Vegan Pad Thai

This vegan pad thai is so delicious! Made with stir-fried rice noodles, tofu and veggies in a tangy and umami-rich pad thai sauce.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Ingredients

4 oz (115 g) dry rice noodles medium size or 3mm thick
3 tbsp Thai tamarind concentrate adjust to taste, as some brands are more sour
2 tbsp vegan fish sauce substitute with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon miso paste
3 tbsp (45 ml) water
½ pack (140 g / 5oz) extra-firm tofu
2 tsp soy sauce
1 ½ cups (120 g) shiitake mushrooms sliced
3 tbsp vegetable oil divided, see instructions
1 shallot finely diced
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes red pepper flakes
3 tbsp (35 g) palm sugar
1 cup (115 g) bean sprouts
5 - 10 garlic chives cut into 3 cm / 1¼ inch sticks
¼ cup (40 g) roasted peanuts roughly chopped
1 lime

Instructions

Soak the noodles according to the package instructions for stir frying.
In a small bowl, combine tamarind concentrate, vegan fish sauce (or alternatively soy sauce and miso paste) and water.
Drain and gently press the tofu, then cut it into small cubes. In a bowl, stir together the cubed tofu and soy sauce.
In a wok, heat up 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry the tofu and sliced shiitake mushrooms for 3 minutes on high heat. Remove the tofu and shiitake from the wok and set aside.
Place the wok back on medium heat, and add 1 more tablespoon of vegetable oil. Fry the shallots, garlic, chilli flakes and palm sugar for 2 minutes, until the sugar is melted.
Add the pre-mixed sauce, noodles and bean sprouts. Cook for about two minutes on high heat, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes until the noodles are done and the sauce is absorbed or cooked down. You can add a bit more water if necessary.
Take off the heat, and add the tofu and mushrooms back in, along with garlic chives and most of the roasted peanuts.
Serve in bowls topped with the remaining roasted peanuts and a wedge of fresh lime.

Notes

Tamarind

We recommend looking for a Thai brand of tamarind concentrate. Tamarind can vary in sourness so you may need to adjust the amount of tamarind to suit the brand you have. If when you taste it, the tamarind is lip puckeringly sour, you may want to use less to make the sauce.

Soaking noodles

The soaked noodles should be soft and pliable enough to wrap around your finger.

This typically takes around 30-45 minutes in room temperature water. Some varieties of noodles can be quick soaked in boiling water for 3 minutes and then rinsed in cold water before using.

Roasting peanuts

If you roast the peanuts yourself, roughly chop blanched (skinless) peanuts, and spread them out on a baking sheet. Roast them in a dry skillet or a fan oven at 180 - 200℃ (350 - 390℉) for about 3 - 5 minutes. Watch them carefully as they turn quickly once starting to brown. Take them out when they are golden brown.

Substitutions

For best results we recommend using the ingredients listed. See the post above for a detailed guide to possible substitutions and ingredient tips.

Scaling the recipe

It's difficult to cook a larger serving size in a wok, so we don't recommend doubling the recipe. If you want to make more portions, you can prepare all the ingredients and then cook and serve in batches.

Recipe adapted from Hot Thai Kitchen.

Nutrition

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