Recipe by Vegan Recipes and Vibes (@veganrecipesandvibes)
Yield: 6 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes
So just a warning, at first glance this Vegan Pad Thai recipe looks long and complicated. But it's actually pretty simple! The most prep you'll have to do is chopping the veggies, mixing the Pad Thai sauce, and coating the tofu in the cornstarch mixture. Other than that it's just waiting around for everything to cook. The hardest part of this recipe is timing everything to finish cooking at the same time so it all stays nice and warm. And if you want to make this the lazy way, you can skip all the fancy stuff and just make the noodles and sauce (which I do on a weekly basis). Enjoy!
Pad Thai Ingredients:
1 lb (about 14-16 oz) Pad Thai rice noodles
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp chili garlic sauce or sriracha
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp ginger powder
1-4 tbsp water if needed (use the boiling noodle water)
1/4 cup crushed peanuts for topping (omit if using chunky peanut butter for the sauce)
Scallions or cilantro for topping
Tofu Ingredients:
1/2 block of extra firm tofu
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper for spice (optional)
Additional Ingredients:
Veggies (onion, peppers, carrots, asparagus, green beans, etc.)
2 tbsp oil for cooking the veggies
Frozen veggie dumplings
Directions:
First, bake the tofu: ○ Press the tofu to remove as much liquid as possible. Wrap in a kitchen towel, then place a weight on top (like a few dinner plates). Let it sit for about 5 minutes. ○ Slice the pressed tofu into cubes. ○ Place the tofu in a large bowl or ziplock bag along with the cornstarch and spices. ○ Gently mix or shake the bag to coat the tofu in the cornstarch mixture. ○ Place the tofu on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until slightly browned.
Next, start on the Pad Thai while the tofu bakes: ○ Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the noodles according to the directions on the box. ○ In a microwavable bowl, combine the peanut butter, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, and ginger. ○ Microwave the sauce for about 1 minute so the peanut butter and sugar melt. ○ Whisk the sauce with a fork until it becomes smooth and creamy (if needed, microwave for an additional minute). ○ The sauce should be thick but pour-able. If the sauce is way too thick (like you can barely stir it), add some of the water that the noodles are boiling in. Add 1 tbsp of the water at a time until you get to the desired consistency. ○ Once the noodles are done cooking, strain them and put them back in the pot. ○ Pour half of the Pad Thai sauce on the noodles, and mix so the noodles are coated evenly. ○ Cover and set aside to keep warm.
Cook your veggies: ○ Slice your veggies and saute them in a frying pan with the oil over medium heat. ○ Keep the veggies plain since they'll be topped with the Pad Thai sauce.
Cook your dumplings: ○ Cook the dumplings according to the directions on the box. ○ Set aside to cool.
Combine and plate the Pad Thai: ○ Place the baked tofu and cooked veggies in a mixing bowl and top with the rest of the Pad Thai sauce. (I like to keep them separate from the noodles so you can control the portions, plus the noodles will be slightly sticky, making it hard to incorporate the veggies). ○ Plate your Pad Thai in a shallow dish: start with the noodles on the bottom, top with the tofu and veggies, and put the dumplings on the side. ○ Top the noodles with crushed peanuts and scallions or cilantro.
Tips and Tricks:
Of course you can make this the lazy way and simply just make the sauce and noodles. If you go the lazy route, I'd recommend cutting the sauce in half.
If rice noodles aren't your thing, try these with fresh doughy noodles like yakisoba, ramen, or stir-fry noodles.
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition & Servings: (calculated by MyFitnessPal)
Servings: yields about 6 servings
Calories: 403
Total Fat: 21g
Carbs: 39g
Protein: 15g
^ Nutrition facts include the ingredients listed above, except for the dumplings. Veggies include peppers, onions, carrot, asparagus. Nutrition facts may change slightly if different quantities of ingredients are used or added.
