Eggplant Green Curry

This Thai green curry recipe is full of comfort and flavor, plus it’s easy to make. Made with eggplant, red bell peppers, lemongrass, and coconut milk, green curry makes for a cozy, warm dish for any weeknight dinner!

By
Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord
Garrett has been writing about food and sharing recipes for 15 years. He is the author of Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese.
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Updated April 07, 2022
Garrett McCord
Green Curry Eggplant recipe
Elise Bauer

Please welcome guest contributor Garrett McCord as he shares a favorite recipe for green curry eggplant. This is as good as any I've had at a restaurant! ~Elise

When I was learning to cook in college, a Thai friend's mother told me that there are two particular tricks you need to be aware of to craft a truly outstanding curry.

Two Important Tips for the Best Thai Green Curry

The first is that if you're using eggplant, you have to blister and sear it in order to enhance its unique taste.

The second is that you have to lightly fry your curry paste in order to reveal its true potential. Only then will you have a curry worth eating.

Green Curry Eggplant with coconut milk
Elise Bauer

How to Make This Green Curry Recipe Your Own

Utilizing these rules, this basic green curry is as simple as they come and that will easily match or beat any green curry you've had in a restaurant. While I love the flavor of eggplant in this dish, you could just as easily use chicken or shrimp.

I highly encourage you to use makrut lime leaves, if you can find them, as they add a certain floral-citrusy flavor that can't be substituted. However, you can do this recipe without them, and though the curry will lack a truly authentic flavor, it will still be completely yum-worthy.

Adaptations and Variations of Green Curry

  • Substitute soy sauce or coconut aminos for the fish sauce to make it vegetarian.
  • Substitute water chestnuts for the bamboo shoots.
  • Substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar.
  • Add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to tame the spice.
  • Add sauteed mushrooms.
  • Substitute regular eggplant for the Japanese eggplant.

What Kind of Coconut Milk to Use

Use unsweetened, full-fat canned coconut milk. Do not use refrigerated coconut milk.

How to Store and Reheat This Dish

Store leftover green curry tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through. Add a little more coconut milk to thin out the sauce out if it has thickened.

What to Serve With Thai Green Curry

White rice is what is commonly served with Thai green curry, but you can also serve this dish over:

And while this can be a one-bowl meal, if you're looking for a side dish to add to your meal, serve it with Asian coleslaw.

More Thai Recipes to Try!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Eggplant Green Curry

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 4 servings

There are a few special ingredients in this curry. Most can be found at an Asian market or well-stocked grocery store.

For a vegetarian curry, swap soy sauce or coconut aminos for the fish sauce.

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil

  • 2 Japanese eggplants, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste

  • 1 can coconut milk

  • 1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 3 pieces and bruised

  • 3 makrut lime leaves

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 1 can bamboo shoots

  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded, sliced into sticks

  • 1/4 cup Thai basil or sweet basil leaves

  • 1 to 3 whole Thai chilies, depending on your heat preference

  • Lime, for garnish, optional

Method

  1. Stir-fry the eggplant:

    Place a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or deep pan over high heat. Add eggplant pieces and stir-fry until skin becomes lightly brown and blistered, and the eggplant insides begin to soften and get a slight sear, about 3 to 4 minutes.

    The eggplant will absorb the oil, if some of the eggplant pieces don't get any, add a little more oil.

    Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.

    Stir Fry eggplant for green curry
    Elise Bauer
  2. Heat the curry paste, add half of the coconut milk:

    Place another tablespoon of vegetable oil in the wok heat over medium heat. Add the curry paste—be careful, as it will cause the oil to spit—and saute over medium heat until fragrant, about 20 to 30 seconds.

    Add half of the coconut milk and mix, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Add the lemongrass, makrut, fish sauce, brown sugar, and remaining coconut milk:

    Bring the mixture to a boil.

  4. Add the bamboo shoots, cooked eggplant, and bell pepper:

    Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until all ingredients are softened a bit.

  5. Stir in the basil and chilies and remove from heat:

    Serve over rice with lime wedges on the side.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
412 Calories
26g Fat
48g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 412
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 33%
Saturated Fat 19g 96%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 693mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 18%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 17g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 62mg 310%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 7mg 38%
Potassium 973mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.