Craving a quick, delicious meal? Try this Plant-Based Pad Thai—ready in less than 20 minutes! It’s packed with vibrant veggies and a tangy sauce, perfect for a speedy, satisfying fix. Enjoy your favorite Thai flavors, guilt-free!
Three steps to make this easy vegan pad thai:
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Mine took a little longer than the 4-5 minutes prescribed by the package...I'm not mad about it, I get to taste more noodles...I mean, check to see if they're done. When the noodles are done, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water! You can use it to thin out the sauce if needed.
- Slice & sauté your veggies. This is where you can get creative. If you like colorful food - go for the works! As a baseline, I suggest green onions, ginger and garlic, but from there you can do anything! Multicolored bell peppers, spicy peppers, mushrooms, shredded carrots, green beans, thai basil, cilantro, or whatever you want! Pro tip: cook your "harder" veggies first - like onions and peppers, and add your "softer" veggies later, like mushrooms and carrots. These veggies have different cooking times, so by staggering them, you'll have perfectly cooked veggies. I suggest giving the peppers and onions a 2-3 minute head start.
- Prep your sauce. While the veggies are cooking, put together your sauce. I suggest using a slightly larger bowl than you think you need, because you'll need a little elbow grease to whisk. Don't worry if it doesn't come together immediately, it will once the peanut butter breaks up!
But Angela......
Is pad thai vegan? It certainly can be! This recipe is is all about the veggies, noodles, and spicy peanut sauce.
What is pad thai sauce made of? This pad thai sauce features peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha to name a few. I'm going for the sweet and salty vibe.
Where's the protein in this recipe? Great question - peanut butter is one of my favorite sources of protein, but if you're worried about it, feel free to add some beans like chickpeas!
Plant Based Pad Thai Recipe
Enjoy a fresh twist on a classic with this Plant-Based Pad Thai, featuring crisp vegetables all tossed with rice noodles in a simple, light preparation.
Ingredients
- 1 Package Pad Thai Noodles
- 4-5 Green Onions Scallions
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Lime Cut Into Wedges
- ¼ Cup Chopped Peanuts
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Optional Veggies
- 1 Bell Pepper
- 1 Cup Green Beans
- ½ Cup Shredded Carrot
- ½ Cup Thai Basil
- ½ Cup Cilantro
- 1 Spicy Pepper Optional
Sauce
- 1 Cup Spicy Vegan Peanut Sauce
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. When the noodles are done, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water, and use it to thin out the sauce if needed. Starchy water = liquid gold.
- Meanwhile, slice & sauté your veggies. First, add some oil to your pan on low-medium heat. Add your onions (and peppers if applicable) and sautee for 1-2 minutes. Then add garlic and ginger. Turn the heat to low, stirring occasionally to prevent garlic from burning. Add a pinch of salt every time you add something new to the pan. Once the veggies are soft, set aside until the noodles and sauce are ready.
- Prep your sauce. While the veggies are cooking, put together your sauce. I suggest using a slightly larger bowl than you think you need, because you'll need to put a little elbow grease into your whisking. Don't worry if it doesn't come together immediately, it will once the peanut butter breaks up!
- When the noodles are ready, reserve a cup of the pasta water, then add noodles to saute pan. Add half of your peanut sauce (and some noodle water if needed) and stir. Taste for seasoning, and add more peanut sauce or salt if needed. Top with chopped peanuts, serve with a lime wedge and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 857mgPotassium: 359mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 4323IUVitamin C: 67mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
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Tina says
Super simple peanut sauce. I used it as a dipping sauce too and it was fantastic
Angela Milnes says
Honestly dipping sauce is where it's at - glad you loved it Tina.