Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu

If you’ve never made Pad Thai before, you’re in for a treat! This popular street food is surprisingly easy to make at home and this vegan and gluten-free version has the same classic savory-sweet, tangy, and optional spicy flavors as the classic dish!

This vegan Pad Thai with Tofu recipe comes together quickly using simple, whole-food ingredients, and is absolutely delicious! The tofu is seasoned simply with chili sauce and tamari, then stir fried to a golden perfection. The rice noodles stay bouncy (not mushy!), and the homemade Pad Thai sauce is whipped up in minutes with traditional sweet and savory flavors and is naturally gluten-free. A weeknight dish that comes together in an hour or less that the whole family will love!

Tips for Success

• A wok makes all the difference! Trying to cook Pad Thai in anything else won’t produce the same results. Pad Thai (and all stir-fries) are cooked at high heat, quickly, and this gives the vegetables a cooked-yet-slight-crunch texture, keeps the colors vibrant, and prevents the noodles from becoming mushy. Pots and non-stick skillets aren’t designed for high heat temperatures, which is key to a good stir-fry, otherwise you’re simply steaming everything. My wok quickly became one of my favorite kitchen tools.
  
  
• Don’t overcook the noodles! Nothing ruins Pad Thai faster than soggy, gummy noodles. After prepping all ingredients and before cooking, I submerge the rice noodles in boiling water (off heat) for 5 minutes, using a fork to carefully separate the noodles while they cook. When the timer goes off, strain water using a colander and rinse noodles with cold water in order to stop further cooking.
  
  
• Prep is key. Pad Thai is not a “chop as you go” kind of dish and it’s important that all the prep work is done before you begin cooking. Everything should be chopped, measured, and placed in bowls next to the stove for the smoothest cooking experience.
  
  
• Once you begin cooking, it’s go-time. As soon as the wok is hot, this Pad Thai cooks in 10 minutes or less. Since this is high heat, keep the food moving around the wok so it cooks evenly and prevents burning.
  
  
• Don’t overcook anything. Redundant? Yes. Crucial? Absolutely. Noodles and vegetables should still be al dente when combining everything at the end because it will cook a few minutes longer to absorb the sauce. You can always cook things a little longer but once noodles and vegetables are mushy you can’t bring them back.
  
  

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Naturally vegan + gluten-free
  
• Restaurant-level quality but easy enough for weeknight dinner
  
• Spice is customizable so perfect for the entire family
  
• A taste of Thai street food whipped up in your own kitchen
  
• Ready in an hour or less!

Origin of Pad Thai

Pad Thai may seem like a Thailand staple that’s been around for millennia, but it’s actually a relatively modern dish that rose to popularity in the 1930s–1940s! During WWII rice shortages, the Thai government promoted rice noodles as a way to conserve rice, support the economy, and help unify the country. Pad Thai was introduced as a new “national dish,” recipes were shared nationwide, and the government even provided free food carts to help street vendors start selling it.

The dish itself was inspired by Chinese stir-fried noodles but developed its own distinctly Thai flavor profile over time. Pad Thai soon became a beloved everyday food throughout Thailand and it’s popularity eventually spread throughout the world.

Substitutions

Vegetables:

• Zucchini
• Snow peas
• Cauliflower
• Mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini)
• Spinach
  
  No tamari?
  
• Soy sauce (won’t be gluten-free).
• Coconut aminos
• Liquid aminos
  
  Protein Substitutions:
  
  Cook any of the protein subs in the same way as the tofu; toss with tamari and chili paste (optional for spice), stir fry in the wok, then set aside to add to the Pad Thai when combining everything.
  
• Tempeh
• Vegan chicken
• Chickpeas

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu

This Pad Thai with Tofu is surprisingly easy to make at home and whips up in an hour or less! This version of the popular Thai street food is vegan and gluten-free with all the same classic savory-sweet, tangy, and optional spicy flavors from your favorite Pad Thai restaurant!

Prep Time35 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: dinner, Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Keyword: dinner, Pasta, savory, spicy, Thai

Servings: 4 servings

Author: The Wandering Veggie

Equipment

• 1 Large bowl
• 1 Medium sized bowl
• 1 wok (see notes below if you don't have a wok)
• 1 Colander

Ingredients

Tofu

• 16 oz extra firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek chili paste
• 1 tsp tamari

Stir Fry

• 2 shallots thinly sliced into rounds
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 large carrot medium julienne
• 2 ½ cups broccoli roughly chopped
• ½ of a red bell pepper medium julienne

Sauce

• ¼ cup tamari
• 2 ½ Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp tamarind puree
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 2-3 tsp chili paste (optional, for spice)

Rice Noodles

• 8 oz rice noodles
• 8 cups boiling water

Garnish

• 2 Tbsp peanuts, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• chili flakes (optional)
• 1-2 stalks green onions, sliced into rounds or strips (optional)

Instructions

• Tofu: Drain the tofu and wrap with a clean kitchen towel and place something weighted on top for 15 minutes to press out excess moisture.

  Cut tofu into cubes and place in a large bowl. Toss tofu with 1 Tbsp chili paste and 2 tsp tamari until evenly coated.
• Prep: Chop everything and place next to stove. Prepare sauce by whisking together all ingredients in the "Sauce" section in a medium-sized bowl.

  This Pad Thai cooks quickly so having everything prepped is important.
• Rice Noodles: Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Turn off heat and submerge rice noodles in hot water for about 5 minutes, using a fork to gently separate noodles so they don't clump together. After 5 minutes, strain water by using a colander and rinse noodles with cold water. Don't overcook; noodles should still be al dente as they will cook again at the end and overcooked noodles will end up gummy.
• Stir Fry: Heat a wok on high heat (see notes below if you don't have a wok). Once wok is hot, add a drizzle of avocado oil and tofu and cook until browned, stirring frequently. Remove tofu and set aside. Add another drizzle of oil and the shallots and cook about 30-45 seconds, stirring frequently. Add garlic, broccoli, carrots, and bell pepper and stir fry until veggies just begin to soften, just a couple minutes or so, but not fully cooked.
• Combine everything: Add al dente noodles and cooked tofu to the wok and pour sauce on top. Cook until noodles absorb the sauce and softens to desired consistency.
• Finishing: Serve immediately, garnishing with chopped peanuts, green onions, lime wedges, and optional chili flakes for additional spice. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don’t have a wok and love Pad Thai and stir-frying, I highly recommend investing in one! Pad Thai is cooked quickly on high heat and a wok is designed for this. A large pot or a large skillet with tall sides can be used, but the final results won’t be the same. You’ll have to cook everything on medium heat instead of high to prevent scorching, and this will “steam” the ingredients instead of stir-frying. It can be done, and I’ve done it, but a wok with take this Pad Thai to the next level.

Did you try this Vegan Pad Thai? Tell me how it went in the comments!