Vegan pad Thai, a traditional Thai recipe, healthy and so tasty. It's made with simple ingredients, inexpensive, comforting, and delicious!
Vegan pad Thai is an amazingly tasty version of a very popular Thai recipe. It's savory, soft, comforting and SO good! It's also packed with lots of different flavors that go very well together, so I really love this dish.
As most Asian recipes, this pad Thai is very versatile and you can customize it however you like. I prepared it with tofu to add a good source of quality protein, onion, and rice noodles, among other delicious ingredients, but you can use different ones. I made the sauce myself too.
This dish is perfect for dinner, as it's light and nutritious, and you can make a big batch and save it for another day. Besides, it's healthy and satiating at the same time, as well as full of flavor.
To make this vegan pad Thai you need a wok, although a pan will also work. Eat it on a family dinner and use it to incorporate more veggies into your diet. Serve it with some chives and chopped peanuts on top!
How to make vegan pad Thai - Step by step
- Heat some oil in a pan and cook the tofu over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes (photo 1).
- Add all the ingredients for the sauce into a saucepan, stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it thickens a little (photo 2).
- Soak the noodles for 30-60 minutes in water at room temperature or in hot water for 5 minutes (photo 3). Drain and reserve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or pan and cook the onion and garlic over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes (photo 4).
- Add the noodles, tofu, fresh bean sprouts, and chives and cook for 1-2 minutes (photo 5). Add the sauce, mix, and cook for 2-3 more minutes (photo 6).
- Serve with chopped peanuts, fresh bean sprouts, chives (optional), lime juice, and cayenne flakes on top.
Pro tips
- You can substitute tofu for any other vegan meat or even mushrooms.
- Feel free to incorporate all your favorite veggies, such as carrots or red bell peppers.
- Use any sweetener you'd like.
- Vegan fish sauce can be replaced by tamari or soy sauce, although this recipe works best with vegan fish sauce.
Can I freeze this vegan pad Thai?
I would cook all the ingredients but the noodles, freeze them and make the noodles the day you eat your pad Thai. It's ideal for preparing a big batch so you have a backup plan if you don't feel like cooking on a lazy night.
How long will this vegan pad Thai keep?
It makes great leftovers, so feel free to cook it some days before eating it to save some time. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Can I make this vegan pad thai without tamarind?
I'd recommend you make this vegan pad Thai with tamarind paste, but if you can't find it you could use lime or lemon juice instead.
Looking for more vegan Asian recipes?
- Vegan Thai Soup
- Thai Mango Sticky Rice
- Thai Cucumber Salad
- Vegan Fried Rice
- Spicy Korean Tofu Soup
- Homemade Vegan Kimchi
Did you make this vegan pad Thai recipe?
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Vegan Pad Thai
Ingredients
For the pad Thai:
- 12 oz firm tofu, cubed
- 8 oz rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon oil, I used extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- ¼ cup chives, chopped
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped
For the sauce:
- ⅓ cup brown, coconut or cane sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan fish sauce
- ⅓ cup tamarind paste, you could use lime or lemon juice instead
Instructions
- Heat some oil in a pan (optional) and cook the tofu over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown. Reserve.
- After that, cook the sauce. Add all the ingredients for the sauce into a saucepan, stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it thickens a little. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Soak the noodles for 30-60 minutes in water at room temperature or in hot water for 5 minutes (that's what I usually do). Drain and reserve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or pan and cook the onion and garlic over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.
- Incorporate the noodles, tofu, fresh bean sprouts, and chives, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sauce, mix until well combined and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Serve with chopped peanuts, some more fresh bean sprouts, chives (optional), lime juice, and cayenne flakes on top.
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Notes
- You can substitute tofu for any other vegan meat or even mushrooms.
- Feel free to incorporate all your favorite veggies, such as carrots or red bell peppers.
- Use any sweetener you'd like.
- Vegan fish sauce can be replaced by tamari or soy sauce, although this recipe works best with vegan fish sauce.
- I'd recommend you make this vegan pad Thai with tamarind paste, but if you can't find it you could use lime or lemon juice instead.
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