This easy vegan Pad Thai recipe is made with a tangy and spicy lime tamarind sauce and topped with crispy tofu, bean sprouts, green onions, and crunchy peanuts!
Pad Thai may be the most common Thai dish, but that's for good reason—it's delicious! A big plate of noodles coated in a sweet, tangy, and umami vegan Pad Thai sauce and full of tofu and veggies really hits the spot whether you're ordering in or making it at home.
Pad Thai is actually very easy to make at home. It's a one pan meal and the sauce only has a few ingredients. Once you have the less common ingredients like tamarind concentrate and rice wine vinegar, you can have it on the table within an hour or two.
My vegan version doesn't stray far from the traditional dish. I wanted to create a dish that was just like takeout (but vegan!) so the sauce doesn't have any surprise ingredients and there are no "extra" veggies. The dish is garnished with crunchy bean sprouts, cabbage, peanuts, and green onions, just like the dish at your favorite Thai restaurant.
Is Pad Thai vegan normally?
Sometimes! You can usually find tofu Pad Thai on any Thai restaurant menu, but make sure there is no fish sauce in the Pad Thai sauce and no scrambled egg in the dish. Thai is actually a very vegan-friendly cuisine, but fish sauce is used abundantly in many dishes, so you'll have to double check ingredients.
If you'd like more tips on ordering Thai food, check out my guide to eating vegan at Thai restaurants. It lists the most vegan friendly Thai dishes, questions to ask when ordering, and lists of vegan Thai restaurants in multiple US cities and cities in Thailand!
Is vegetarian Pad Thai gluten free?
If you're gluten free, you're in luck! Since Pad Thai is made with rice noodles, the ingredients are gluten free. The only ingredient that contains gluten is the soy sauce, which can be swapped out for tamari for a gluten free option.
🍲 Ingredients
- Tofu
- Soy sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Garlic
- Tamarind concentrate
- Limes
- Brown sugar
- Chili sauce
- Rice noodles
- Peanut or vegetable oil
- Green onions
- Bean sprouts
- Peanuts
- Cabbage
Tofu
Make sure to use firm or extra firm tofu for this Pad Thai. It will be pan fried to create a crispy exterior.
Tamarind Concentrate
Tamarind concentrate comes from tamarind pods, a fruit and legume from the tamarind tree, which is native to Africa, the Middle East, and other tropical regions. It has a sweet, earthy, and tangy flavor that gives Pad Thai sauce its signature flavor. This unique flavor profile makes it great for both savory and sweet dishes.
You can find tamarind in many forms, including the whole pods, in paste form, and a liquid concentrate, which is my personal favorite way to use it. You buy tamarind concentrate in Asian or Latin American markets, some well-stocked supermarkets, and online.
Looking for a way to use the rest of your tamarind concentrate? Try my Spicy Tamarind Margarita!
🔪 Instructions
For the tofu:
Press the tofu for 20-30 minutes using a tofu press or wrapped in a kitchen towel between two plates with a heavy object on top.
Slice the pressed tofu into cubes.
Mix together the soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, and garlic in a shallow bowl and add the tofu cubes. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
For the sauce:
Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
To assemble:
Soak noodles in a large bowl of hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the noodles are softened.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large wok or skillet and add the tofu. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side until crispy. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Add the remaining oil and add the garlic and green onions to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Gradually add the cooked noodles, stirring to coat after each addition. Stir fry the noodles for 3-4 minutes, careful not to break into small pieces.
Pour in the sauce and stir to coat the noodles. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, adding the bean sprouts in the last minute. Remove from heat.
Plate the Pad Thai and garnish with chopped peanuts, sliced green onions, sliced cabbage, and lime slices.
💭 Tips
- Don’t soak the noodles in the water for longer than an hour or they will break apart when you stir fry them. The goal is to soak them until nearly al dente and they’ll finish cooking in the pan.
- The best pan to cook this Pad Thai in is a big wok. Your noodles will get stir fried on all sides without falling apart.
- Be sure to use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
- Don’t like spice? You can reduce or remove the chili garlic sauce from the sauce recipe and add it to taste when serving.
📋 Variation
Gluten-Free Option: Replace the soy sauce with tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
🥗 More vegan Thai dishes
Satay Seitan with Peanut Sauce and Cucumber Salad
Satay is my absolute favorite Thai appetizer. It's typically made with a grilled meat or tofu coated in a coconut curry sauce and served with sweet peanut sauce and a sweet and tangy raw cucumber salad. My version is made with homemade Chicken-Style Seitan.
Thai yellow curry is total comfort food! It's just as easy to whip up as a vegetable soup and it's full of flavor from yellow curry paste, coriander, and cardamom.
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu
This easy vegan Pad Thai recipe is made with a tangy and spicy lime tamarind sauce and topped with crispy tofu, bean sprouts, green onions, and crunchy peanuts!
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 pound block firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
- Juice of 2 limes
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
Noodles and Veggies
- 14-ounce package rice noodles
- 3-4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 green onions, sliced
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
Garnish
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- 1 cup sliced raw cabbage
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Lime slices
Instructions
For the tofu:
- Press the tofu for 20-30 minutes using a tofu press or wrapped in a kitchen towel between two plates with a heavy object on top.
- Slice the pressed tofu into cubes.
- Mix together the soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, and garlic in a shallow bowl and add the tofu cubes. Marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
For the sauce:
- Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
To assemble:
- Soak noodles in a large bowl of hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the noodles are softened.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a large wok or skillet and add the tofu. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side until crispy. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the remaining oil and add the garlic and green onions to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add the cooked noodles, stirring to coat after each addition. Stir fry the noodles for 3-4 minutes, careful not to break into small pieces.
- Pour in the sauce and stir to coat the noodles. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, adding the bean sprouts in the last minute. Remove from heat.
- Plate the Pad Thai and garnish with chopped peanuts, sliced green onions, sliced cabbage, and lime slices.
Notes
Gluten-Free Option: Replace the soy sauce with tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 554Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1500mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 8gSugar: 29gProtein: 25g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
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