and yumo-food olympics.
In This Post: Everything You Need For 5 Ingredient Green Curry
- Watch How to Make Green Curry
- Ingredients for Green Curry
- Let’s Make Green Curry
- Picking Out Green Curry Paste
- Variations on This Green Curry Dish
- Green Curry: Frequently Asked Questions
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
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.
Let’s 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!
Picking Out a Really Good Green Curry Paste
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. Hello. Hi. Good news! Savin’ me some work. And hopefully makes it taste more authentic, according to the internet. I can do that. I can buy up a jar of green curry paste and cook up some curry magic with it.
Words about store bought green curry paste: I used Thai Kitchen green curry paste and found it 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. However. Upon further research, I found that many people recommend Mae Ploy brand green curry paste. Any users who can confirm? Leave a comment, you neighborhood curry paste experts.
So for the making of the first 5+ batches of green curry in my life, I used Thai Kitchen green curry paste. But I have, in the last two days, ordered my first little container of Mae Ploy green curry paste – thank you Amazon! – and I will soon get to the bottom of this.
Is Mae Ploy really so much better? Will my green curry go up five hundred percent in deliciousness? Time will tell. (I’ll pop back with an update.)
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
So here we have it: the first, back-to-school, easy and comfy-cozy recipe of fall.
If steamy jasmine rice + creamy green curry + a deep, huggable bowl = fall, I swear I am so ready.
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.
Green Curry: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I swap out the tofu for a different protein?
Absolutely! Chicken or shrimp would be delicious.
Is curry paste vegan?
Some curry pastes contain fish sauce or other ingredients that don’t make it fully vegan, so just read the ingredient label.
How can I make my curry extra thick and creamy?
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 “sauce” I want with it and what texture you want the sauce to be.
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
Units
Scale
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
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.
- 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.
Notes
Serve over steamy white rice! But hopefully that’s obvious.
IF USING MAE PLOY OR MAESRI BRAND CURRY PASTE, USE LESS! I love spicy food, but when we tried it with Mae Ploy I just about burned my mouth off. Start with 1 tablespoon and work up from there. However, Thai Kitchen brand is much milder and 4 tablespoons is the right amount for that one.
Nutrition information is for the green curry only. It does not include rice.
- 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
More Curry Favorites
- Red Curry Lentils (this is one of our all-time favorite lentil recipes!)
- Easy Thai Yellow Curry Paste (makes enough to freeze for multiple batches)
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Curry (a quick and wholesome dinner)
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our best healthy winter recipes page. Check it out!
Filed Under: 5 Ingredients All Recipes Broccoli Dairy-Free Dinner Fall Gluten-Free Healthy Main Dishes Most Popular Quick and Easy Rice Sugar-Free Sweet Potato Tofu Vegan Vegetarian
September 3, 2021
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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Awww this looks so cosy and tasty and nourishing, definitely pinning this for later! Thanks for making veggie food exciting!
Papa Ork is the best spell caster out there. if you are passing through any problem in your relationship or marriage, email: orkstarspell@gmail. com his help is awesome.
I love these photos! Are you using a vsco preset??
How do you get your tofu so crispy looking? Is it really all paper towel drying? Or do you use a tofu press? Teach me your ways!!
I make a similar dish all the time – you can substitute all kinds of veggies and proteins with this sauce. One thing I think is a must that is missing is a fresh lime squeezed into the sauce. Takes it to the next level!! I usually use the Thai Kitchen brand also, but will have to try Mae Ploy.
YES YES YES. Thank you! Good call!
My favorite curry paste is Maesri. Way better than Thai Kitchen, and the cans are just the right size for one batch of curry so I don’t have to figure out how to store the rest of a larger container.
I totally agree about Maesri brand! Ever since I discovered their curry pastes, I don’t worry about making my own. All natural and the price is SO right!
Okay Maesri! Going to google that one. Thank you!
Would this freeze well? It’s still too hot and sticky in Atlanta to eat hot curry, but I love this recipe and want to tuck it away for cooler days!
Hi Erika! We haven’t tested this out in the freezer, but we think this would work well. Let us know how this goes for you if you end up trying it out!
This was exactly the bowl of coziness I needed today. Thank you for the recipe 💚
Amazing! Thank you! I’m going to look that up.
This took a really long time to reduce to a sauce thick enough for my liking. My vegetables were overdone by the time the coconut milk reduced. What happened?
Hi, Paula! Our sauce here usually isn’t very thick, it’s a bit more saucy when we use 3 cans of coconut milk. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you could go down to just 2 cans of coconut milk and hopefully this will help prevent any overdone veggies. Let us know how this goes for you! 😊
This sounds yummy! I remember that the first dinner I made for my husband after we got married was green curry chicken. You should have seen his face – he did NOT like it at all. However, I’ve been working on his tastebuds for 9 years now, and he might actually eat this. I would use more tofu or other protein because the amount per serving is way low for what I need.
I can tell you that Thai Kitchen green curry is not as spicy as Mae Poy or Maseri. Both of those are available at my local asian grocery stores. I am fortunate to have a large asia town in Cleveland and go get authentic ingredients. The green curry paste is the hottest there is!! Be careful. Very spicy.
I would recommend starting with 1T not 4!!
This is so helpful! Thank you! I updated the notes to include a warning about it – when we tested it this week, we made it with 4T of Mae Ploy and we were dying! 😂
Yum! This looks so delicious!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com
I need to check out the Mae Ploy curry paste. I have always made my own– and sometimes, it’s fantastic, and sometimes it’s terrible! And it’s time consuming!
Agreed! I have a yellow curry paste recipe that I adore but green curry is another story. 🙂
Mae Ploy green curry paste is great. Keep it refrigerated for best results and replace after 6 months. I also blend in some veggie broth to thin out the sauce a bit as well as basil leaves. Totally delicious.
This looks absolutely simple and delicious. Excited to try it on a blustery fall day 🙂
I’ve never tried green curry before but this is the perfect dish to sample it. Love the addition of tofu to this dish as well. Thanks for sharing this!
That BOWL is everything <3
Thank you!
Anything quick, easy, and healthy is perfect for the first week of school. Being a teacher, I fully understand the excitement and stress that it brings! This was delicious! … On another note, I’ve never commented on your blog before, however, I just wanted to thank you SO very much for your photography book and general advice on your blog about beginning a blog. You were incredibly motivational for me when I got my own food blog up and running 2 years ago. Has given me so much happiness! You’re awesome! Thanks a million! 🙂
What a sweet comment. Thank you Heather!
I love tofu, but mine doesn’t always come out right. Maybe it’s because I haven’t followed a good recipe yet 😉 I’m so excited to hopefully try this curry after hurricane Irma passes!
Stay safe!
So, would you recommend yellow curry for us non-spicy ladies? Help!
Actually, if you use Thai Kitchen brand of green curry paste, it is not spicy at all. I find it even milder than red or yellow curry paste. I have some reeeeally skeptical eaters in my extended family, and they ate it up just fine! I *would* avoid Mae Ploy brand curry paste though! We tried that one this week and found that one to be extremely spicy!
Has anyone made this with refrigerated coconut milk? I have to watch saturated fats but would love to try this recipe.
I think you could definitely make it work! It wouldn’t have the same gravy-like consistency as the sauce with canned coconut milk, but still so good!
I tried using a carton of coconut milk once for red curry and it was not good at all. I think you need to stick to the canned. I usually use half regular and half lite coconut milk.
Mae Ploy is theeeeee best. I highly recommend all different flavors of it. My grandma is from Thailand and it’s the only thing she uses for curry base
Awesome! So good to know. Thank you!
I have never cooked with Thai curry pastes and noticed that the recipe does include salt, spices, etc. Does the curry paste make up for the lack of spices?
Sorry, I meant ‘does not include…’
Yes, I find that the curry paste itself has plenty of seasoning and the fish sauce added at the end also helps with saltiness.
Coming from a girl who makes green curry several times a month, Mae Ploy lives up to the hype and is so worth it!! I love making mine with thinly sliced chicken and Thai basil. Sooo good.
Yes! Thank you! I tried it and loved it. So spicy though!
Thank you for sharing the health recipe.
Thank you Lindsay, this is exactly what I need to make when I need a fast easy meal for the family. Plus we all love green curry and tofu too!
I haven’t made curry in ages. This recipe gives me a good reason to do so and I think I already have all the ingredients! 🙂
Woohoo! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Do you think you could swap out the green curry for red? I only ask because I have some in my fridge 🙂 I’ve only ever cooked with curry a few times, so I’m not sure!
Definitely would work!
Would this reheat well? Thinking about meal prepping if for lunch for the week.
Yes, it reheats beautifully for leftovers!
Made this tonight with shrimp, its a keeper. My entire family loved it. I did exact except no raisins.