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Vegan pad thai with wide rice noodles, tamarind and tofu, plated and served with chopsticks.

Vegan Pad Thai with Tamarind and Tofu

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My vegan pad thai reminds me of the best pad thai I ever had. I still remember it. It was made by street vendors on the island of Ko Lanta in Thailand. A quick stir fry with fresh vegetables and spices and peanuts. No frills and yet so flavorful! Back in the US, as a vegan, I just couldn’t find a restaurant with pad thai that even remotely compared to it. On top of that, restaurants almost always add fish sauce to pad thai.
So, I had to make vegetarian pad thai at home. I loaded it with vegetables just like I had in Ko Lanta and instead of using fish sauce, I brought in tamarind sauce and maple syrup for flavor. It not only looks great, but tastes amazing!
Servings: 4 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 7 oz wide rice noodles
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 spring onions, (sliced)
  • 2 cloves garlic, (finely sliced)
  • 1 hot red chili, (finely sliced)
  • 2 carrots, (shaved into ribbons)
  • 1 handful large green beans, (cut diagonally)
  • 1/2 head broccoli, (divided into florets)
  • 1 red pepper, (finely sliced)
  • 2 packs baked tofu
  • 1/4 cup peanuts, (roasted, unsalted, roughly pounded in a pestle and mortar)
  • 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Lime, (for garnish)
  • 5 tablespoons tamarind sauce
  • 1/4 cup tamari sauce
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

  • Prepare rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet, giving a good stir to prevent them from clumping together and sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Drain noodles and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together tamarind, tamari sauce, and maple syrup.
  • Heat a wok.
  • Pour 1 tablespoon oil and heat up until almost smoking.
  • Add spring onions, garlic, and chili.
  • Stir-fry, stirring constantly, until spring onions soften and garlic becomes fragrant.
  • Add prepared broccoli, green beans, red pepper, and carrot ribbons, then stir-fry until cooked yet still crunchy.  
  • Add tofu, then add sauce and noodles. They may have clumped together slightly but the sauce and heat of the wok will separate them again.
  • Mix everything well, stirring the whole time, for 1-2 minutes.
  • Divide between 4 plates and sprinkle with sprouts, cilantro, and crushed peanuts.
  • Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Bon appétit!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4peopleCalories: 611kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 28gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 969mgPotassium: 795mgFiber: 9gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 6856IUVitamin C: 131mgCalcium: 362mgIron: 5mg