Pad krapow–stir-fried holy basil–is a classic Thai dish. Often served with chicken, this vegetarian pad krapow loads up on vegetables instead! If you’re looking for a vegetarian Thai recipe or just yummy vegetarian Thai food, this vegan pad krapow recipe is for you!
I love pad krapow. It has a wonderfully spicy, sweet, and aromatic flavor and it is unbelievably easy to make. If you time it right, you can have this vegetarian pad krapow on your table in about 30 minutes.
How to make Vegetarian Pad Krapow:
This recipe is so easy to make, so if you’re in the mood for delicious vegetarian Thai food, this is the recipe to make!
First, prepare all of your ingredients. Frying everything up goes quickly, so you want to make sure you have everything prepared.
Next, cook the white rice. Once the vegetables are prepared and your rice is cooking, start frying up your vegetables!
Here’s the order you want to cook your vegetables in:
- First, cook aromatics. We use shallots, garlic, and minced Thai chili peppers in this dish. Remove them from the wok and set them aside.
- Next, cook the mushrooms. You want to get a nice, golden crust on them so stir-fry them in the wok for 8-9 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary.
- Next, add the bell peppers to the mushrooms and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the wok.
- Finally, add the green beans and cook until just tender-crisp.
- Pour in your sauce mixture and add the cooked vegetables and Thai basil and you’re done!
- Serve the pad krapow on top of the cooked rice and that’s it!
Looking for more vegetarian recipes? Check my archives!
If you made this vegan pad krapow, please rate it and comment below! You can also follow me and share your creations by tagging me! I’d love to feature your #triedandtruerecipes creation on my feed!
Vegetarian Pad Krapow
Equipment
- Large wok or pot
- Small pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil plus more as needed
- 2 shallots peeled and sliced into wedges
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2-3 Thai chili peppers minced
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 4 ounces maitake mushrooms torn
- 2 red bell peppers trimmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 12 ounces fresh green beans cut in half
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce more to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetarian fish sauce or use regular, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar more to taste
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil more to taste
- 1 ounce Thai basil leaves
- 2 scallions minced, optional for serving
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare all of the vegetables and set them aside before beginning.
Cook the white rice:
- In a small pot, combine the white rice and water and turn the heat to medium-high. Add salt. Once the water boils, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to rest as you finish the pad krapow.
Cook the pad krapow aromatics:
- Heat avocado oil over medium heat in a large wok. Once hot, add the shallots and cook for 3-5 minutes until they soften.
- Add the garlic and Thai chili peppers and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the aromatics from the wok and transfer to a bowl.
Cook the mushrooms:
- Add a touch more oil, if needed. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for 8-9 minutes until they begin to soften and brown.
Sauté the red bell pepper:
- Add the red bell peppers and cook 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
Add the green beans:
- Add the green beans to the wok and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt.
Prepare the sauce:
- Combine the soy sauce, vegetarian fish sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the sauce to the wok and allow it to bubble for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the sugar. Toss to coat.
Finish the pad krapow:
- Return all the vegetables–bell peppers, mushrooms, and aromatics–to the wok along with the Thai basil leaves. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Taste and season to your preferences.
To serve:
- Divide the cooked rice between plates and spoon the pad krapow on top. Garnish with minced scallion. Enjoy!
