Description
This Vegan Pad Thai is a vibrant and flavorful plant-based take on the classic Thai noodle dish, featuring stir-fried rice noodles, crispy tofu, fresh vegetables, and a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. It’s easy to prepare, nutritious, and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Tofu
- 7 ounces stir fry rice noodles
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 14.5 ounce block extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
Vegetables
- 1 cup julienne sliced carrots, about 3 carrots
- 3 green onions, chopped
For Serving
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup crushed or chopped peanuts
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts, optional
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Slice the carrots into julienne strips, chop the green onions and cilantro, and crush or chop the peanuts. Press the tofu if needed, then cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let the noodles soak for 5 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, fresh lime juice, and Sriracha hot sauce. Set the sauce aside.
- Fry Tofu: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and fry until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally for even color.
- Combine and Stir-fry: Add the drained noodles, sauce, carrots, green onions, and half of the chopped cilantro to the pan with the tofu. Stir well to combine and warm everything through, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Serve: Immediately plate the Pad Thai and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro, crushed peanuts, and mung bean sprouts if using. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over to taste before eating.
Notes
- For a gluten free version, substitute low sodium tamari for the soy sauce.
- To make a vegetable-only Pad Thai, replace tofu with vegetables such as red pepper strips and broccoli florets, stir-frying them until tender before adding noodles and sauce.
- Use pre-cut julienne carrots to save chopping time.
- Consider adding scrambled JUST Egg for a scrambled egg texture in the Pad Thai.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
