Healthy 30-Minute Thai Dinner Recipes

Hi, Friends!

If you’re as busy as I am at this time of the year, you’re probably making quite a few trips through the fast food drive thrus and considering three pickles and a Godiva chocolate bar a nutritionally balanced dinner.

I thought that it would be nice for me to put together a quick list of quick, easy, and healthy meals that you can throw together on a busy weeknight in under a half hour. And, because it’s me, and I’m a total Thai food fiend, it had to be delicious Thai recipes!

Thus, I give you:

Healthy 30-Minute Thai Dinner Recipes!

These five recipes are all super fast and perfect for the busy week you have ahead of you. I’d suggest making one shopping trip at the beginning of the week, then coming home and making a big pot of jasmine rice to serve along side these dishes.

It isn’t strictly necessary to have a wok to make Thai food, but if you’re in the market for one, I use this wok and I love it. You can also use a large frying pan if needed.

Now, without further adieu, let’s get started, shall we?

1. Thai Chicken with Cashews

Reasons why you’ll love it:

This recipe is full of rich and complex flavors that taste like it took all day to make it. It requires no marinating and comes together in just 20 minutes. Stir-frying over high heat speeds the process right along! It also doesn’t hurt that this is my favorite Thai dish of all time. Serve it with some of that rice you made earlier in the week. Oh, and be sure to make enough for lunch leftovers because it reheats really well!

2. Peanut Panang Beef Curry

 Reasons why you’ll love it:

My grandma came over for dinner recently and it was her first time trying Thai food. I made this, she loved it, and then she told me that she had  been planning to stop at McDonald’s on her way home but ate so much of this curry she was totally stuffed. I’d consider that a success! Tender beef with a creamy curry-peanut sauce? It’s killer. Oh, and did I mention it only takes 20 minutes and is under 300 calories per serving? Boo-yah.

3. Rustic Thai Beef Soup

Reasons why you’ll love it:

This is a perfect recipe for this time of year because it is incredibly hearty and filling. You’d never guess that this wasn’t full of fat, because the curry paste adds an incredible depth of flavor that makes it taste really rich.

4. Crispy Tilapia in Curry Sauce

Reasons why you’ll love it:

I like to keep the essentials for this dish on hand at all times: (frozen) tilapia, curry paste, coconut milk, and fish sauce. The lime leaves called for in the recipe are totally optional, but if you happen to see them at the store go ahead and pick some up. Start to finish you can have this on the table in under 30 minutes! It’s also very healthy as tilapia is low in calories and the curry paste adds a lot of flavor without a lot of fat. Score!

5. Thai Coconut-Curry Meatballs

Reasons why you’ll love it:

These little babies are delicious with rice or noodles and take just 25 minutes to put together. Again, it’s easy to keep some ground beef, coconut milk, curry paste, and fish sauce around the house so you can put these together in a snap whenever you’re in need of a quick and delicious dinner. You could swap the red curry paste for yellow if you prefer a milder taste rather than the rich spice the red curry provides. Using lean ground beef and light coconut milk helps keep the fat and calorie content low in this quick and easy Thai dinner!

Thanks so much for reading – I hope you’ll share!