By the Evergreen Thai Team Published: November 22, 2025 Last updated: November 2025
Thai curry is often vegetarian but rarely fully vegan by default — the curry paste itself usually contains shrimp paste. That’s the part most diners don’t know about, even when they order a “vegetable curry” expecting it to be plant-based. The vegetables and tofu may be vegan, the coconut milk is dairy-free, but the curry paste at the bottom of the pot frequently contains a small amount of shrimp paste or fish sauce that changes the dish entirely for strict vegans. Thai curry is a coconut-milk-based stew traditionally made with a curry paste that may contain shrimp paste, fish sauce, or both. This guide covers what’s actually in each curry type and how to order a vegan version.
Before ordering, review the Thai restaurant menu in downtown Toronto, order Thai food online, contact Evergreen Thai for group orders, and the restaurant FAQ for dietary questions. For a fully vegetarian sister menu, review the vegetarian Chinese and Thai dishes next door.
What’s actually in Thai curry paste
Traditional Thai curry pastes — green, red, panang, massaman, and yellow — usually contain a small amount of shrimp paste (kapi) and sometimes fish sauce, blended into the chili-and-aromatic base. The herbs and chilies are vegan, but the shrimp paste makes most traditional curries unsuitable for strict vegans unless the restaurant uses a plant-based paste.
Common Thai curry pastes and what they typically contain:
- Green curry paste — green chilies, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, often shrimp paste
- Red curry paste — red chilies, garlic, lemongrass, often shrimp paste
- Panang curry paste — similar to red with peanuts, often shrimp paste
- Massaman curry paste — milder, with warming spices, often shrimp paste or fish sauce
- Yellow curry paste — turmeric-based, often shrimp paste
- Vegan curry pastes — available, but vary by brand and restaurant
Thai curry is often vegetarian but not automatically vegan — the curry paste is the most common hidden ingredient that affects vegan suitability. In downtown Toronto, restaurants vary in which curry paste they use and whether they offer a vegan alternative, so asking specifically about the paste before ordering is the safer practice. Menu items, ingredients, and preparation can change, especially when restaurants source paste from different suppliers.
Vegetarian vs vegan: what changes
For lacto-ovo vegetarian diners, most Thai vegetable curries are usually acceptable — the shrimp paste content is small, dairy isn’t typically involved, and the dish reads as vegetarian by everyday standards. For strict vegans, the same dish needs a different curry paste or a clear confirmation that the paste contains no shrimp or fish.
How vegetarian and vegan ordering differs:
- Vegetarian — vegetable curry with tofu is usually acceptable
- Strict vegetarian (no fish/shrimp) — ask whether the curry paste contains shrimp paste
- Vegan — confirm no shrimp paste, no fish sauce, no dairy add-ins
- Coconut milk — naturally dairy-free, vegan-friendly
- Add-ins to check — fish sauce, oyster sauce, sometimes added separately
- Garnishes — confirm no fish-derived garnish
A vegetarian Thai curry in downtown Toronto is straightforward to order; a fully vegan Thai curry requires a more specific conversation about the curry paste and any added sauces. For diners who want to skip the conversation entirely, VegeDelight at 173 Dundas St W is the fully vegetarian sister restaurant beside Evergreen Thai and offers plant-based curry-style dishes built without the paste question — which is a cleaner default for strict vegans on the same block.
How Evergreen Thai prepares Thai curry for vegetarian and vegan diners
Evergreen Thai at 175 Dundas St W can prepare green, red, panang, and other Thai curries in vegetarian versions with tofu and vegetables in place of meat. For vegan diners, the team can confirm whether the curry paste contains shrimp products and whether a vegan adjustment is possible.
What to ask at Evergreen Thai when ordering Thai curry:
- “Does the curry paste contain shrimp paste or fish sauce?”
- “Can the curry be prepared without fish sauce or oyster sauce add-ins?”
- “Is the tofu prepared with any dairy or egg coating?”
- “Are the curries cooked in shared woks with shellfish dishes?”
- “Can the curry be made spicier or milder than the standard preparation?”
- “Is the coconut milk used straight from the can, or pre-mixed with anything?”
Evergreen Thai is a Thai restaurant at 175 Dundas St W in downtown Toronto offering vegetarian Thai curries that can be adjusted for many dietary needs when requested in advance. The team can confirm preparation and flag animal-derived ingredients before ordering. Calling ahead or noting requests in online orders is the safer practice for stricter preparation — verbal walk-in requests are sometimes possible but offer less buffer for confirmation.
Which Thai curries are easiest to adjust for vegans
Green and red curries are usually the easiest Thai curries to adjust for vegans because they use a relatively simple paste, coconut milk, and vegetables — and the main vegan-blocking ingredient (shrimp paste) is the only consistent question. Massaman and panang can also be adjusted, though they include additional ingredients to verify.
Vegan-adjustment ease by curry type:
- Vegetable green curry — usually easiest to adjust to vegan
- Vegetable red curry — similarly easy
- Panang curry — possible to adjust, includes peanuts (note allergies)
- Massaman curry — possible, more spices to verify
- Yellow curry — possible to adjust
- Khao soi or seafood-based curries — usually harder to adjust
A vegan Thai curry at Evergreen Thai is most reliably ordered as vegetable green curry or vegetable red curry with tofu, with explicit “no shrimp paste, no fish sauce” instructions. The coconut milk in these curries is naturally vegan, and the vegetables can be adjusted to seasonal availability. Cross-contamination from shared woks is possible in any non-dedicated vegan kitchen, so strictly vegan diners should ask about preparation surfaces in addition to ingredients.
What this means for ordering in downtown Toronto
For most vegetarian diners in downtown Toronto, ordering a Thai vegetable curry at Evergreen Thai is straightforward — the standard vegetarian preparation works for everyday vegetarian eating. For strict vegans, ordering a vegetable curry with explicit “no shrimp paste, no fish sauce” instructions is the recommended approach, with a follow-up question about cooking surfaces if cross-contamination matters.
Decision quick reference:
- Vegetarian (everyday) — vegetable curry with tofu is usually fine
- Strict vegetarian — ask about shrimp paste in the curry paste
- Vegan — request “no shrimp paste, no fish sauce” explicitly
- Vegan with allergies — also ask about cross-contamination
- For full plant-based default — VegeDelight next door avoids the paste question entirely
Thai curry at Evergreen Thai in downtown Toronto can be adjusted to suit vegetarian, vegan, and dietary-aware diners when the request is made in advance. The 4–6 minute walk from Eaton Centre and Yonge-Dundas makes the restaurant a quick mid-day stop, and online orders accept dietary notes in the comment field. For strict vegans wanting a plant-based curry experience without the paste conversation, VegeDelight at 173 Dundas St W is the cleaner default.
Order Thai curry the way you actually want it
Thai curry is vegetarian-friendly by default but vegan only with adjustments — and the curry paste is the most common ingredient that changes the dish for strict vegans. At Evergreen Thai at 175 Dundas St W in downtown Toronto, vegetable curries can be adjusted on request, and VegeDelight next door offers plant-based curry-style dishes that avoid the paste question entirely.
To order Thai curry with confidence:
- Ask the team or order vegetarian Thai curry online with clear dietary notes
- Specify no shrimp paste, no fish sauce for vegan preparation
- For strict vegans wanting fewer adjustments, try VegeDelight next door
Contact Evergreen Thai for vegetarian and vegan Thai curry in downtown Toronto.