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While on vacation, my mother-in-law, GoGo, taught me how to make Pad Prik King, her favorite Thai vegetarian dish. Pad Prik King is a spicy stir-fry typically made with green beans and red curry paste. It’s so simple yet incredibly flavorful and I couldn’t wait to share her recipe with you.
There are a lot of variations of Pad Prik King, but I love how simple this one is. You can treat this as a side dish or a main course, but for extra protein, I love serving it with grilled chicken or salmon. The green beans, which are the star of the show, get a punch of flavor from store-bought red curry paste, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and fresh herbs. It’s a delicious vegetarian dish that I honestly can’t get enough of.
I fell in love with this dish while visiting Kauai, where the farmers markets are always bustling with the freshest produce and long beans are a constant staple. My mother-in-law, GoGo, insisted we make Pad Prik King for dinner—her sister Molly lived in Thailand for years while teaching there and taught her how to prepare this dish. Now, every time we visit Kauai, I make it on repeat, because long beans inevitably end up in my farmers market haul.
Perhaps the best part (aside from the flavor) is that the whole dish comes together in about 20 minutes—and it all happens in one pan.
Ingredients:
- Avocado Oil
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Shallots
- Red Curry Paste
- Chinese Long Beans
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Garlic Cloves
- Coconut Aminos
- Fish Sauce
- Coconut Sugar
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Thai Basil
- Fresh Cilantro
- Prepared White Rice or Cauliflower Rice
Step-by-Step:
step one: saute the shallots
Heat the avocado and toasted sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.
step two: add the green beans
Add the red curry paste, green beans, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until the green beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
step three: build the sauce
Add the garlic, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and coconut sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, tossing, so that the green beans are well coated in the sauce, 2 to 3 minutes.
step four: add the lime and herbs
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the lime juice, Thai basil leaves, and cilantro and stir until the basil just wilts.
step five: serve
Serve over prepared rice or cauliflower rice.
recipe faqs:
Chinese long beans, also known as yardlong beans, are a staple in many Asian dishes and are known for their mild flavor and crisp texture.
If you can’t find Chinese long beans, you can use French green beans instead. They’re slightly crisper and waxier, but they’ll still work well and complement the dish beautifully.
While it’s hard to replicate the flavor of Thai basil, you can use a combination of fresh Italian basil and mint as a substitute.
The next time you’re looking for a flavorful vegetarian dish, I hope you’ll give Pad Prik King a try! Comment below and let me know what you think of the recipe!
looking for more stir-fry recipes? try these!
Turkey, Green Bean, and Basil Stir Fry
Pad Prik King
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 3/4 cup finely chopped shallots (from about 2 large shallots)
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 pounds Chinese long beans, trimmed into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1/2 lime)
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- Prepared white rice or cauliflower rice, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the avocado and toasted sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the red curry paste, green beans, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until the green beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and coconut sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, tossing, so that the green beans are well coated in the sauce, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the lime juice, Thai basil leaves, and cilantro and stir until the basil just wilts.
- Serve over prepared rice or cauliflower rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Food Photography and Styling by Eat Love Eats.
Can you please share what brand red curry paste you like to use.
Mae Ploy is a great one!!