This easy vegan Thai red curry fried rice is a very flavorful Asian side dish that can be prepared in just 25 minutes with leftover rice. Loaded with vegetables and refreshing Thai flavors, this dish is a meal in itself.
I think fried rice is the most deserving dish to be called a universal food. Almost every country has its version of this humble dish. And, it's a great way to use leftover rice.
I also love trying fried recipes from different countries and have already shared a couple of them on my blog like peanut butter rice, edamame rice, paneer fried rice, Hawaiian fried rice, etc.
Today I am sharing a very flavorful vegan fried rice recipe from Thailand. This Thai red curry fried rice can be prepared in just 25 minutes.
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What goes in Vegan Thai red curry fried rice?
For this easy fried rice recipe you will need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- Cooked rice: Leftover rice that has been cooked a few hours in advance is the best for making fried rice. If possible use cold rice that has been refrigerated for 1-2 hours before using it in the recipe. Freshly cooked rice is very delicate and the rice grains easily break on stirring. I prefer using jasmine rice to make fried rice. You can use brown rice too but I feel white rice is a better choice for fried rice recipes.
- Vegetables: In this recipe, carrots, green peas, bell peppers, cabbage, and green beans are used. You can also use broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, and mushrooms. Baked or fried tofu can be added too. I have used green bell pepper only, you can also add yellow, orange, or red bell pepper to add more colors to the dish.
- Thai red curry paste: Both store-bought and homemade curry pastes are fine to be used. However, if you are a vegan or vegetarian and using store-bought curry paste, check the ingredients list as most Thai curry pastes will have shrimp paste in it. If you want to check the recipe for homemade vegan Thai red curry paste, you can check my Thai red curry recipe. You can also make Thai fried rice using green curry paste.
- Thai red chili: Any hot chili pepper can be used if you don't have Thai red chili. If your heat tolerance is low, skip it.
- Cilantro: The most commonly used fresh herbs in Thai dishes are cilantro (coriander leaves) and Thai basil. If you have fresh Thai basil leaves add them to this Thai rice. It will taste even better. You can use green onions too. Don't replace cilantro with parsley in Thai recipes.
- Bean sprouts: Bean sprouts are used for garnishing Thai fried rice. They add a crunchy texture to the dish. Adding them is optional.
- Roasted peanuts: Peanuts are also used for garnishing. You can also use roasted cashew nuts instead of peanuts.
- Coconut milk: The heat of Thai curry paste and red chili peppers gets balanced by the sweetness of coconut milk. Don't replace coconut milk with any other milk in Thai recipes.
- Palm sugar: You can also use coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- Vegetable oil: Instead of vegetable oil, coconut oil or canola oil can be used too.
Other ingredient details and nutritional information are shared in the recipe card.
How to make (step-by-step instructions)?
Making Thai curry fried rice is very easy, just follow the easy step-by-step instructions given below:
Step 1: Heat oil in a large wok or pan and add chopped onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
Step 2: Add chopped garlic and saute for a few seconds.
Step 3: Add chopped vegetables and stir fry on high heat until the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy.
Step 4: Add red curry paste, salt, and palm sugar. Cook vegetables with curry paste for a minute.
Step 5: Add coconut milk and mix.
Step 6: Cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
Step 7: Add cooked rice, some bean sprouts, and chopped green onion.
Step 8: Keep medium-high heat and toss until the rice gets evenly mixed with the curry paste. Turn off the heat.
Step 9: Add fresh lime juice, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and chopped Thai red chilies. Mix.
Your vegan Thai curry fried rice is ready to be served.
Serving Thai fried rice
Serve Thai fried rice hot with toppings like lime wedges, fresh cilantro, roasted peanuts, bean sprouts, and Thai red chilies.
You can serve this Thai rice as a main dish with a stir-fried dish on the side like Thai mushrooms, vegetable satay, or chili garlic tofu.
Thai salads like vermicelli noodle salad or red cabbage salad can be served too with this rice dish.
Storing, freezing, and reheating
Store the leftover fried rice in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be fine for 3-4 days.
It can be frozen too in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, if the fried rice is frozen, defrost it. Then transfer to a microwave-safe container, add a splash of water, and microwave for a minute. Take out the container, stir, and microwave again until evenly heated.
Or, transfer the fried rice to a pan, add a few tablespoons of water, cover the pan with a lid, and reheat on the stovetop until heated well. Keep stirring and checking in between.
Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
- To make fried rice, use precooked rice instead of fresh rice, preferably refrigerated for a few hours.
- Jasmine rice is the best for this recipe, but you can use any other short or medium-grain rice variety.
- Use a large skillet or wok in which all the ingredients can be stirred well. Also, always stir fry on high flame.
- I have used green beans, green peas, carrots, green bell peppers, and cabbage in this recipe. Feel free to use vegetables of your choice. Other vegetables that go well in Thai fried rice are broccoli, snow peas, baby corn, cauliflower, zucchini, etc.
- Homemade as well as store-bought curry paste can be used to make Thai fried rice. If you are using store-bought curry paste, add salt carefully and only if required as the curry paste will also be salty.
- Thai red curry paste is moderately spiced and that heat also gets balanced by the sweetness of coconut milk and rice. So, if you prefer a spicier fried rice, add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
- If you are a vegan or vegetarian and buying ready-made Thai curry paste, make sure to check the ingredients list before buying. Most Thai curry pastes have fish sauce in them but now vegan options are also easily available.
More vegan Thai recipes
Thai cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines. If you also love Thai food and want to try more easy vegan Thai recipes in your kitchen then don't miss to check out the following links:
- Thai peanut sauce
- Thai stir-fried mushrooms
- Thai cabbage salad
- Vermicelli noodle salad with mushrooms
- Pumpkin noodle soup
- Red curry ramen soup
- Mushroom Tom Yum soup
- Thai curry noodles
- Vegan pad Thai
- Vegan Thai red curry
- Vegan Thai green curry
- Thai mango sticky rice
More vegan weeknight dinner recipes
Looking for more recipes for weeknight dinners? The following links are worth trying out:
- Vegan mushroom orzo
- Creamy vegan tomato pasta
- Moroccan pasta
- Frozen vegetable soup
- Greek tomato orzo
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Recipe
Vegan Thai red curry fried rice with vegetables
Equipment
- 1` large pan or wok
- Knife and chopping board
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 cups chopped vegetables of choice
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 Thai red chili pepper or any hot chili finely chopped
- 1 stalk green onion finely chopped
- A handful of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice adjust to taste
- ½ cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon of any neutral-flavored cooking oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and saute until it becomes translucent.
- Add chopped garlic and saute for a few seconds i.e. until its raw smell goes away.
- Add chopped vegetables and saute on high heat until the vegetables are cooked but still crunchy.
- Add red curry paste, salt, and palm sugar. Cook vegetables with curry paste for a minute.
- Add coconut milk and mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add cooked rice, some bean sprouts, and chopped green onion. Toss until the rice gets evenly mixed with the curry paste.
- Finally, add fresh lime juice, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and chopped Thai red chilies. Mix.
Video
Notes
- To make fried rice, use precooked rice instead of fresh rice, preferably refrigerated for a few hours.
- Jasmine rice is the best for this recipe, but you can use any other short or medium-grain rice variety.
- Use a large skillet or wok in which all the ingredients can be stirred well. Also, always stir fry on high flame.
- I have used green beans, green peas, carrots, green bell peppers, and cabbage in this recipe. Feel free to use vegetables of your choice. Other vegetables that go well in Thai fried rice are broccoli, snow peas, baby corn, cauliflower, zucchini, etc.
- Homemade as well as store-bought curry paste can be used in this recipe. If you are using store-bought curry paste, add salt carefully and only if required as the curry paste will also be salty.
- Thai red curry paste is moderately spiced and that heat also gets balanced by the sweetness of coconut milk and rice. So, if you prefer a spicier fried rice, add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
- If you are a vegan or vegetarian and buying ready-made Thai curry paste, make sure to check the ingredients list before buying. Most Thai curry pastes have fish sauce in them but now vegan options are also easily available.
- Instead of roasted peanuts, cashew nuts can be used too.
- More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
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