Recipe: Vegan “Pad Thai”

Hey everyone! One of my favorite dishes to cook is a version of pad thai. Since I don’t use fish sauce or tamarind, and have modified this dish to be vegan, it’s not really the authentic Thai version of Pad Thai- just a disclaimer. It is, however, an absolutely delicious peanut-y, creamy yet light, healthy dish that anyone can make.

You will need:

-Brown rice noodles (I like Annie Chun’s pad Thai noodles)

-Limes

-Tofu (and cornstarch, tofu’s best friend)

-Tamari or soy sauce

-Sriracha

-Peanut butter (or sunflower butter in case of nut allergies)

-Yellow onion

-Veggie broth

-Your choice of veggies. I went with radishes, yellow squash, carrots, and broccoli this week. In the past I’ve used potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, green onions- lots of stuff works and generally ends up tasting the same under the sauce anyway.

-Spices. I use paprika, cumin seeds, salt, pepper, and roasted garlic powder.

-Peanuts for topping

First: prepare your veggies in a wok with water. I prefer to use water rather than oil in a dish like this because of the fat content of the sauce. Boil water for your noodles and follow the instructions on the box.

If you’re adding tofu, the best way is to cut it into cubes, toss in a little cornstarch, salt, and pepper, and spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Heat the oven to 375 and bake the tofu for about 15 minutes on each side, flipping them once halfway through. If you like them crispier, you can pan fry them.

Cook your onion in a seperate smaller pan with the spices. After they have softened, melt a big spoonful of peanut butter to liquid in the pan. Add two tablespoons of tamari, sriracha to taste (I only use a little because I don’t want it too spicy), and let this cook with the onions on low until the onions are totally done.

Then transfer the onions and sauce mixture into a blender or food processor. My $10 Hampton Bay blender did the trick. Blend until you have a sauce consistency. I used to just make the tamari-peanut sauce on the side, and have the onions stay with the vegetables, but I enjoy blending them to be apart of the sauce sometimes.

I plate my noodles first, then the steamed vegetables, and then ladle on a happy amount of the homemade peanut sauce. You can also toss all of the ingredients together in a wok before serving for a more cohesive taste. I garnish with sriracha, crushed peanuts, and fresh squeezed limes. I think this dish is made 100% better with some fresh lime.

I hope you enjoy this dish! It is one of our household’s number one favorites and most requested options.

-Taylor