Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu

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Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu is a flavor explosion! It’s a symphony of sweet, savory, sour, and spicy notes, all tangled together with chewy rice noodles and tender tofu. Pad Thai is a classic dish for either take-out or dine-in at Thai restaurants. Luckily, for home cooks, there’s no big mystery to what makes a good pad Thai—there’s a little bit of prep ahead of time, but it’s not hard to pull off at home. This homemade Pad Thai recipe is easy to make, tossed with a fresh and sweet and tangy sauce, and customizable with whatever protein, veggies, and spice level you prefer. This simple plant-based version of Pad Thai takes just 30-minutes to prepare.

Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu
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Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu

Course: Thai Cuisine
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. rice noodles

  • 8 oz. extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil or peanut oil (can use olive oil if you don’t have)

  • 4 cups of veggies (broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, zucchini)

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1/2 cup bean sprouts (optional)

  • 2 green onions, finely chopped

  • Salt (To taste)

  • For the Pad thai sauce

  • 1/2 cup Veg Stock

  • 3 tbsp. Soy Sauce

  • 3 tbsp. Brown sugar

  • 1 tsp Tamarind Paste

  • 1-3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, Sriracha, or hot sauce of choice

  • For serving

  • 2 limes, cut into wedges

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

  • 1/2 cup crushed or chopped peanuts

  • 2 tablespoon green onion chopped

Directions

  • Heat up water in a medium pot and cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  • Tofu is packaged in a bit of liquid. Dump the liquid out, put the tofu block on a cutting board, and wrap it with a kitchen towel or a doubled-up layer of paper towels.
  • Using your hands, gently press out some of the extra liquid into the towel. This will ensure that the tofu is as dry as possible when you put it in a hot pan, which means it will brown nicely and get a little crispy on the outside. You can leave it wrapped in a towel while you set about preparing the other ingredients.
  • Meanwhile mix together all sauce ingredients and set aside.
  • Add 2 tablespoon sesame oil (or whatever oil you are using) to a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and choice of veggies,  and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add  bean sprouts and fry for a minute.
  • Once the tofu feels like it’s released as much water, slice it vertically into strips about 1/2-inch to an inch wide—and then cut those strips into smaller chunks of about the same size so they cook evenly.
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil in another pan and stir fry tofu cubes.
  • Combine tofu  with veggies and add rice noodles.
  • Top with sauce until fully coated. Cook in sauce for about 2 minutes or until noodles have absorbed most of the sauce.
  • Garnish with roasted peanuts, coriander, green onion and lemon wedges.
  • Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Notes

  • Extra firm tofu: This is key for achieving a meaty texture. Press it for at least 30 minutes to remove excess moisture, then cube it.

 

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