Plant based pad thai recipe

This easy plant based pad thai recipe might not be the most authentic pad thai, but it sure does make a great weeknight meal. It comes together in under 30 minutes, and you can add as many veggies as you want! I would love to come back to a bowl of this long day at the beach – it’s light, yet filling and flavorful! And as an added bonus, the vegan pad thai sauce doubles as a spicy spread for a sandwich or dipping sauce for peppers or celery. It’s liquid gold.

Three steps to make this easy vegan pad thai:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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 Eliza…

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

Plant based pad thai recipe

• Author: The Hangry Chickpea
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Ingredients

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• 1 package pad thai noodles
• 4–5 green onions (scallions) 
• 1 Tbsp ginger
• 2–3 cloves minced garlic
• Lime wedges
• Chopped peanuts
• Salt, pepper, and cooking oil as needed
• OPTIONAL: whatever veggies you like (bell pepper, spicy pepper, green beans, shredded carrots, cilantro, thai basil…go for it!)
• Spicy vegan peanut sauce

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Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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!
4. 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! 

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