Today we are happy to share our collection of vegan Thai dishes with you. No veganizing — all traditional recipes that are plant-based by default.
When we started VeganEvergreens, our mission was clear: we were not going to be another vegan food blog. There were already plenty of brilliant food blogs out there, doing a better job than we ever could. Creating the best of recipes and mouth watering images.
Plant-based has always been a thing — also in Thai cuisine!
But there was one thing that we had been missing for quite some time. And that was: a place in cyberspace that collected all the traditional plant-based flavors of every country in the world. Like 196flavors. But exclusively vegan. To show that switching to vegan food doesn’t always have to be about creating new flavors. It can also very much be about re-discovering what has been out there for ages.
And so we embarked on our mission of collecting the traditional plant-based dishes from every country in the world. And since COVID-19 got us stuck in Thailand, we started out with plenty of inspiration for vegan Thai food. Literally just walking down the street. So check out these authentic Thai dishes, all plant-based and all, well: yummy.
Vegan Thai dishes: watch out for fish sauce
One thing you should be aware of, is that the Thai like to season their dishes with fish sauce. It could practically be hidden in any dish. Ask your Thai chef to leave it out. He or she won’t mind and will probably just put some soy sauce instead.
Ready? Here come the vegan Thai dishes :-).
Spicy Mushroom Soup
Mushrooms. They have plenty of those in Thailand in all different shapes and sizes. Mix them up, get yourself some Thai seasoning and as a result you will have a very clear, very authentic and very plant-based Thai Mushroom Soup. Fully vegan-proof.
Mango with Sticky Rice
Mango with Coconut Sticky Rice, in Thailand known as Kaow Neow Mamuang, might just be the most famous Thai dessert. The combination of coconut sticky rice with ripe mango and thick coconut sauce embodies the very definition of comfort food. Very easy to make, very belly-filling and: very vegan.
Eggplant Sweet Basil
Makua Yao is the Thai name for long green eggplants. Pad Makua Yao therefore means: stir-fried eggplant. Thai-style, ofcourse. Green eggplants taste basically the same as purple eggplants more common outside of Thailand. So feel free to use those.
Stir-Fried Mushrooms
Larb Het is the way to go if you are in for a really umami, really delicious vegan dish. Combining the best of all flavors most common in Thailand’s Isaan kitchen: sour, salty and spicy. For hearty appetites. Serve with sticky rice.
Thai Bael Fruit Tea
Have you ever heard of Thai Bael Fruit Tea or even of Bael Fruit itself? We hadn’t. But as it turns out, it makes for an excellent refreshing and festive drink. Especially for a hot day. Though the hot version of this drink would do really well on a stormy autumn day or an ice cold winter evening.
Stir-Fried Morning Glory
Stir-Fried Morning Glory (or Pad Pak Boong) is one of Thailand’s favorite vegetable dishes. Preparing morning glory the traditional stir-fried way is more than easy: after the morning glory hits the wok, it only needs 2 minutes to turn into a high taste dish with a crunchy bite. Watch out for fish sauce though for a guaranteed 100% vegan Thai dish.
Steamed Banana Cakes
Khanom Gluay is the name of a traditional Thai dessert that is vegan by default. Just the way we like it! These Thai Steamed Banana Cakes are sweet because of ripe bananas (and OK: plenty of sugar) and topped with grated coconut.
Mung Bean Porridge with Coconut Cream
Thai Mung Bean Porridge is a sweet dish that in terms of texture hangs somewhere in between thick soup and pudding. The mung beans are steamed or cooked until very soft and then – of course – sweetened up with sugar.
The Thai eat their Mung Bean Porridge for dessert, but we think it makes for a great protein packed plant-based breakfast as well. You could leave out the sugar for a healthy start of your day.
Sweet and Sour Vegetables
Pad Pak Preow Wan is a traditional Thai dish with stir-fried vegetables in a sweet and sour sauce and just a little bit of spice to balance it all out. You can have your steamy plate of Pad Pak Preow Wan to the table in about 20 minutes.
Stir-Fried Mix Vegetables
A very simple, traditional Thai dish is stir-fried vegetables. You can use whatever seasonal vegetables you like, and add flavor to the dish with nothing more then some very basic Thai seasoning. The Thai call this vegan dish Pad Pak Ruam Mit.
Green Papaya Salad
Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam) is a quick and easy recipe. All you need to prepare this traditional Thai dish is green papaya, chilies, garlic, limes, soy sauce, palm sugar, a mortar and pestle and you’re all set.
Thai Lemongrass Iced Tea
Is it a tea? Technically this Thai Lemongrass Iced Tea isn’t, since there are no tea leaves in it. But practically, it is drunk as an ice tea: boiled, flavored water, with a fair amount of sugar cooled down and poured over ice.
Pineapple Fried Rice
Classic Thai pineapple fried rice is the ultimate combination of sweet pineapple and savoury rice. You can eat it as a side dish or as a main dish. If you want to turn dinner into something special, serve the rice in a carved out pineapple.
Your favorite vegan Thai recipes?
Do you have favorite vegan Thai dishes that are not on our list yet? We would like to hear them! We are still very much on a mission to collect every single last traditionally plant-based dish from every country, including Thailand. Feel more than free to leave a comment below :-).
