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Mushroom kra pao stir-fry with mixed mushrooms, chili, garlic, and basil in a rich savory sauce served with rice

Mushroom Pad Kra Pao (Thai Basil Stir-Fry)

5 from 1 vote
I love a quick, flavor-packed stir-fry and this Mushroom Kra Pao is one of those dishes that delivers every single time. It’s savory, spicy, aromatic, and comes together so easily with really simple ingredients. You have mushrooms cooked down in a rich sauce with lots of garlic, chiles, and fresh basil, making it perfect over a bowl of hot steamed rice!
This is my plant-based take on the classic Thai dish, swapping the usual meat for a mix of mushrooms that soak up all that delicious sauce. I have a kra pao-inspired recipe on my blog using tofu that I cooked down to resemble minced meat. Check out my tofu kra pao recipe here.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Southeast Asian, Thai
Servings 2 servings
Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Mushrooms

  • 1 lb fresh mushrooms of choice , I used a mix of king oyster & shimeji
  • Neutral oil for cooking

Stir-Fry

  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small white onion , small dice
  • 1 small red bell pepper , seeded and diced
  • 1-2 bird’s eye chiles , adjust depending on desired heat!
  • 1 green chili , sliced (I used a banana pepper)

Sauce

To Finish

  • 1/4 cup packed fresh holy basil or Thai basil leaves
  • Steamed rice to serve

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat with some oil. Once hot, add the mushrooms and cook until these start to draw out moisture and start to brown. You can leave the mushrooms untouched to let these slightly char for extra flavor.
  • Move the mushrooms to the side of the pan. Add a bit more oil, then sauté the garlic and onion until fragrant.
  • Add the bell pepper and chiles then cook for another 1-2 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp.
  • Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Pour in the sauce then mix everything well and let the sauce simmer and coat the mushrooms.
  • Turn off the heat and toss in the basil leaves. Mix until the basil is wilted. Serve with rice and enjoy while hot!
    You can also add some chili oil for extra heat or add a crispy fried egg (if not strictly vegan).

Notes

  • Mushrooms: King oyster mushrooms add a nice meaty texture, while shimeji bring a softer bite. Feel free to mix and match!
  • Heat/Spice: Adjust the chiles depending on your spice preference
  • Basil: Holy basil is the best if you can get it, but Thai basil works great too!
  • Protein/base: You can easily swap mushrooms for tofu or even a mix of both! I have kra pao-inspired tofu basil stir-fry recipe here that uses minced tofu.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1713mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1161IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
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