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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Vegan Pad Thai

    LAST UPDATED: May 10, 2021 • FIRST PUBLISHED: May 10, 2021

    Vegan Pad Thai

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Skillet of Vegan Pad Thai with Text Overlay Reading "Vegan Pad Thai"

    Better than takeout, and on the table in 30 minutes! This vegan pad Thai is packed with flavor, easy enough for a weeknight, but also perfect for special dinners.

    Skillet of Vegan Pad Thai on a Blue Background

    Time for some bad news. Pad Thai isn't normally vegan. This is true for even veggie pad Thai! So be careful if you order it at a restaurant.

    It's usually made with fish sauce. So I set out to create a vegan pad Thai using absolutely no fish sauce. All I had to do was increase a few of the other ingredients you normally find in pad Thai to supply that salty, sour, umami flavor.

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make Vegetable Pad Thai
    • Shelf-Life & Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Vegan Thai Recipes
    • Vegan Pad Thai

    What You'll Need

    Plate of Vegan Pad Thai with Skillet in the Background
    • Rice noodles. You preferably want to use pad Thai noodles, which are flat and about as wide as linguine, but other shapes of rice noodles work as well.
    • Soy sauce. Substitute with gluten-free tamari if needed.
    • Brown sugar. Use organic to keep the recipe vegan.
    • Tamarind paste. This might also be labeled "tamarind concentrate," but be careful: not all products labeled "tamarind concentrate" are the same. Look for a product sold in jars that's deep brown and the consistency of ketchup. Don't use anything that's pulpy or sold in blocks. Check out the brand I've linked to in my recipe if you're uncertain.
    • Water.
    • Sambal oelek. This ingredient adds heat, so leave it out if you prefer a milder dish. Look for this in the international foods section of your supermarket. Sriracha can be substituted if needed.
    • Garlic.
    • Canola oil. Another high heat oil can be substituted, such as peanut or vegetable.
    • Snap peas. Substitute another firm green veggie such as broccoli or asparagus if these aren't your thing.
    • Red bell pepper. Or orange, or yellow.
    • Shallot. Use red onion if this isn't available.
    • Scallions.
    • Bean sprouts. These add great texture but can sometimes be hard to find (for me at least). Leave them out if you must!
    • Roasted peanuts.
    • Limes.

    How to Make Vegetable Pad Thai

    The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you'd prefer to skip right to the recipe!

    • Do your prep work before starting on the stir-fry: mix your sauce, chop your veggies, and boil your noodles. You want everything to be ready to go when you need it!
    Hand Stirring Pad Thai Sauce Together in a Bowl
    • Now pan-fry your tofu. Lightly oil a skillet and add diced, pressed tofu.
    • Cook the tofu pieces for about 5 minutes on each side, until they're browned and crispy.
    • Remove the tofu from the skillet.
    Collage Showing Two Stages of Tofu Cooking in a Skillet
    • Turn up the heat and add some more oil to the skillet. Add the snap peas, sliced bell pepper, and sliced shallot. Stir-fry the veggies until they intensify in color and become tender-crisp, about 2 minutes.
    • Turn the heat down a bit and push the veggies to the side of the skillet. Carefully pour the sauce into that space that you just created.
    • The sauce should start to bubble up pretty quickly. If it's taking a while, turn up the heat.
    • Now add your noodles and chopped scallions. Stir everything up with a fork, distributing the ingredients and coating the noodles with sauce.
    Collage Showing Steps for Making Vegan Pad Thai
    • Stir in the tofu, then take the skillet off of heat and top your pad Thai with crushed peanuts and bean sprouts. Serve it with lime wedges on the side.
    Close Up of Vegan Pad Thai in a Cast Iron Skillet

    Shelf-Life & Storage

    Leftovers of this dish will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. The noodles will start to stick together, but it'll still taste delicious.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can this pad Thai be made gluten-free?

    Sure! Just use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.

    Is there a substitute for tofu in this recipe?

    Try using tempeh, seitan, or some extra veggies instead.

    Where can I find tamarind paste?

    Try the international foods section of your supermarket. If they don't carry it, try an Asian market or online.

    Is this recipe spicy?

    It has a very slight kick. If you prefer a milder version, leave the sambal oelek out.

    More Vegan Thai Recipes

    • 15 Essential Vegan Thai Recipes
    • Thai Basil Coconut Stir-Fry
    • Yellow Curry with Potatoes & Tofu
    • Thai Coconut Soup
    • Vegan Pad Ped

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Skillet of Vegan Pad Thai on a Blue Background
    5 from 8 votes
    Print

    Vegan Pad Thai

    Better than takeout, and on the table in 30 minutes! This vegan pad Thai is packed with flavor, easy enough for a weeknight, but also perfect for special dinners.

    Course Entree
    Cuisine Thai
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 507 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces pad Thai rice noodles

    For the Sauce

    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 3 tablespoons organic brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek, or to taste
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced

    For the Stir-Fry

    • 3 tablespoons canola oil, or high-heat oil of choice, divided
    • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) package extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
    • 2 cups snap peas
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
    • 1 medium shallot, sliced into strips
    • 3 medium scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 cup bean sprouts
    • ¼ cup crushed roasted peanuts

    For Serving

    • Lime wedges
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them according to the package instructions*.

    2. Drain the noodles in a colander then rinse them well with cold water. Drain them well then return them to the pot.

    3. While the noodles cook, stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste-test the sauce and adjust any seasonings to your liking.

    4. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the tofu in an even layer.

    5. Allow the tofu to cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice to brown the pieces on multiple sides.

    6. Remove the tofu from the skillet and transfer it to a plate.

    7. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and raise the heat to high.

    8. Add the snap peas, bell pepper and shallot to the skillet. Stir-fry the veggies until they become tender-crisp and intensify in color, about 2 minutes.

    9. Lower the heat a bit. Push the veggies to the side of the skillet and pour the sauce onto the hot cooking surface. Be very careful — the skillet should be hot at this point, and the sauce could sputter.

    10. Let the sauce bubble up for a few seconds, then add the noodles and scallions. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the sauce thickens up just a bit, flipping the noodles quickly with a spatula or stirring them with a fork to coat them with the sauce.

    11. Add the tofu to the skillet, flip everything a few times to distribute the tofu, and remove the skillet from the heat.

    12. Top the pad Thai with bean sprouts and peanuts. Divide onto plates and serve with lime wedges.

    Recipe Notes

    *Some brands will instruct you to boil the noodles, while others will instruct you to remove the pot from heat and soak the noodles.

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Pad Thai
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 507 Calories from Fat 185
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 20.6g32%
    Saturated Fat 1.8g9%
    Sodium 757mg32%
    Potassium 442mg13%
    Carbohydrates 67g22%
    Fiber 3.2g13%
    Sugar 11.5g13%
    Protein 18g36%
    Calcium 150mg15%
    Iron 3.1mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      February 18, 2019 at 8:14 pm

      5 stars
      Looking forward to trying this recipe. We too really enjoy Thai food and have asked restaurants to omit the fish sauce, and sometimes the oil.
      Have you ever experimented with a really good Pad Se Ew recipe?
      thank you for being adventurous

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 24, 2019 at 4:37 pm

        I haven't tried making pad see ew yet, but it's been on my list forever. I'll have to bump it! I hope you enjoy this one!!

        Reply
    2. Sarah | Well and Full says

      February 19, 2019 at 9:00 pm

      This pad thai looks absolutely delicious! I love it when you can make something at home that's even better than takeout ;)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 24, 2019 at 4:32 pm

        Thanks so much Sarah!!

        Reply
    3. beverly says

      February 27, 2019 at 9:44 am

      5 stars
      i am making this tonight. i've been vegan for about 5 years and never run out of recipes to try. looking forward to this one as i love pad thai! thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 03, 2019 at 4:51 pm

        I hope you enjoy it!!

        Reply
    4. Alain says

      March 17, 2019 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      Very tasty and fast to do. Will do it again!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 17, 2019 at 9:32 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Alain!!

        Reply
    5. Colleen says

      March 25, 2019 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      This was fairly easy and fast to make, and we enjoyed it. The sauce is delicious, and the dish was filling. Will definitely do this again.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 27, 2019 at 9:25 am

        I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks Colleen!

        Reply
    6. Judy says

      September 19, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      Wonderful balance of flavors! We loved it! Your timing is perfect.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 22, 2019 at 3:00 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad it was a hit!

        Reply
    7. Nantar says

      January 11, 2020 at 9:07 pm

      Loved it. Would double the sauce next time. Also garnish with some lime.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 12, 2020 at 10:43 am

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    8. Maddie says

      April 03, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      Very tasty! The snap peas were really good in there. I would add a little less tamarind next time, and I added broccoli.

      Reply
    9. Erin says

      June 05, 2021 at 5:42 pm

      I can only find tamarind sauce, but I think the consistency is like ketchup? I wonder if it's the same as tamarind paste. Will try and see what happens!

      Reply

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