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.
- 8 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
- 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
- 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
- Lime wedges
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Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them according to the package instructions*.
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Drain the noodles in a colander then rinse them well with cold water. Drain them well then return them to the pot.
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While the noodles cook, stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste-test the sauce and adjust any seasonings to your liking.
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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.
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Allow the tofu to cook for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice to brown the pieces on multiple sides.
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Remove the tofu from the skillet and transfer it to a plate.
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Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and raise the heat to high.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Add the tofu to the skillet, flip everything a few times to distribute the tofu, and remove the skillet from the heat.
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Top the pad Thai with bean sprouts and peanuts. Divide onto plates and serve with lime wedges.
*Some brands will instruct you to boil the noodles, while others will instruct you to remove the pot from heat and soak the noodles.