Thai-Style Tempeh Green Curry

A simple family-friendly vegetarian dinner recipe that is perfect for weeknight meals, meal prep, and beyond! Customize this simple dinner by using any fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand for a quick and tasty 30-minute meal!

Who loves simple meals? (Me.)

Who loves simple meals that are not only kid-friendly but recipes that the whole family will enjoy? (Definitely me.)

Who is interested in adding more plant-based meals to their life for both their own health and wellness and also because they cried when they watched David Attenborough's witness statement in the film (which is also a book) A Life On Our Planet on Netflix?
(Yep, me again.)

If you also answered yes to any of those three questions, say hello to this recipe for Thai-Style Tempeh Green Curry from fellow food blogger Kristen Wood. Kristen just recently published a new cookbook, called Vegetarian Family Cookbook - 100 Simple Kid-Friendly Recipes to Enjoy Together, and I couldn't be happier to share it with you.

Kristen covers ALL the essentials in her new cookbook such as:

• how to cost-effectively stock a vegetarian pantry
• how to feel prepared for mealtime
• how to navigate meals with picky eaters (umm, yes please)
• and how to ensure your food is always perfectly flavorful and TASTY

The vast majority of the recipes in Kristen's cookbook are gluten-free and if they aren't listed as such it typically involves a quick and easy switch of all-purpose flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour or swapping regular bread for gluten-free bread. Easy peasy.

It was incredibly difficult picking out just one recipe from Kristen's new cookbook to share with you. My kids had their eyes on a Fruit Juice Gummies recipe and I was having a moment with the Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe but this simple dinner recipe for Thai-Style Tempeh Green Curry won me over.

Not because I don't have a deep love for cookies (crazy talk) but because dinner is oftentimes the meal that many of us feel regularly challenged by. Yes?

So dinner first, then buy the cookbook and make those cookies for dessert.

Why you'll love this recipe

• 30 M-I-N-U-T-E-S! It truly feels magical to be able to get dinner on the table that quickly.
• Healthy and nutritious while still full of flavor. Obviously a necessary requirement.
• Completely dairy-free but still creamy and delicious.
• Versatile. This recipe is great for using up any leftover veggies hanging out in your fridge and the tempeh can be easily swapped out for another protein of choice if you'd like.
• Awesome leftovers! The flavors get even better with time.

Recipe ingredients

• Coconut milk - Full-fat (versus lite) canned coconut milk is my preference for achieving a creamy, dreamy, comforting curry.
• Green curry paste - A flavorful, spicy (this varies from brand to brand), and perfect complement to the sweetness of the coconut milk. You could also substitute yellow or red curry paste for an equally tasty but slightly different flavor profile.
• Tempeh - A plant-based protein source that originated in Indonesia that is made from fermented soybeans and formed into a block. Store-bought tempeh often includes additional beans and grains so be sure to double-check that the tempeh you have your eye on is in fact gluten-free. Tempeh can also be swapped out for tofu, chicken, beef, or prawns.
• Coconut aminos - A soy-free, gluten-free alternative to soy sauce and tamari. Coconut aminos are milder, sweeter, and less salty than soy sauce and tamari and, despite its name, does not taste like coconut.
• Coconut oil - Light olive oil or avocado oil can be used as a substitute if you prefer.
• Vegetables - I used a combination of green beans, red bell pepper, zucchini, and onion but you could use ANY vegetables that you enjoy! Eggplant, Yukon gold potatoes, snap peas, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, fresh basil, or bamboo would be great options as well.
• Cooked rice - I love green curry served over jasmine rice but it would also be tasty served over quinoa or brown rice.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Sauté oil, ginger, and garlic.

Step 2: Add green curry paste and sauté.

Step 3: Stir in coconut milk, water, sugar, coconut aminos, and salt. Bring it to a boil and allow the aroma of the curry to put a little dance in your step.

Step 4: Add the veggies and the tempeh! Then let it simmer babe.

Step 5: Turn off the heat and give it a good squeeze of lime. Maybe two squeezes.

Step 6: Serve with rice (or quinoa!) and marvel at how quickly you just made dinner. Way to go You. 🙌

Recipe tips

• Green curry paste can vary WIDELY between brands in how spicy it is! I just about burned my mouth off with how spicy I made this curry the first time around. Don't do what I did, unless you love some heat. If your green curry paste lists green chili peppers first within the nutrition label odds are it's going to be super spicy. If this is the case, begin with less curry paste than called for in this recipe or add more coconut milk. I've also included notes in the recipe card below with some tips on different green curry paste brands that range from mild to spicy.
• Use whatever veggies you have on hand! This recipe is super flexible and works well with whatever veggies have been hanging out in your fridge or freezer. If serving this recipe to picky eaters, use veggies you know that they typically love.
• Make ahead. This is a great recipe to prepare and make in advance. The flavors of the curry will continue to develop over time making for some awesome leftovers. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 1 week and requires nothing more than a simple reheat on the stovetop.

Recipe FAQs

Now go and conquer dinner by adding this recipe to your weeknight meal or meal prepping plan. Or hit the print button in the recipe card below or pin the recipe for later. OR better yet, go buy the cookbook and you'll be set with 99 more simple family-friendly vegetarian recipes!

P.S. I'm giving away a free copy of Kristen's cookbook on my Instagram profile to one lucky person so go check that out too! ♡

More tasty dinner recipes!

• Amazing Gluten-Free Lasagna a tasty Italian-inspired classic
• Chicken Piccata with Gnocchi a 25-minute meal!
• Southwest Chicken Rice Bowl perfect for meal prep or an easy weeknight meal
• Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with creamy polenta
• Coconut Tomato Curry with cod and brown rice

*This recipe has been republished from the cookbook with permission from the author and publisher.

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