27 Vegetarian and Vegan Thai Dishes

Everyone Can Enjoy Them

By
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt
Darlene Schmidt is a cookbook author and culinary teacher who specializes in Thai cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/27/20
Green Curry

The Spruce

There's no need to include meat in your meal when vegetarian and vegan Thai dishes already have so much amazing flavor. Thanks to aromatic spices, fresh ingredients, chiles, and herbs, these Thai-inspired recipes are brimming with flavor and nutritionally balanced without any need for meat, eggs, or dairy.

  • 01 of 27

    Vegetarian/Vegan Pad Thai

    Vegetarian pad thai

     The Spruce

    This vegetarian take on pad Thai offers adequate protein in the form of eggs (use tofu for a vegan version) and crunchy nuts. Plus, since it's made with rice noodles, pad Thai is a naturally gluten-free dish. If you don't have bok choy available, try swapping it for diced cabbage or broccoli.

  • 02 of 27

    Easy Vegan Tofu Satay in Coconut Sauce

    Easy vegan coconut satay recipe

    The Spruce

    Packed with flavor, this tofu satay only takes a few ingredients including peanut butter and red curry paste. The trick is to freeze the tofu ahead of time, let it thaw, and squeeze the moisture out. This produces a meatier texture that will hold up on the grill.

  • 03 of 27

    Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

    Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

    The Spruce

    This classic Thai pineapple fried rice recipe is perfectly delicious, no meat needed. Thai jasmine rice is fried up with chunks of pineapple plus cashews, peas, and currants with curry spices. If you're eating vegan simply leave out the egg.

  • 04 of 27

    Vegan Yellow Thai Curry With Mixed Vegetables

    Vegan yellow thai curry

    The Spruce

    Thai yellow curry tends to be milder than green or red curries, and you can adjust the spice by adding less chili paste. This recipe produces great flavors without the need for curry paste or a long list of ingredients. Serve with fresh lime and cilantro.

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  • 05 of 27

    Thai Green Mango Salad

    Thai green mango salad

    The Spruce

     

    Firm, unripe mangos add fresh crunch and flavor to this classic Thai salad. If it's summertime, add some halved cherry tomatoes for more brightness. To make it vegan, swap the fish sauce for soy sauce. Fried tofu adds a new texture and protein.

  • 06 of 27

    Vegan Thai-Style Spring Rolls

    Vegan thai style spring roll

     The Spruce

    These vegan Thai spring rolls are brimming with crispy vegetables and chewy noodles. They're fun to make, too—get your kids or spouse involved in the rolling and you'll be eating these fresh spring rolls in no time. Serve as an appetizer or fun party food.

  • 07 of 27

    Thai Mango Sticky Rice Dessert (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)

    Mango Sticky Rice

    The Spruce

    Thai mango sticky rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang) is a classic vegan Thai dessert and is sure to become a favorite at your house. The sticky rice can either be steamed or you can make it in a pot on your stove. It's the perfect pair with sweet, ripe mango.

  • 08 of 27

    Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup

    Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup

    The Spruce

    Vegetarian tom yum soup is easy to make and is deliciously flavorful. Make it as an appetizer for a dinner party or as a nutritionally complete meal unto itself. If you're having it as a main course, serve with rice or rice noodles.

    Continue to 9 of 27 below.
  • 09 of 27

    Easy Coconut Rice

    Coconut Rice

    The Spruce

    Coconut rice makes a great side dish to accompany a Thai curry or vegetable dish. It's simple to put together and makes any meal extra special. For best results, use Thai jasmine rice.

  • 10 of 27

    Vegan Stir-Fried Eggplant

    Stir-fried eggplants

    The Spruce

    This stir-fried eggplant gets its flavor from oyster sauce (use a vegan brand to make this vegetarian), soy sauce, and Thai chili peppers. You'll enjoy its sweet-spicy-salty flavor alongside any number of main dishes.

  • 11 of 27

    Vegan and Gluten-Free Thai Pumpkin Curry

    Vegan gluten free Thai pumpkin curry recipe

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

    Thai pumpkin curry is loaded with beautiful orange veggies like sweet potato, carrot, and pumpkin and flavored with homemade curry sauce and citrus. It makes a beautiful main course dish for a vegetarian or vegan dinner party.

  • 12 of 27

    10-Minute Thai Cucumber Salad

    Quick thai cucumber salad

    The Spruce

    For a super quick salad with lots of flavor, throw together a Thai cucumber salad. With red chili, cilantro, and crushed peanuts, this is no boring salad. If you're eating vegan, swap the fish sauce for more soy sauce or omit it altogether.

    Continue to 13 of 27 below.
  • 13 of 27

    Thai Vegetable Coconut Soup With Noodles

    Thai vegan coconut soup

     

    Alita Ong / Getty Images 

    This simple recipe produces restaurant-quality delicious coconut noodle soup with lemongrass in just a few steps. It's a great natural remedy if you're fighting a cold or flu bug, and will boost your mood too. Using chewy rice noodles makes it gluten-free.

  • 14 of 27

    Baked Tofu in Thai Peanut Sauce

    Baked tofu in thai peanut sauce

    The Spruce 

    Tender baked tofu is coated in an easy-to-make Thai peanut sauce for a tasty vegan main dish. Serve this baked tofu with fried rice, noodles, and sautéed vegetables for a complete meal.

  • 15 of 27

    Vegetarian Thai Green Coconut Curry

    Vegetarian Thai Green Coconut Curry

     The Spruce

    This Thai green coconut curry includes a delicious homemade green curry paste. The list of ingredients seems long, but most of them will already be in your kitchen and it only takes minutes to whip up. It's fresh, flavorful, and has a vibrant green color. Use your favorite, in-season veggies for this curry.

  • 16 of 27

    Aromatic Thai Yellow Rice

    Easy yellow rice recipe

    The Spruce 

    If you're looking for a more flavorful side dish than plain white or brown rice, try Thai yellow rice. Flavored with onion, garlic, red pepper, turmeric, saffron, and lime, it's a dish worth savoring all on its own. Use vegetable stock to make it vegetarian.

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  • 17 of 27

    Thai Corn Fritters (gluten-free)

    Thai Corn Fritters
    Thai Corn Fritters.

    d. Schmidt 

    This recipe for Thai corn fritters is a real treat and it happens to be vegetarian and gluten-free. Made with corn, tofu, and a variety of vegetables, the batter takes only minutes to stir together. They're terrific as an appetizer, snack, or finger food for a party.

  • 18 of 27

    Thai Stir-Fried Noodles With Vegetables

    Thai stir-fried noodles

    The Spruce 

    Stir-fried noodles with vegetables are made with a flavorful sauce composed of lime juice, soy sauce, white pepper, and chili. Egg or wheat noodles are used for a chewy texture, and the whole dish takes less than half an hour to whip up. Replace the oyster and fish sauce with more soy sauce to make it truly vegetarian.

  • 19 of 27

    Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

    Som tam thai recipe

    The Spruce 

    Thai green papaya salad (som tam) is popular in most areas of Thailand, and when you taste it, you'll know why. Green papaya salad is a beautifully unique and flavor-filled dish made with unripe, crunchy fruit. It's also easy to make, low-calorie, and very nutritious.

  • 20 of 27

    Vegetarian Thai Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Curry

    Thai Pumpkin Curry

     Loving it Vegan

    Creamy pumpkin and sweet potato in a coconut sauce with ginger, turmeric, garlic, and lime, this Thai curry is a delicious fall dish. If you don't have pumpkin handy, swap it for another winter squash like butternut, kabocha, or acorn squash.

    Continue to 21 of 27 below.
  • 21 of 27

    Gluten-Free Sweet Sticky Rice Cake

    Sweet sticky rice cake recipe

    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

    This vegetarian recipe for sweet sticky rice cakes is actually really simple to make and is even easier you can leave off the Asian-style "icing," although that's yummy too. Sticky rice is a true Asian culinary experience and so satisfying with its chewy texture.

  • 22 of 27

    Real Vegan Thai Green Curry

    Green Curry

    The Spruce

    An authentic vegan Thai green curry requires several ingredients but is quick and easy to make. Green chiles, cilantro, lemongrass, garlic, and makrut lime flavor the fragrant coconut broth and give it the signature green color. Swap the veggies out for whatever you have on hand.

  • 23 of 27

    Thai Lettuce Wraps

    Thai Lettuce Wraps

    The Spruce / D.Schmidt

    Thai lettuce wraps are a fun dish to eat either as an appetizer or as a main course dish. Serve the filling on a platter with whole lettuce leaves on the side and let your friends and family wrap their own. They'll love the combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the warm, flavorful filling.

  • 24 of 27

    Thai Coconut Brown Rice

    Thai coconut brown rice recipe

    The Spruce / Andrea Livingston

    Add some nutrition to your Thai meal with coconut brown rice. It has all of the flavors of coconut rice with more fiber and nutrients. Use high-quality coconut milk for the best possible results.

    Continue to 25 of 27 below.
  • 25 of 27

    Thai Massaman Vegetarian Curry

    Vegetarian Thai Curry

    The Spruce / D.Schmidt

    Massaman curries from southern Thailand have a wider array of dried spices than other Thai curries, bringing them closer to Indian-style curries. This vegan dish has wonderful depth of flavor and is delicious served with rice.

  • 26 of 27

    Thai Steamed Dumplings

    Vegetarian Thai Steamed Dumplings with Shiitake Mushrooms

    Lauri Patterson / Getty Images 

    For a vegetarian dim sum treat, try these delicious Thai steamed dumplings made with a shiitake mushroom, tofu, ginger, and coriander filling. The dumplings are steamed but with an option to fry them to create potstickers (goyzas).

  • 27 of 27

    Homemade Thai Coconut Ice Cream

    Homemade Thai Coconut Ice Cream

    Stone-soup / Flickr

    This vegetarian recipe for homemade coconut ice cream is similar to the ones they sell on the street in Thailand. With lots of coconut flavor, it can even be made without an ice cream maker.