Plant-Based Pad Thai is a gluten-free, oil-free, high-protein version of a traditional pad Thai recipe. Delicious sautéed veggies and optional tofu, covered in a creamy peanut sauce and tossed with noodles!
This plant-based pad Thai is one of my staple recipes. I make it like once a month and it never disappoints.
What really makes pad Thai is the peanut sauce. It's rich with peanut flavor. It's sweet, salty, umami. And so creamy!
But what makes this recipe so great as a staple is the nutrient content.
This dish is loaded with so many vegetables. And you can also pack quite a lot of protein in this dish by using a chickpea pasta, and adding some tofu and edamame to the dish.
It's one hearty meal that is packed with all the good stuff: fiber, protein, vegetables, and flavor.
It's also great for meal prep. This recipe makes quite a bit of pad Thai, so you'll have plenty of leftovers on hand for lunch or dinner all week!
Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle dish that's commonly served in Thailand.
Usually pad Thai is made with rice noodles, shrimp or other protein, peanuts, scrambled egg, and bean sprouts. Often, other vegetable offerings are served as condiments on the side. And all the ingredients are fried in a wok.
This plant-based version of pad Thai is oil-free and gluten-free. So the ingredients aren't fried in a wok. Instead, they are tossed together at the end of the cooking process.
Pad Thai may or may not be naturally gluten free, depending on the soy sauce used. For this recipe, if you are gluten-free, be sure to use tamari or liquid aminos (my preference) instead of soy sauce.
This is just a quick pan-cooked tofu for extra protein.
I recommend this list of veggies, but feel free to add or subtract veggies to your liking. Try to pair vegetables with similar cook times together, like I did in the instructions.
Grab any or all of the following to use as a garnish.
Step 1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Step 2. If desired, cook the optional tofu. Slice the block of tofu into cubes and cook in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, using a few tablespoons of soy sauce as cooking liquid. Set aside.
.jpg)
Step 3. Cook the vegetables. In a large skillet, cook the onions over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and broccoli and cook 4-6 minutes more, until the veggies are slightly softened. Add the mushrooms, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, and frozen edamame and cook another 4-6 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.
.jpg)
Step 4. While the veggies and pasta are cooking, whisk all the peanut sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
.jpg)
Step 5. Serve the noodles, vegetables, and tofu tossed with the peanut sauce. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds and a drizzle of lime juice, as desired. Enjoy!
.jpg)
Don't want tofu? You can cook this oil-free pad Thai with tempeh in the exact same way.
You can also add some extra edamame.
Or leave out the extra protein entirely.
You can absolutely load pad Thai with veggies. It's one of my favorite things about this dish.
Feel free to throw in any vegetable you want!
Some suggestions:
I've found that almost every vegetable tastes good in pad Thai
You can totally make pad Thai with frozen vegetables and skip all the chopping!
To avoid a super watery dish, thaw the frozen vegetables at room temperature for several hours (ideally 8+ hours) and let them drain their liquid. Then you can cook them all at once instead of in phases as directed in the recipe.
Store any leftovers you have in an air-tight container in the fridge.
I tend to store the noodles, vegetables, and sauce in three separate containers. But you can also just toss everything together.
Thank you God for giving us extra time in our days during this time to experiment with new foods. We are grateful for the gift of health and safety. Amen.
Please leave a review in the comments section below and post on Instagram tagging me @elizabeths_table. You can also stay in touch with me on social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.
**This post contains affiliate links When you purchase from these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information see my disclosure here.
Plant-Based Pad Thai is a gluten-free, oil-free, high-protein version of a traditional pad Thai recipe. Delicious sautéed veggies and optional tofu, covered in a creamy peanut sauce and tossed with noodles!
Tofu (optional)
Veggies
Peanut Sauce
To Serve
Welcome to my table! I’m glad you’re here :)
At Elizabeth's Table I bring you easy and nutritious, plant-based recipes, explore the relationship between food and faith, and share my unique lifestyle.
.jpg){kind=small}
Receive new recipes as soon as they come out!
Leave a comment