Thai Basil Recipe with Tofu (2024)

An easy recipe for Thai Basil Recipe with Tofu that is ready in under 30 minutes. Easy swaps are available to make this Thai Tofu vegetarian and whether or not you can find Thai Basil doesn’t matter much for a delicious dinner the whole family will love.

The other night I was eating dinner with C and we were chatting about confidence in the kitchen. I’m a firm believer that anyone can be a great cook so long as they are willing to practice. Surprisingly, C agreed, even if I am the exclusive chef of this family. He claims I stunted his growth because I do all the cooking. On some level I have to agree. We’ve been together for a decade and it’s fair to say that I’ve cooked 99% of our meals. It doesn’t leave much room for him to develop his skills and confidence.

This is a situation that works for us, even if it’s unbalanced. C is a killer dishwasher and grocery shopper. I do all of the cooking. In our opinion it evens out in the end.

That being said, I try to keep him in the back of my mind when I’m developing recipes. I ask myself “would C be able to follow this recipe”. If the answer is no then I generally don’t post it. If it’s yes then you’ll see it here on the blog. This Thai Basil Recipe with Tofu totally fits the bill. Even though there’s zero chance of C making it, I know he’d be able to and those are the kinds of recipes that I like to share. Everyone from the beginner to the advanced cook are welcome here. No pre-requisites necessary!

What is Thai Basil or Pad Kra Pao?

Pad Kra Pao is a traditional Thai dish typically made with ground chicken and the herb Holy Basil (Thai Basil Leaves). My version is similar to this stir-fry except chicken is replaced with tofu and crisped up nicely before being combined with veggies, sauce ingredients and served on rice. In place of traditional Thai chilies (which can be hard to find) I use store-bought chili paste also called sambar oelek.

Ingredients in Thai Basil Tofu

• Rice – I like short-grain brown rice but use whatever you have or prefer
• Extra Firm Tofu (14 oz) – make sure you buy extra firm so it holds its shape!
• Tapioca starch – can also use cornstarch or flour which helps the tofu get crispy
• Soy sauce – feel free to use tamari if you are gluten-free
• Fish sauce – omit if vegan or vegetarian
• Chili Paste – also known as Sambal Oelek. Adds a nice spicy kick to this dish
• Rice Wine Vinegar – you can use a lime instead if you don’t have rice wine vinegar
• Coconut sugar – to balance out the acids and salt
• Sesame oil – can also use olive oil or a more neutral oil if you prefer
• Veggies – garlic, ginger, bell peppers, broccoli (or broccolini) and of course Thai basil or basil
• Raw sesame seeds
• optional toppings: cashews, scallions, additional basil, cilantro etc…

How to Cook Basil Tofu

This Thai dish is coated in tapioca starch to help it crisp up when you cook it. If you don’t have tapioca starch you can use cornstarch (I recommend organic if you can find it) or even regular white flour. Just add a pinch of salt and pepper to bring out the flavor.

Besides the tapioca starch this Thai basil recipe requires a light frying to achieve optimal crispiness.

You know your Thai tofu is ready for cooking when the oil simmers in the pan when you add a splash of water. At this point you can add your tofu and use tongs to flip the tofu occasionally until each piece is crispy and brown all over.

Make this Thai Basil Recipe Vegetarian

It’s super easy to make this Thai Basil recipe vegetarian. The only ingredient which isn’t technically vegetarian is the fish sauce. If you’re pescatarian I recommend keeping it in as it adds a lot of flavor, however if you’re a strict vegan or vegetarian feel free to omit the fish sauce. The flavor is still delicious even without it.

Easy Thai Basil Recipe Swaps

Don’t like tofu? Feel free to replace with any other protein. Thai basil chicken, beef or even chickpeas would work great. You can use pre-cooked or follow the same instructions as the tofu to get a nice crispy taste on your protein. You can also top it with a fried egg!

Make it vegan! Omit the fish sauce to make this thai basil recipe completely vegan.

Prefer different veggies? If red bell pepper or broccoli/broccolini aren’t your thing or you have other vegetables on hand, feel free to replace with what you have. This recipe is very forgiving.

Can’t find Thai Basil? While this recipe is more tradition with Thai Basil, you can also use regular sweet basil and it will still be delicious.

More Thai-Inspired Recipes:

• Cilantro Lime Tofu Bowls
• Chicken Pad See Ew
• Veggie Pad Thai
• Tofu Buddha Bowls

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