Main image of Speedy Vegan Pad Thai

Speedy Vegan Pad Thai

30 min

Meal

One-bowl / one-pot
Pad Thai is one of the ultimate fast and delicious one-pot meals. It's a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy. Our version has loads of crunchy vegetables, chewy brown rice noodles, and crispy tofu.

Servings

Total

30 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Contains

Soy symbol

soy

Swap out

Gluten symbol

gluten

Free from

Peanut symbol

peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp (30 mL)
    vegetable oil
  • 15.8 oz (450 g)
    extra firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL)
    vegetable oil
  • 6
    cloves garlic, minced
  • 2
    medium shallots, diced
  • 2
    stalks green onion, sliced
  • 1
    red hot chili, minced
  • 1½ Tbsp (14 g)
    pickled radish (optional)
  • 5.2 oz (150 g)
    dry brown rice noodles
  • 1
    medium carrot, julienned
  • 1
    red bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 cup (64 g)
    shredded green cabbage (optional)
  • 1 cup (90 g)
    fresh bean sprouts

Optional garnishes

  • fresh cilantro
  • fresh lime slices
  • roasted peanuts
  • sliced green onion
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Directions

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  1. Add the oil to a large pan or large pot on high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and let cook until lightly crispy on all sides. Stir periodically, to avoid burning, but avoid over-stirring as this can break up the tofu. When crispy, remove from the heat and set aside in a bowl.
  2. Return the same pan to the stove on medium heat, add the 1 Tbsp vegetable oil. When hot, add the garlic, shallots, green onions, chili, and pickled radish. Cook for 5 - 8 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and everything is lightly golden. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
  3. Add the rice noodles to a large bowl and pour over some warm water. Let sit to soften, and drain when 1 - 2 minutes away from being fully cooked. Rinse under cold water.
  4. When the garlic and onions are lightly golden, add the carrot, bell pepper, and cabbage to the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the soy sauce, tamarind paste, sugar, vinegar, sriracha, and lime juice and stir to combine.
  6. Add the rice noodles to the pan, and toss to combine. Cook until everything is warmed through and the noodles are fully cooked.
  7. Add the bean sprouts and return the tofu to the pan, and toss to coat.
  8. Serve while hot, top with desired garnish, and enjoy!

Storage

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Plate method

The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.

Grains 41%

• dry brown rice noodles

Proteins 25%

• extra firm tofu

• fresh bean sprouts

Fruits & Veggies 34%

• clove garlic

• medium shallot

• stalk green onion

• red hot chili

• pickled radish

• medium carrot

• red bell pepper

• shredded green cabbage

• lime

Calcium

• extra firm tofu

Fat

• vegetable oil

• vegetable oil

Nutrition info

We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.

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Discussion & Rating

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Victoria - Oct. 3, 2021, 10:29 p.m.

Amazing! We made this for ourselves and our family and even my grandma liked it! We used sambal oelek instead of sriracha and a combination of coconut aminos and dark soy sauce. The second time we made it with 1/2 a tablespoon of sambal oelek, 2.5 tablespoons of dark soy sauce and 1.5 tablespoons of coconut aminos and found this flavor profile a bit closer to our liking. I also like topping it with a generous amount of roasted peanuts. I was a bit hesitant tamarind paste and wasn’t sure how I’d use the whole jar, but now I can’t wait to make and eat this again.

PUL Team - Oct. 4, 2021, 3:52 a.m.

Awe we're so happy to hear, Victoria! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to share your experience with the pad thai 😃

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Jeni McKerlie - Aug. 7, 2021, 11:10 a.m.

Made this and it was so good! Very tasty and I love the spicy kick! Going to make it again this week :)

Reply
D - Aug. 7, 2021, 12:02 a.m.

Tasty!

Reply
Adrienne Abudo - Aug. 3, 2021, 4:37 a.m.

I made this tonight and my non-vegan husband said "Dang that's delicious! Can I have some more?" We will definitely be adding this to our regular menu.

Reply
Ananya R - July 24, 2021, 8:27 p.m.

The best recipe to make with friends who “can’t cook”! Made this with some college friends in our dorm kitchen & we LOVED it, plus it proved to them that cooking isn’t that hard after all!

PUL Team - July 26, 2021, 7:48 p.m.

So thrilled the recipe was enjoyed, Ananya! All of the best with your studies ✨📚

Reply
Ashley - July 24, 2021, 7:06 p.m.

Loved this!

Reply
Arah - July 24, 2021, 1:33 p.m.

The best pad thai recipe ever!! My husband asks me to make this each week. I replace the sriracha with vegan thai red curry paste (as husband doesn’t like as much spice). So delicious and addictive!!

PUL Team - July 25, 2021, 9:37 p.m.

What a compliment, Arah! Love the substitution as well 😊

Reply
N - July 22, 2021, 9 p.m.

LOVE IT SO MUCH. It's my go-to meal when I'm feeling lazy.

Reply
Newbie_Rookie_00 - July 22, 2021, 12:32 a.m.

Being a newbie to cooking, I left several ingredients out but a solid base of the recipe was there. One addition was mushrooms.
Ingredients omitted either by choice or circumstantial were the following:
Tofu
Tamarind paste
Pickled radish
Dry brown rice noodles (used spaghetti ^.^ )
Cabbage
Fresh bean sprouts
~and~ three of the four optional garnishes
WHEN I make this again, I will not skip out on the cabbage, tamarind paste, the peanuts, and a substitute for tofu
I really enjoyed cutting the veggies as recommended because it was wonderful to enjoy them so crisp. The only thing I would do differently is cut them into a bit smaller pieces just out of preference.
Thank you so much for the walk-through and making cooking fun and inspirational! :D

PUL Team - July 22, 2021, 5:54 a.m.

Ooo thanks a bunch for sharing your experience with us! We're so glad you're enjoying this one 🤩

Reply
Consuelo - July 11, 2021, 11:37 p.m.

I loved this recipe!!! Very easy and so tasty. I prefer this Pad Thai with a lot of veggies, than a restaurant’s Pad Thai. I’m always checking de PUL website for new wholsesome recipes!! Thank you for doing this!!!

PUL Team - July 17, 2021, 2:01 a.m.

This means so much, Consuelo, so glad you're enjoying the PUL content :D

Reply
Lauren - July 10, 2021, 9:55 p.m.

This recipe is easy and delicious! I personally add more soy sauce for my husband and I. All the recipes that Pick Up Limes create are made with love and nutrition out the ass. I always tell my vegan friends about their Youtube channel and share their recipes because of this. It can be hard to get all the essentials in one's diet but never fear, Pick Up Limes is here! Thank you guys for all your hard work. It is very much appreciated by me and many others. ^_^

PUL Team - July 16, 2021, 4:14 a.m.

Oh, Lauren, you're such a gem 💎 Your support sincerely means so much to us! Thank you for helping our PUL community so special 🌻

Reply
Ilse - July 10, 2021, 11:35 a.m.

I think I made this one a 1000 times. It is so delicious!

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Sam - July 9, 2021, 2:46 a.m.

Love it! This is also one of my go-to recipes on those days where I have a ton of work and cannot spend a lot of time on cooking. I love that there are so many veggies in this recipe, definitely prefer this recipe to a restaurant pad thai.

Reply
Rebeca Parra - July 8, 2021, 6:42 p.m.

I made it for my family and everyone liked it, it's amazing!!!
If you're waiting for a sign to make this, this is it! Haha try it!
Thank you Sadia 💚

PUL Team - July 10, 2021, 3:28 p.m.

Hehe love it, Rebeca - thank you for the wonderful review 😃

Reply
Madhura - July 8, 2021, 5:42 p.m.

I've made this several times and its absolutely delicious! PUL is my go-to page to try new recipes :)

PUL Team - July 9, 2021, 9:27 p.m.

This means so much, Madhura, thank you 🥰

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Erin - June 14, 2021, 7:14 p.m.

I made this last night and it was very delicious. I couldn't find tamarind paste so I left it out (which I think it definitely needs so I'll try it again next time). My grocery store didn't have bean sprouts and I was devastated, that's the best part! Overall, this was still a really delicious and easy recipe once you prep all of the ingredients. It comes together pretty quickly. Still figuring out tofu though, haven't been able to squeeze out the water without it ripping. How long would you recommend having it be pressed down by a pot or something heavy to get the water out? I think that will help it get crispy for next time. Another delicious dinner, thank you!

PUL Team - June 15, 2021, 3:31 p.m.

Hi Erin! So wonderful you were able to modify the recipe to what was accessible for you 😃 Tofu cracking when squeezing the water out can definitely be tricky. We recommend applying less pressure for a longer time when pressing tofu - patience is a virtue 🤓

This could look like placing the tofu on a plate with a towel or paper towels wrapped around it, and then placing something moderately heavy with an even distribution of weight on the wrapped tofu. For example, a flat skillet. I find that letting the tofu sit for around 10-15 minutes works well. If you use paper towel, you also may need to replace it partway when it soaks through. If your tofu is still cracking, trying a different brand or slicing the tofu in half before pressing are other options! We hope this helps ✨

Kirstyn - July 8, 2021, 9:18 p.m.

Hey Erin - I also have a terrible time with tofu.. mainly because i am not the most patient.... I've definitely had better luck cooking it in the oven instead of a pan if that helps you... even if I don't get enough liquid out it seems to burn off in the oven..... its another dish but still tastes delicious and get the crispy edges :)

Reply
Cris S - June 5, 2021, 4:13 p.m.

Another of my top favorites from the PUL website! Stunning! 😁🤤

PUL Team - June 5, 2021, 9:42 p.m.

Woo! Thank you, Cris 😃

Reply
Tamara Speid - April 19, 2021, 4:37 a.m.

Love the tasty delicious flavors in this recipe. Def will make this again. Thank you.

PUL Team - April 20, 2021, 1:38 a.m.

So happy you enjoyed it, Tamara! 🤗

Reply
AB - April 1, 2021, 12:08 a.m.

So just made this and I'm so impressed. It really packs a punch with flavor. My sister, who never really likes vegan food, actually loved this recipe so thanks so much for sharing!

PUL Team - April 3, 2021, 1:11 a.m.

This is such a lovely review, AB! So happy you and your sister enjoyed the pad thai :D

Reply