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This Vegan Thai Green Curry with chickpeas, baby kale, and cauliflower is so simple to make at home! It's satisfying, comforting and nourishing - and tastes even better as leftovers the next day.
This easy chickpea curry gets its richness from the coconut milk and warm spices like turmeric, coriander and cumin. But, because it's packed with vegetables, it doesn't weigh you down the way Thai takeout would.
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
How To Make This Vegan Thai Green Curry - Step By Step
Step 1: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil, onions, tomatoes, garlic and stir - cook until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes).
Step 2: Add rest of the ingredients - turmeric through cauliflower. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until ingredients are slightly soft and cooked through (about 20 minutes).
Step 3: Serve on top of quinoa and top with cilantro.
What makes this Vegan Thai Green Curry healthy?
- Lots of Veggies: Baby kale and cauliflower have added antioxidants. But this curry would work well with any veggies you want. Feel free to try butternut squash or sweet potato, zucchini or yellow squash, carrots, peppers, or even broccoli in this dish.
- High in Plant Protein: The chickpeas in this dish add 11 grams of plant protein.
- High in Fiber: The added veggies and chickpeas also make this dish high in fiber, which helps with digestion, and is linked to lower cholesterol.
- Rich in Vitamins and Nutrients: The chickpeas and vegetables also add vitamins and nutrients. Chickpeas are high in B6 and folate. Cauliflower is rich in vitamin K and C. Kale is high in Vitamin A, K, and C.
Will kids enjoy this curry?
Both of my kids loved this dish - they ate it for dinner for a couple nights straight! The key to making it kid friendly is to not make it too spicy, but I have to admit the husband and I did add a pinch of cayenne to each of our bowls for a little more kick.
What are the different Thai curries?
Green Curry: Made with cilantro, lime leaf, kaffir, and basil give this paste it's green color. Mildest in spice
Red Curry: Red curry is made with chili powder and red curry paste to give it a red hue. Most spicy.
Yellow Curry: Turmeric gives yellow curry it's bright yellow color. Somewhere between green and red, yellow curry falls in the middle.
Is Thai green curry spicy?
Depending on where you are enjoying green curry it can be more or less spicy. Here in the US, Thai green curry is less spicy than Thai red curry. In the east it's the opposite. If you are purchasing your green curry in the states it will likely be milder than red curry.
What do you serve with Vegan Thai Green Curry?
- Serve with quinoa and brown rice.
- Top with crushed cashews or peanuts.
- Sprinkle with additional cayenne or red pepper flakes to make it spicier.
How to Freeze
This curry also freezes really well. Store in an air tight freezer safe container. It'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months and in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Top Tips For An Easy Thai Curry
- Serve with quinoa. The texture of the quinoa complements the chickpeas and makes for a hearty addition and great alternative to rice.
- Garnish with cilantro for an extra pop of flavor and freshness.
- Make sure you chop the vegetables roughly the same size, so they all cook evenly.
- Use pre-made green curry paste to save time! I like this one from Thai Kitchen.
- If you don't have kale, you can use spinach or any other leafy green.
- Feel free to substitute any other vegetables you like in this dish! Broccoli, red bell peppers, carrots and squash would all work well.
- You can play around with the level of curry powder, for a subtler or bolder flavor.
