Thai Green Curry with Crispy Tofu
This post may contain affiliate links.
With crispy tofu, hearty vegetables, and crunchy cashews, this rich and creamy Thai green curry is exactly the type of flavorful comfort food we crave when camping.
Spicy, creamy, with a hint of sweetness, Thai-style curries are complex and comforting all at the same time. There’s just so much going on flavor-wise, it can take an entire bowl to get your bearings.
Spicy ginger and curry paste, aromatic garlic and cilantro, creamy coconut milk, and zesty lime create a flavorful base for this Thai green curry that is packed with vegetables and crispy tofu.
But even more impressive than the depth of flavor is how easily it all comes together in a single skillet. Building one layer of flavor on top of another, you quickly walk your way up a really rich end product.
So the next time you get the craving for curry night, give this simple green coconut curry recipe a try!
Why we love Thai Green Curry
↠ A complex flavor profile that comes together in no time.
↠ Lots of options for add-ins (broccoli florets, baby bok choy, snow peas, peppers, etc.)
↠ If you have a two-burner camp stove, curry + rice is always a winning combo.
How to make Thai green curry with tofu
This recipe starts off by cutting the tofu into cubes and toasting them in a bit of oil (1). You can be as obsessive or as nonchalant about toasting every side evenly. Tongs are needed for total control or you can just knock the skillet around to jumble them up. Once the tofu is crisped to your liking (2), remove them from the skillet and set aside. (Psst – our trick to really crispy tofu is to pat it dry and then dust it with corn starch!)
Now start building the curry base. The bell peppers take the longest to cook, so start with those first (3). After they have gotten a bit of a head start, add the garlic, ginger, and curry paste.
A note about green curry paste: Store-bought curry paste can vary significantly in spice level from brand to brand. We used Thai Kitchen’s green curry paste when cooking this, which is on the more mild end of the spectrum. We have read that Mae Ploy, while flavorful, is significantly spicier. When in doubt, start with a small amount of curry paste – you can always add more in towards the end if you feel like the dish needs more!
Once the peppers are soft and the curry paste has become fragrant, add in the coconut milk. We prefer full fat coconut milk as it makes a thicker, creamier sauce.
After the coconut milk reaches a simmer, add in the broccoli and snow peas (4). Once the veggies are soft and the liquid has reduced to your desired thickness, it’s ready. Top with cilantro, chopped cashews, and lime wedges. Put the toasted tofu back in at the very end, so it doesn’t get soggy.
Variations
There are tons of ways to mix this recipe up! You can use other veggies such as carrots, green beans, potatoes, or cauliflower. If you can’t find green curry paste, this can easily be made with red Thai curry instead. Try adding other proteins like in this Thai shrimp curry, or add chicken or beef.
Make it a meal
To make this curry a more robust meal, we like to serve it over rice. You can make the rice ahead of time at home for easier prep, or cook it in a separate pot on your second stove burner. Our tried and true camp stove rice method is to use a 1:2 rice to water ratio, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to a bare simmer for 20 minutes.
You could also serve this curry with soba or rice noodles.
Equipment needed
↠ GSI Non-Stick Skillet: We made this recipe in our 10” GSI Non-stick skillet. A cast-iron skillet would work too, but the non-stick really reduces the risk of the tofu sticking.
↠ Camp Stove: This is the best camp stove we’ve used so far. It has great simmer control and does a good job blocking any wind.
↠ Tongs: If you’re going for complete and total tofu control, you’ll need tongs to rotate the cubes.
Other recipes you’ll enjoy
↠ Chicken Pad Thai
↠ Easy Chickpea Curry
↠ Thai-style Chicken Skewers
↠ Udon Noodle Salad with Tofu and Sesame
Equipment
- Tongs
Ingredients
- ½ block extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons oil, divided
- 1 bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons green curry paste, * more or less depending on brand/desired spice level
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 (15oz) can coconut milk
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- ½ cup snow peas, sliced in half
- ½ cup cashews
- To serve: cilantro, limes, cooked rice
Instructions
- Using a clean dish towel or paper towels, gently press on the tofu to absorb as much water as possible. Cut the tofu into ½”-1” cubes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the tofu in a single layer and brown all sides, 7-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium and add remaining oil (if needed). Add bell peppers and saute 2-3 minutes, until just beginning to soften. Add ginger, garlic, and green curry paste and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add coconut milk and salt. Bring to a simmer, then add the broccoli. Simmer until the broccoli becomes tender, then add the snow peas and cashews and cook 1-2 minutes more.
- Add tofu and rice to a bowl, spoon curry over the top. Finish with a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
We tried this recipe at home with brown rice before taking it on the road. The flavors were outstanding and was a one pot meal (aside from the pot for the rice). We made the recipe as is and it fed the two of us easily but we were very full so it could easily feed 3 with extra rice. Yum!