When it comes to Thai curry flavors, I always crave green curry! This Coconut Curry Beans and Greens is my easy, 30-minute spin on those savory, slightly sweet flavors, and I love how veggie-packed it is. It’s not an authentic Thai green curry, but it’s a great take on the beloved classic, using easy-to-find vegetables, canned beans, and a few shortcuts to keep prep simple. I even throw in half a block of tofu to make it extra hearty without any fussy extra steps. It’s a cozy, satisfying, totally vegan one-skillet meal that’s full of fiber and protein!

A Cozy Curry with a Budget-Friendly Twist

If you’ve tried my buffalo beans and greens, you’ll already know how much you can do with a couple of cans of beans and some greens! This time, I’m going for creamy coconut milk, fragrant green curry paste, and plenty of colorful veggies.

Fun fact! Thai green curry is thought to date back to the early 1900s and is said to have originated from Bangkok’s royal kitchens. It’s known as kaeng khiao wan, which translates to “sweet green curry.” The sweetness is often said to refer to its lovely pale green color, thanks to fresh green chilies, rather than the curry being particularly sweet!

For my easy spin, I give the curry paste a couple of minutes in the skillet with fresh garlic and ginger to bring out all those delicious aromatics before adding the liquid. The cannellini beans are already cooked, and because I’m simmering the tofu in the sauce rather than trying to make it crispy, there’s no need to press it first. Even the spinach comes straight from the freezer! This coconut curry beans and greens is delicious in its own right, and is a really practical way to get big curry flavor without spending ages in the kitchen.

Recipe Success Tips

Skip pressing the tofu. Pressing removes excess water from tofu, giving it a firmer, chewier texture and helping it crisp up, like in a baked tofu recipe. But we’re not trying to get crispy edges here! The tofu simmers right in the coconut curry sauce, so there’s no need to spend an extra 30 minutes pressing it. Just drain off the packaging liquid, cut it into cubes, and add it straight to the skillet.

Drain and rinse the beans. Canned beans are already cooked, but their packing liquid contains extra sodium and starch. Draining and rinsing them lets you better control the saltiness and consistency of the coconut curry sauce.

Don’t skip sautéing the curry paste. It might seem easier to stir everything straight into the coconut milk, but giving the green curry paste, garlic, and ginger a couple of minutes in the hot skillet makes a real difference! The heat helps release their aromatic compounds and mellows the raw bite of the garlic and ginger. Lower the heat to medium for this step and cook for about 2 minutes, until everything smells fragrant. Keep an eye on the skillet — you want those aromatics to release their flavor, not burn.

Cut the vegetables small enough to cook through. Aim for roughly ½-inch pieces, keeping the carrot slightly smaller than the bell peppers since it’s firmer and takes longer to soften.

Keep the simmer gentle. Once the coconut milk and broth are added, reduce the heat to low and simmer (not boil). The beans are already cooked, and the tofu only needs to heat through. Stir gently during the 8–10-minute simmer to keep the beans and tofu cubes intact and help the coconut sauce stay smooth.

Coconut Curry Beans and Greens

Course: Main Course | Cuisine: Thai Total Cost: $12.93 recipe / $2.58 serving Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 5 (1.5 cups each) | Calories: 275 kcal per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly cracked
  • ½ yellow onion, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated (1-inch piece)
  • 1½ Tbsp green curry paste*
  • 2 (15.5 oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 (13.5 fl oz.) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced and zested (about 2 Tbsp juice)
  • ½ cup frozen spinach, rinsed and squeezed**
  • 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro
  • ½ lb. extra-firm tofu (half a 1 lb. block)

Instructions

  1. Gather ingredients. Dice the onion and bell peppers. Dice the extra-firm tofu into small cubes — no need to press it for this recipe. Drain and rinse the beans. Zest the lime, dice the carrot, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and pick the cilantro leaves.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, carrot, salt, and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, and curry paste. Mix to combine and cook another 2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Add the spinach, lime zest, lime juice, tofu cubes, and cannellini beans. Stir to combine, then pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Simmer on low for 8–10 minutes.
  5. Stir in the cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preferences. Serve warm.

Notes

*I use red and green bell peppers for a balance of flavors. Red peppers add sweetness, while green peppers bring a slightly earthy flavor.

*Green curry paste is a concentrated blend of green chilies, herbs, and aromatics that gives this dish its signature flavor. Choose one without shrimp paste or fish sauce to keep this recipe vegan. If you can’t find green curry paste, red curry paste is a good alternative, although the flavor and heat level will change.

**You can swap the frozen spinach for a few generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach. Add it during the last couple of minutes of simmering, just until wilted.

Cutting the tofu: Slice a 1 lb. block of tofu in half lengthwise rather than across the middle to get the right thickness, then cut into small, bite-sized cubes. Reserve the other half for another recipe, like air fryer tofu.

Extra vegetables: This curry is great for using up leftover veggies! Try mushrooms, zucchini, snap peas, frozen peas, or corn.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 275 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 23 g | Sodium: 686 mg | Fiber: 4 g

How to Make Coconut Curry Beans and Greens — Step by Step

Gather and prep all ingredients. Dice ½ yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper, and 1 red bell pepper into small, evenly sized pieces. Cut ½ block of extra-firm tofu into bite-sized cubes — no pressing needed. Drain and rinse two 15.5 oz. cans of cannellini beans.

Prep the aromatics. Mince 2 cloves of garlic, peel and grate 2 tsp fresh ginger, and zest and juice 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp juice). Chop 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro and dice 1 carrot. Keep the carrot pieces slightly smaller than the peppers so everything cooks evenly.

Sauté the vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, green and red bell peppers, carrot, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion looks translucent and the peppers and carrots begin to soften. The carrots don’t need to be completely tender yet — they’ll continue cooking in the curry sauce.

Add the aromatics and curry paste. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, 1½ Tbsp green curry paste, and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Stir well to coat the vegetables and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture smells wonderfully fragrant. Keep an eye on the garlic and curry paste so they don’t burn.

Add the beans, greens, and tofu. Add ½ cup rinsed and squeezed frozen spinach, lime zest, lime juice, cubed tofu, and drained cannellini beans to the skillet. Stir gently to distribute everything evenly without breaking up the beans or tofu.

Make the coconut curry sauce. Pour in 1 cup vegetable broth and one 13.5 fl oz. can of full-fat coconut milk. Stir gently until the coconut milk is fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and let the curry simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Look for small bubbles around the edges rather than a rolling boil. The curry is ready when the vegetables are tender and the beans and tofu are heated all the way through.

Finish and serve. Stir in 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm over fluffy rice or with your favorite sides.

What to Serve with Coconut Curry Beans and Greens

I usually serve this curry over fluffy white rice to soak up all that creamy sauce. Cauliflower rice or quinoa also work well for a hearty bowl. For extra coconut flavor, try coconut rice, which can cook while the curry simmers.

Homemade naan is also wonderful for scooping up the sauce — pull some from the freezer and warm it up to keep dinner easy. For something fresh and crunchy on the side, a Thai cucumber salad or a crunchy cabbage salad pairs beautifully with the rich curry. The cabbage salad is great for meal prep — just keep the dressing separate until serving.

Meal Prep

Store individual portions in airtight containers with rice or quinoa if you plan to reheat everything together. Keep naan, salads, or anything you want to enjoy cold or crunchy separate until serving. If you’re in the mood for soup instead, stir a little extra vegetable broth into the curry as it reheats to give it a thinner, more soup-like consistency — a great way to stretch a smaller portion a little further.

Storage and Reheating

Let leftovers cool slightly, then transfer to airtight containers or zip-top bags and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days. Don’t leave the curry at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Store the curry separately from any rice so the rice doesn’t absorb all the coconut sauce.

Reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring occasionally, or warm gently on the stovetop over low heat until heated through.