Introduction to Vegan Pad Thai

Pad thai has got to be one of my favorite dishes of all time. You guys already know about my long-standing love affair with noodles. And this is one of the best ways to consume them! In particular, this recipe has a special place in my heart because of how long it’s taken me to develop.

You’d think this would be a pretty simple recipe to come up with. You just need to find that perfect balance between sweet, spicy, salty, tangy, and umami. I’ve found this balance with plenty of other dishes but for whatever reason, it’s been a nightmare to find that balance with pad thai! The sauce just has such a unique and complex flavor that has been hard to mimic with vegan ingredients.

So, I’ve probably made this sauce over a dozen times before I got it right. While it took some patience, I’m so glad I didn’t give up because now it’s one of my holy grail recipes! It is truly addicting. And dare I say it, better than any takeout pad thai that I’ve tried!

Breakdown of the Ingredients:

Vegan Pad Thai Sauce

As I said, this sauce requires the perfect balance between sweet, spicy, saltym, tangy, and umami. To get the right tanginess, I use two different sources of “sour” ingredients – lime juice and tamarind. It is critical to use both. I’ve tried this dish with either one alone and it simply doesn’t taste right.

I recommend buying a packaged brick of tamarind and breaking off a piece to soak in hot water. Do not use tamarind concentrate! It is way too sour. And the fresh packaged tamarind has such a delicious flavor.

For sweetness, I think maple syrup works the best here. You can also try brown sugar or honey which well work too. But for whatever reason, the maple syrup and tamarind combo is my absolute favorite.

• Lime juice
• Tamarind
• Hot water
• Soy sauce
• Maple syrup
• Red chili flakes
• Sriracha

Other Ingredients

For the stir fry you’ll just need a couple of basic ingredients in the base – oil, shallots, and chopped garlic. I recommend using shallots here because they have a milder flavor than regular onions. Just slice them thinly and stir fry them until translucent.

For the oil just make sure to use something with a neutral flavor like canola oil. I feel like a broken record mentioning this in every recipe but it’s so important to consider. Using the wrong oil can drastically alter the taste of the entire dish and a lot of people don’t consider that.

• Canola oil
• Shallot
• Chopped garlic

Process + Keys to Success:

• Begin by letting your tamarind soak in hot water. Before soaking it, i like to break it up into small pieces so it can get softened easier by the water.
• Prepare your sauce by mixing your soy sauce, lime juice, soaked tamarind and water, maple syrup, sriracha, and red chili flakes in a bowl.
• Cook your rice noodles according to package instructions – you can boil or soak them.
• Sauté your shallots and garlic in oil for about a minute or two and then add in all of your tofu and veggies (I like to use carrots, bean sprouts, and red cabbage).
• Stir fry the veggies and tofu for a couple of minutes and push all of the veggies to one side of your pan. In the other half of your pan, you can cook your vegan eggs! Just scramble them until you get your desired texture – this should only take a minute or two and then you can mix the egg in with your veggies.
• Add in your sauce and noodles and cook until the noodles absorb the sauce.
• Top with more fresh bean sprouts, cabbage, peanuts, and cilantro, and enjoy!

Toppings, Garnish, and Other Ingredients:

Pad thai is nothing without all of the delicious toppings! Crisp fresh veggies add such a delicious crunch that contrasts beautifully with the chewiness of the noodles. I always plenty of shredded cabbage, carrots, peanuts, and cilantro and it tastes amazing.

This dish also happens to have a lot of protein in it too because I use both tofu and vegan eggs. Just egg has been truly life changing for me! I’m a vegetarian, not a vegan, but I love to include as many plant-based options in my meals as I can so I never go out of my way to buy eggs or use them in my cooking. So, Just egg has been wonderful and I truly can’t tell the difference between it and actual eggs! It’s one of the best substitutes I’ve ever tried.

For the tofu you can either bake or pan fry it. I prefer to bake it so I can multi-task a little easier when I’m cooking. The first thing I’ll do is throw my tofu in the oven and then I’ll start chopping my veggies, measuring my sauces, and cooking my noodles.

• Peanuts
• Carrots
• Purple cabbage
• Bean sprouts
• Cilantro
• Rice noodles
• Baked tofu
• Vegan eggs (I use the “Just Egg” brand)

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Vegan Pho
• Rice Paper Dumplings
• Creamy Vegan Ramen