Vegetarian Coconut Stir-Fry

Vegetarian Coconut Stir-Fry
When I was in grad school, there was this authentic Thai restaurant in a quaint house right in the middle of a downtown neighborhood. I’m pretty sure the restaurant doubled as the owner’s actual house because when it got especially busy, you’d see a few waiters scramble up the stairs for several minutes before they came to escort you up to the bedroom-turned-dining-area. Either way, this stranger’s house/ restaurant remains one of my favorite dining experiences. From the mismatched dinnerware to the framed pictures of Asian animals on the walls, this place satisfies all the quirky bones in my body. Unfortunately, I now live across the state and there is a large Thai food shaped hole in my heart. It has been 3 years since I have visited this Thai cafe and I have since made several attempts to recreate the experience. I even insist we hang elephant paintings over the fireplace as we eat. The recipe I’m sharing is the closest thing I’ve tasted to their signature spicy coconut-peanut sauce and it can be done in under 30 minutes. Sorry, Rama Thai, I might be winning here. So, push your couch to the side, pull your dining room table into the living room, and print off pictures of pandas to hang up on the wall behind you to fully enjoy this vegetarian coconut stir-fry!

Vegetarian Coconut Stir-fry

Yield: 4 Servings Ingredients
  • 1 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 2 Tbsp sriracha
  • 1 Tbsp agave nectar
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • Squeeze of fresh lime
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 4-6 cups mixed vegetables
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa or rice
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, peanut butter, sriracha, agave nectar, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, and ginger. If the peanut butter needs help melting into the coconut milk, slowly heat the sauce in the microwave until smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust flavorings to your preference.
  2. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chopped vegetables to the skillet in order of hardest to softest to allow harder vegetables, like carrots, more time to cook and to avoid overcooking softer vegetables. Stir fry the vegetables only for about 1-2 minutes, or just until they begin to soften on the edges because they will cook further once the sauce is added. If using a leafy green, like spinach, wait to add it to the skillet until after the sauce has been added.
  3. Pour the prepared spicy coconut peanut sauce over the vegetables, stir to combine, and allow the sauce to heat through for 1-2 minutes. If you are using a leafy green, like spinach, stir it into the sauce until it has started to wilt.
  4. To serve, spoon the vegetables and sauce over a bowl of cooked quinoa or rice and chickpeas and toss with the vegetables and sauce until combined.
Nutrition Information (per 1 serving)
  • 554 calories
  • 64 g carbohydrate
  • 24 g fat
  • 19 g protein
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