Thai Green Curry Fried Rice

This delicious Thai green curry fried rice is easy to make, versatile and healthy. Makes for a perfect vegan weeknight dinner that's filling, plus it is packed with veggies + plant-based protein. Green curry paste gives this dish such an amazing flavor!

This fragrant Thai green curry fried rice is a GREAT recipe for busy nights or for when you have leftover cooked rice to use up.

I am a huge fan of curries of all kinds and I have many on my blog. I usually make Indian saucy curry dinners at least once a week, such as this lentil curry or this butter bean curry. We even love making Indian curry dishes with pasta like this one-pan veggie curry pasta recipe.

But when I am in a rush, then store-bought Thai curry paste is my go-to ingredient to boost the flavor of a recipe without any effort.

This time I had green curry paste, frozen veggies, old cooked rice forgotten in the fridge for a few days and a huge pile of Thai basil I wasn't too sure what to make with. So I came up with this flavor-packed Thai green curry fried rice that was amazing, and I think you will love it too. 

This recipe also includes canned coconut milk for more Thai flavor and basic pantry condiments, like soy sauce and garlic. It is a simple recipe that's also ultra-versatile, so don't hesitate to give it a try even if you are missing an ingredient.

And as for most fried rice recipes, the secret is using cooked rice that's 1-2 days old. If you serve another meal with rice during the week, then cook some more, keep the extra rice in the fridge and use it later to make this delicious vegan fried rice recipe!

Hope you give it a try! ❤️

Why you should try this recipe

• Perfect quick weeknight meal for when you are busy
• Amazing way to use leftover rice that's already cooked (even the one that started to dry out a bit!)
• Healthy and loaded with vegetables
• Rich in plant-based protein, thanks to the edamame (and use brown rice if possible for more protein)
• Packed with bold flavors by combining green curry paste, coconut milk, garlic and lime juice
• Makes for great lunches the next day
• Fully vegan, vegetarian and made without eggs

What kind of rice to use in fried rice

The classic rice for making fried rice recipes is medium-grain white rice. 

There is some variation depending on the origin of the dish: Japanese fried rice often uses short grain (or sushi rice), which gives a stickier result. And you might see Thai fried rice made using fragrant Jasmine rice (long-grain), adding flavor and giving a fluffier texture to your dish.

I went for medium brown rice. Brown rice isn't the typical choice, but I like its chewiness better. Also, brown rice is higher in fiber and plant protein, making this recipe more satisfying and nutrient-packed.

Feel free to choose any kind of rice that you have or prefer!

What you will need

• Cooked rice: as mentioned above, older cold rice that was cooked a few days ago and even, that is a little dry, makes for the best kind of rice to use in fried rice recipes. Cook it days before if you can! 
• Thai green curry paste: I used the green curry paste from the brand Mekhala. You can also use red curry paste if you prefer!
• Vegetables: I used a mix of onion, carrots, frozen corn and frozen edamame (or green peas). This blend adds a nice mix of colors and flavor, plus they tend to hold on to their shape well when fried. You can also use other veggies, see below!
• Garlic: adds lots of flavor, don't skip! Also, use fresh garlic, not garlic powder.
• Coconut milk: you will need only ½ cup from a can. Use full-fat coconut milk for more flavor and make sure the can is unsweetened.
• Soy sauce: for saltiness and more umami flavor.
• Lime juice: if you don't have it, then you can skip it and add a little rice vinegar instead. 
• Sweetener: to balance out the flavor. I used maple syrup, but brown sugar or regular sugar works too.
• Fresh Thai basil: you can use regular Italian basil if that's all you can find (I find Thai basil in an Asian supermarket). It can be swapped for fresh cilantro or fresh mint.

How to make vegan Thai green curry fried rice

(full detailed recipe in the recipe card below)

Prepare the rice

I recommend cooking the rice ahead of time (even days ahead) so it has some time to cool down completely and even dry out a bit. 

Highly recommend: cook the rice, transfer it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge until ready to use. 

You will need about 4 cups of cooked rice for this recipe, so aim to cook about 2 cups of dry rice. For this recipe, I cooked brown rice using my Instant Pot, but you can cook your rice on the stove as well. Follow the instructions on the packaging.

Stir fry the veggies with aromatics

Warm up a large wok (or a large sauté pan) with a little oil (I like using avocado oil-spray for frying, you can use a little sesame oil for more flavor) on medium-high heat. Then, add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes stirring often.

Then, add the frozen corn, frozen edamame and garlic, and keep cooking for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly.

Add the green curry paste, coconut milk, lime juice, sweetener and soy sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the liquid is mostly gone and the green curry sauce much thicker. You will have to stir often and turn the heat down if necessary.

Combine and serve

Add the cooked rice and stir. Keep cooking on medium-high heat stirring often until the rice has absorbed the flavor and starts to brown (about 4-5 minutes, you can leave it untouched for 30 sec at a time to help create brown bits).

Stir in the Thai basil and taste to adjust the flavor, then serve.

Helpful tips

• Do not stir fry freshly cooked and warm rice, it will turn mushy! Make sure to completely cool down the rice first.
• If using fresh rice, then cook it and spread it out on a baking sheet to let it cool down on the counter or in the fridge before using.
• Use a kind of oil that can handle high temperatures when frying the vegetables and the rice.
• Some brands of green curry paste are spicier than others, so if you are sensitive to spicy meals, then start with less and add more later if needed.
• Add more or less of the sweetener to balance the spicy flavor to your taste.
• Make sure to cook down the liquid before adding the rice, otherwise it will not fry well and you will end up with a softer result that could be mushy.
• Using a wok (or a large pan) helps cook the rice evenly and allows more space for browning the grain.
• Keep the heat high (or medium heat) and stir almost constantly, this gives the fried rice the best flavor! 

Serving suggestions

Serve garnished with more Thai basil, sesame seeds and squeeze a little lime juice on top for more flavor. If you like spicy food, then garnish with finely sliced spicy red chilies or a drizzle of sriracha sauce.

To add more freshness, then this dish is great served with cool cucumber slices and some green onion.

This makes for a great meal on its own, but also perfect as a fragrant side dish to serve with:

• Thai carrot and cucumber salad
• Tofu eggrolls
• Simple miso soup

Variations and add-ins

Fried rice recipes are a perfect quick weeknight dinner to personalized with what you have already or add your favorite veggies. Here are a few additions you can try:

• Bamboo shoots
• Fresh ginger
• Zucchini
• Red pepper
• Green beans 
• Leafy greens (Chinese broccoli, spinach, bok choy)
• Baby corn
• Chickpeas
• Tofu (check out this turmeric fried rice to see how to add tofu to give it a scrambled egg effect)
• Spicy sauce for some heat (or finely chopped red chilli pepper)

Storage tips

Leftover fried rice keeps well for a few days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat using the microwave for a quick meal or heat it back in a pan on the stove to give some crispy texture back.

FAQs

Is this dish spicy?

Green curry paste contains green chilies, which are sweeter and less spicy compared to red chilies (used in red curry paste). That being said, this dish still has a little heat and you might want to start with a less to see how spicy you want it to be.

Can I freeze it?

You can freeze fried rice, although I would not recommend it as the texture can turn softer or mushy once thawed. But if you have lots of leftovers, then yes, freezing it is a good option.

How can I avoid mushy fried rice?

The trick is to add the rice once there is not much liquid in the wok or pan anymore. You want to fry the rice in a dry-ish pan so it roasts instead of getting soft by absorbing liquid. Also, make sure the rice is cold when adding it to the wok!

Is green curry paste always vegan?

No, some brands of curry paste may include fish or shrimp. Be sure to look at the ingredient list!

More vegan rice recipes to try

• Coconut pineapple rice
• Mango fried rice
• Chimichurri rice
• Vegan tomato Mexican rice
• Brown rice and quinoa salad

I hope you like this Thai green curry fried rice recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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Please note that the nutritional information is an estimate provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and may vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

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