Vegan Pad Thai Noodles

Did you know Pad Thai Noodles with Tofu is a traditional stir-fried dish in the South-East subcontinent?

All across Thailand, Pad Thai noodles are offered by street vendors and is on the menu of some of the most famous restaurants.

It’s available pretty much everywhere and is served with many protein options ranging from meat to tofu.

I still remember my trip to Singapore, where I tried vegan Pad Thai noodles for the first time and absolutely loved it.

It’s a perfect fusion of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. The best part is the super crispy pan-cooked tofu that is a complete game changer!

Why this Vegan Pad Thai Noodles Recipe Works?

This Thai noodle works like magic every time because it’s

• Super easy-to-make and requires no fancy ingredients. As an added bonus, it takes 30 minutes from start to finish. 
• A one-pot meal that can be made in a skillet. 
• Healthy as it’s loaded with protein and nutrients – It’s the spicy and flavorful combination of fresh vegetables+ tofu+ Thai peanut sauce that makes these noodles hearty and delicious.
• Homemade and packed with flavor because there are no hidden ingredients. You know what has gone into the recipe.
• Filling, and 
• The best part –it’s customizable. You can easily make these noodles gluten-free by swapping out just 1 simple ingredient. 

Don’t let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. Many of the ingredients and spices are staple ingredients that you already have in your pantry. Let’s look at the ingredient list- 

• Gluten-free Rice Noodles
• Extra Firm tofu – I have used Mori-Nu Tofu because of its superior texture. 
• Fresh Bean sprouts
• Bell pepper – I have used red bell pepper as it’s the sweetest kind, but feel free to swap red for orange or yellow bell pepper. 
• Chopped Scallions
• Garlic
• Roasted peanuts

Thai peanut sauce – 

• Soy Sauce (gluten-free)– Or use low sodium gluten-free Tamari
• Tamarind paste– This is the only ingredient that many of us don’t store is the tamarind paste. It’s the key ingredient in the peanut sauce. It’s made from tamarind fruit, and tamarind paste can be found in the Asian aisle of your local grocery stores, at any Indian grocery store, or buy it online at Amazon.
• Brown sugar
• Lemon Juice
• Peanut butter – use the unsweetened and smooth one
• Rice vinegar
• Chili garlic sauce – I have used sambal oelek. But sriracha will work great too.

You will find the ingredient list and the instructions at the end of this post.

1. Let’s begin by making the Thai peanut sauce first. In a small bowl, add brown sugar.

2. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients to the same bowl and stir to combine. 

PROTIP- Instead of stirring all the ingredients with hand, you can transfer all the ingredients to a food processor or a blender and puree it to perfection. This way, you will end up in a creamy and thick peanut sauce. 

3. Mix the peanut sauce until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

4. Meanwhile, transfer the gluten-free pad Thai noodles to a large bowl. Pour hot boiling water just enough to cover the noodles. 

5. Stir and make sure the Thai noodles are submerged in water.

6. Cover the bowl and let the noodles sit undisturbed for 5-6 minutes or until al dente. (follow the instructions on the package)

PROTIP– After the resting time is over, drain the noodles and toss with little oil to prevent sticking. Set aside. 

11. To the same pan, add chopped garlic, sauté for 1-2 minutes.

12. Add bell peppers and cook for about 1-2 minutes.

13. Take the skillet off the heat. Add chopped scallions. Mix everything to combine.

14. Spread all the ingredients around to make room for the noodles.

15. Add pad Thai noodles and bean sprouts.

16. Top with more scallions and browned tofu.

17. Add chopped cilantro leaves and coarsely crushed peanuts.

18. Finally, add the flavor-booster – Thai peanut sauce that we had prepared earlier in the recipe. Return it to the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat, tossing occasionally. 

PROTIP- Use tongs to mix all the ingredients until everything is coated in the peanut sauce.

Remove from heat and serve. To serve, garnish the Vegan Pad Thai noodles with lemon wedges, additional bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, and black sesame seeds (optional).

1. Always use extra firm tofu for Pad Thai noodles: I have used Mori-Nu Tofu. It’s great for stir-frying, is low-fat, gluten-free, and needs no refrigeration until opened. In addition to that, extra-firm tofu holds it’s form nicely and turns out crispy.

2. You can bake the tofu in the oven: for baking, preheat the oven at 350 degrees F. Rub cut tofu pieces with 2 teaspoons of oil + paprika and chili flakes. Like a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread tofu pieces in a single layer on the tray and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until evenly brown, turning halfway during the cooking.

3. Want to make these tofu noodles with low-sodium: try Tamari instead of Soy sauce. It’s gluten-free as well as low-sodium.

4. Feel free to add more greens and vegetables to the Pad Thai noodles. There are no set rules to make these noodles. Simply mix and match the vegetables you have on hand, and you are all set.

Some other vegetable options are bok choy, French beans, carrots, baby corn, shiitake mushrooms, and orange bell peppers.

5. Do not overcook the rice noodles. They should be al dente meaning the noodles should be soft and cooked through but still have a little bite left to it. 

6. Unable to cook Pad Thai with the soaked noodles: no worries! Drain the noodles, toss in sesame oil, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Good for 2 days.

7. Allergic to peanut butter – substitute it with almond butter or cashew butter. Top the noodles with coarsely chopped roasted almonds or cashews.

8. Do not let the noodles to sit for too long as they will stick together. Eat the Pad Thai noodles right away!

9. Leftovers: This recipe is so yummy that it hardly has any leftovers, but if you still end up with some, then store it in an airtight container. Makes a great lunch the next day!

10. Like it spicy: Toss in some chopped jalapeno peppers or an extra teaspoon of sriracha sauce and tone up the level of spice to suit your taste.

Pad Thai recipe that is served in the restaurants is NOT vegan unless stated. The traditional recipe uses fish sauce and eggs.

But the recipe that I have shared here is Vegan Pad Thai made without fish sauce and eggs with is equally delicious and tasty.

Are Vegan Pad Thai Noodles gluten-free?

No, it’s not! But it can be easily tailored to a gluten-free diet. All the ingredients in this recipe are gluten-free except soy sauce.

To make it gluten-free, swap soy sauce with Tamari, which is gluten-free and vegan.