Thailand is often celebrated as one of the world's best food destinations, but for us vegan travellers, this question always come up:
"Are there any street food or desserts that you can eat outside of vegan restaurants?"
For me, one of the biggest surprises I found while travelling through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket is just how many iconic, traditional Thai treats are naturally plant-based.
In this guide, let me show you 10 "accidentally vegan" street snacks and desserts you need to try, what they look like, and exactly what to look out for to make sure they are safe.
Why Are These Naturally Vegan?
Unlike Western desserts that often use butter, milk, and eggs as their base, traditional Thai sweets are built on a different foundation: coconut milk, palm sugar, sticky rice, and tapioca flour. And that means some Thai desserts are naturally vegan.
You will usually find these snacks and street food at food markets, night bazaars, and roadside stalls. While most of these are safe, cross-contamination can happen at mixed stalls, and recipes can vary by vendor.
A handy tip is to look for the yellow and red 'Jay' (เจ) flag, or simply use the Thai Vegan Card included in my Thailand vegan travel book - Vegan Foodie Guide to Thailand to help communicate with vendors if you are not sure.
Here are 10 of my favourite accidentally vegan Thai street food & desserts:
1. Mango Sticky Rice
Khao Niao Mamuang (ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง)
This is arguably the undisputed king of Thai desserts and an absolute must-try for any visitor. It features slices of sweet, ripe mango served next to a glutinous rice that has been cooked in rich, salty-sweet coconut milk, like the one I had at Vegan Mahanakhon in Bangkok.
It is usually topped with crunchy yellow mung beans for texture and extra coconut cream on top. You can also find a variation made with durian instead of mango.
Is Mango Sticky Rice Vegan?
Yes. Traditional versions are naturally vegan as they rely on coconut milk for that creaminess rather than dairy.
2. Coconut Rice Pancakes
Khanom Krok (ขนมครก)
These are small, bite-sized coconut puddings with a crispy shell and a creamy coconut cream centre. They usually have two distinct layers: a crispy outer shell and a soft, creamy coconut cream centre that melts in your mouth. I tried a delicious mixed box at Jing Jai Market in Chiang Mai which came with various toppings pressed into the centre, such as sweet corn and purple taro.
Is Khanom Krok Vegan?
Usually yes. The batter is traditionally made from rice flour and coconut milk. However, do be careful of savoury toppings at non-vegetarian stalls, as some modern variations might use non-vegan ingredients for toppings.
3. Fried Dough
Pa Tong Go (ปาท่องโก๋)
If you are out exploring in the morning, you will likely see vendors frying these up in huge woks. Pa Tong Go is a Thai breakfast staple consisting of X-shaped or ball-shaped dough deep-fried until golden and crispy on the outside, while light and airy on the inside. A very traditional breakfast item.
Is Pa Tong Go Vegan?
The dough itself is usually safe and vegan. However, locals often dip these in sweetened condensed milk. To keep it vegan, simply eat the dough without the dip unless they specifically say that the dip is 'jay' friendly and not made with dairy.
4. Miniature "Fruits"
Luk Chup (ลูกชุบ)
One of the most Instagrammable sweets you can find in Thailand. They look like beautiful, glossy miniature fruits and vegetables - think tiny chillies, mangos, and mangosteens. Despite looking like candies, they are actually made from sweetened mung bean paste that is moulded into shapes and coated in a shiny agar jelly glaze.
Is Luk Chup Vegan?
Yes, almost always. The ingredients are mung beans, sugar, coconut milk, and agar agar.
5. Chive Dumplings
Gui Chai (กุยช่าย)
For a savoury snack, look for these chewy, translucent dumplings filled with garlic chives. You can find them either steamed or fried. I tried the fried version at the Vegetarian Society in Chatuchak. It is crispy on the outside, and hearty and chewy on the inside. They are often served with a dark soy dipping sauce.
Is Gui Chai Vegan?
Almost always vegan. The dough is tapioca and rice flour, with chives and seasonings.
6. Coconut Pudding
Khanom Tako (ขนมตะโก้)
You can spot these by their packaging: they are usually served in little rounded square cups made from folded banana leaves. It is a two-layer dessert. The top layer is a creamy sweet coconut pudding, while the bottom layer is a jelly-like texture usually made from tapioca or sago flour mixed with ingredients like taro or corn.
Is Khanom Tako Vegan?
Almost always vegan. It is a classic coconut-milk based dessert that almost never use gelatin or dairy.
7. Bamboo Sticky Rice
Khao Lam (ข้าวหลาม)
This is a unique street food that's made of glutinous rice stuffed inside a hallow bamboo tube. The rice is often mixed with black beans, sugar, and coconut milk, and then stuffed inside bamboo and roasted over charcoal.
Is Khao Lam Vegan?
Depending on the filling. The base glutinous rice would likely be vegan-friendly.
8. Coconut Balls
Khanom Tom (ขนมต้ม)
These are boiled rice flour dumplings stuffed with a caramelised coconut filling. The filling is made by cooking shredded coconut with palm sugar until it becomes a sweet, dark brown paste. The balls are then rolled in fresh shredded coconut. They have a chewy texture and a sweet coconut-y filling.
Is Khanom Tom Vegan?
Almost always vegan.
9. Palm Leaf Grilled Sticky Rice
Khanom Jak (ขนมจาก)
A long, thin treat made of sticky rice, palm sugar, various fillings, and wrapped in a palm leaf and roasted over charcoal.
Is Khanom Jak Vegan?
Usually yes, but it can depend on the specific filling or recipe used by the vendor. Usually the filling is simple with banana, taro, corn, etc,, but it's worth asking if you are at a standard street stall.
10. Sweet Potato Balls
Khanom Kai Nok Krata (ขนมไข่นกกระทา)
These are deep-fried balls made from mashed sweet potato, sugar, and tapioca starch. You will often see them in two colours: orange (from sweet potato) and purple (from purple sweet potato). They are crispy on the outside but have a chewy airy texture on the inside.
Is Khanom Kai Nok Krata Vegan?
Always vegan. It is a simple mixture of potato and flour fried in oil.
Want the Full Foodie Guide on Bangkok, Chiang Mai & Phuket?
This guide is just a taste of what Bangkok has to offer. In my full book, The Vegan Foodie Guide to Thailand, I cover 12 extra vegan-friendly street food & desserts, over 110 vegan spots across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, including additional information on vegan hotels, the famous Vegetarian Festival, shopping guides, and more. There's also a free sample if you are not sure whether this book is a good fit:
Get your copy of The Vegan Foodie Guide to Thailand here
