Healthy Thai Vegetarian Recipes

This gluten-free, vegan version of peanut noodles has a high protein content thanks to edamame and peanut butter. Spaghetti squash turns delicately sweet when roasted, which pairs wonderfully with the peanut sauce.

Thai spices and creamy coconut milk distinguish this version from traditional butternut squash soup. Curry paste is a convenient way to add complex flavor, but if you want to make sure this soup is vegan or if you are allergic to shellfish, check the ingredient list carefully--some brands contain shellfish.

Black sticky rice, a delicious whole-grain alternative to white rice, is purplish black in color and has a chewy texture. This recipe gives you a simple method for how to make black sticky rice. Look for it in natural-foods stores in the bulk department or with other whole-grain rice.

This low-carb vegetable soup is chock-full of veggies swimming in a creamy coconut broth flavored with Thai red curry paste. It's hearty enough to eat on its own, but feel free to add chicken or tofu to boost the protein.

The Thai dessert kow neuw mamuang, or mango sticky rice, is a popular dessert throughout Southeast Asia. It's typically made with white glutinous rice, but our version features short-grain brown rice for a similarly chewy texture with more fiber per serving. Coconut milk adds sweetness, while a topping of sesame seeds provides nuttiness.

This sweet and tangy salad of cucumber, scallions and pepper gets a bit of extra crunch from dry-roasted peanuts. If possible, use a red jalapeno (or chile) to brighten the salad with a few specks of red. Cut the heat by removing the seeds before chopping.

Thai curry paste delivers a spicy kick-in-the-pants in this healthy peanut noodle recipe. If you haven't tried kohlrabi yet, here's your excuse to buy it. The bulbous vegetable is related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts, but has a milder, sweet flavor and fabulous crunch.

You won't miss the scrambled eggs and fish sauce in this vegan version of the Thai favorite because the flavorful sauce hits just the right balance of sweet, spicy and umami.

In addition to being a delicious dipping sauce for dumplings, this can be used as a marinade for chicken, pork or tofu.

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make your own Sriracha sauce with fresh chiles. Normally Sriracha is fermented, a process which takes days. Here, we've shortened that method but added molasses to get strong, bold flavor. If you have an abundance of chiles in your garden or see them at the farmers' market, this is a great way to take advantage of the bounty. Be sure to wear disposable food-handling gloves while handling the chiles!

This recipe for traditional Thai coconut balls is all about the coconut. First, skip the preshredded stuff (the filling won't hold together with it) and get yourself to the produce department for a fresh one. Look for a coconut with a brown husk (rather than one with a white fibrous exterior, often labeled "young Thai" coconut). Brown-husked coconuts have firmer flesh that's easier to shred. Editor's note: Brooke Siem learned to make these coconut balls from a woman named Ratachanee on the Thai island of  Koh Phangan. Learn more about this recipe and other recipes Siem learned to make as part of her Grandmother Project in the article How Cooking Connected One Chef with Grandmothers Across the World.

We cook the eggplant in the oven to speed up the recipe and keep things from getting too unruly on the stovetop. While the eggplant roasts, line up all of your ingredients and begin cooking to make this easy eggplant curry come together seamlessly. Any leftovers will hold up well and are great for taking to work for lunch.