My love for a good Vegetarian Pad Thai recipe (and a Vegan Pad Thai) is really more like an obsession. I'm one of those people who always orders a Pad Thai at restaurants begging them to make it vegan and without fish sauce. This is why we learned to make some at home to satisfy our cravings! Everyone likes to make their Pad Thai a little differently but a good veggie Pad Thai is just a good veggie Pad Thai...you know what I mean?!
Are you a Vegetarian Pad Thai fanatic like me? Do you constantly request a vegetarian or vegan Pad Thai version at restaurants hoping there's no fish sauce in it?? Well, I feel you. That's why I have perfected our own homemade Pad Thai with tofu recipe to satisfy our cravings. I mean, who doesn't love a good veggie Pad Thai?
But let's be real - there are endless variations of vegetable pad Thai. Some like it spicy, some prefer it loaded with veggies, and others can't live without the classic bean sprouts. Unfortunately, buying bean sprouts can be a bit of a hassle and expensive. That's when we turn to homemade mung sprouts, made by my talented mother-in-law (never by me!). I love to pack my tofu Pad Thai recipe with vegetables and tofu for added nutrients and protein.
📋 Ingredients for Vegetarian Pad Thai with Marinated Tofu:
- Marinate tofu: You really don't HAVE to marinate it but I think it adds a little extra flavor to the dish! I saute mine in a skillet but you can also bake it! When I am in a rush and don't want to marinate tofu, I use this Easy Tofu Recipe as a substitute.
- Vegan Pad Thai Sauce: Now, the key to a delicious Pad Thai really lies in the sauce. Tamarind concentrate is the secret ingredient that brings it all together. You can easily find it at most ethnic grocery stores.
- Rice Noodles: While rice noodles are a classic choice, don't be afraid to mix it up. Thinner noodles work just as well. These work really well!
- Veggies: My go-to vegetables for pad Thai are bell peppers, sugar snap peas, broccoli, and carrots, but feel free to get creative and use whatever veggies you have on hand to give your Pad Thai an extra nutrient boost.
- Pad Thai Garnishes: Lime, cilantro, peanuts, extra sriracha, and sprouts of your liking!
How to Make Vegetarian Pad Thai
Marinated Tofu
- Press the tofu.
- While the tofu is pressing, prepare the marinade for the tofu by mixing the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, and maple syrup.
- After the tofu is pressed, cube the tofu and place in the medium container with the marinade. Close the lid and shake. Marinate the tofu for at least 20 minutes. The longer the better!
- Once the tofu is ready, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated tofu. Sauté on high heat for about 5-10 minutes.
For the Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the tamarind concentrate, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sriracha (if using). Set aside.
For the Pad Thai
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
- In a pan or wok, heat oil, add the garlic and green onions, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots, and cook. Be careful to not let them get soggy. Add the snap peas last and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add prepared noodles and marinated tofu to the veggies.
- Pour the pad thai sauce over the vegetables and noodles and toss with tongs until the noodles and vegetables are combined and well coated with the sauce.
Serve
- Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, peanuts, and bean sprouts, and serve with a side of chili garlic sauce or sriracha.
So, there you have it - a mouthwatering Vegetarian Pad Thai recipe that's easy to customize and packed with flavor and nutrients. Bonus points for marinating your tofu ahead of time, but don't worry - it only takes 20 minutes for the flavors to soak in. That way, you can whip up this delicious dish in just 30 minutes and satisfy your Pad Thai cravings in no time. Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.
🍽 More Vegan Meal Ideas
- Creamy Vegan Alfredo Pasta
- Vegan Peanut Corn Curry
- Vegan Tofu Tacos with Peanut Sauce
- Chana Masala Recipe
If you loved this Vegetarian Pad Thai recipe, let me know in the comments below! I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest! Subscribe to my weekly emails at the bottom so you never miss a new recipe!
📖 Recipe
Vegetable Pad Thai with Marinated Tofu
Ingredients
Marinated Tofu
- 1 package (14 Oz.) extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup soy sauce;, low sodium
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil, for cooking the tofu
Vegan Pad Thai Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate*
- ¼ cup soy sauce,, low sodium
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup,
- 2 tablespoons sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional for spice
Pad Thai
- 6-8 oz rice noodles;, I used Ocean's Halo which comes as a 6 oz pack.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil,
- ½ cup green onions, , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, , minced
- ½ cup broccoli florets
- 1 medium red bell pepper,, sliced
- ½ cup carrots,, julienned
- ½ cup sugar snap peas
Garnishings
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 lime,, cut into wedges
- ¼ cup peanuts, , roughly chopped
- ½ cup bean sprouts
- sriracha or chili garlic sauce
Instructions
For the Marinated Tofu
- Press the tofu by wrapping it in an absorbent towel and placing something heavy on it to remove excess water. Do this for at least 20 minutes, the longer the better. Try to get as much water out as you can for a crispy tofu with a chewy center.
- While the tofu is pressing, in a small container with a lid, prepare the marinade for the tofu by mixing the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, and maple syrup.
- After the tofu is pressed, cube the tofu and place in the medium container with the marinade. Close the lid and shake the container so the tofu is well-coated. Marinate the tofu for at least 20 minutes. The longer the better!
- Once the tofu is ready, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated tofu. Sauté on high heat for about 5-10 minutes, flipping occasionally to cook on all sides, until tofu has browned on each side.
For the Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the tamarind concentrate, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sriracha (if using). Set aside.
For the Pad Thai
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
- Heat oil on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and green onions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes. Be careful to not let them get soggy. Add the snap peas last and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add prepared noodles and marinated tofu to the veggies.
- Pour the pad thai sauce over the vegetables and noodles and toss with tongs until the noodles and vegetables are combined and well coated with the sauce.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, peanuts, bean sprouts, and serve with a side of chili garlic sauce or sriracha.
Notes
- You may use ketchup as a replacement for tamarind concentrate.
- Bean sprouts aren't always easily accessible so using homemade mung sprouts is a great alternative.
- If you don't have time to marinate the tofu, pan-fry the tofu without marinating it turns out great!
Nutrition Info
Jgihel
I love it
Shweta
Thank you...glad you love it 🙂
Shradha Rawat
Love the recipe! Gonna have this for dinner this weekend. 💞
Shweta
Thank you! I hope you loved it 🙂
Alex
Looks wonderful and healthy
Shweta
Thank you so much!
Riddhi
Loooveeee this recipe, I've made it twice already and can't stop eating it!
Shweta
Thank you so much! Glad you loved it 🙂
Tej
Most of my friends and family know that I’m pretty picky about my East Asian food. But this will be part of my routine from now on because it was so easy! Also, ginger garlic paste? I think i might make some extra and freeze it.
Shweta
I'm so glad to hear that! Freezing ginger garlic paste is a great idea and very useful if you use it all the time!
Ellen
You made mention of bean sprouts or mung sprouts but I don’t see it in the recipe. When do you add them? Sorry if it’s in the description but I haven’t been able to find it.
Shweta
Thank you for pointing that out! I add them at directly before serving with the rest of the toppings. Fixed it in the instructions!
Katherine
Should I cook the tofu in the marinade? Or should I drain it before sautéing?
Shweta
Drain before sauteing! I like to save the sauce and add it to the Pad Thai as I like mine a bit saucy.
Dana
Tofu is so good when well marinated, and this recipe really proves that. Love how this turned out. Thanks!
Beth
I fee like tofu should always be marinated before cooking. It really soaks up flavors, so why not? This looks great!
kushigalu
Drooling over this pad thai. So delicious and flavorful. Thanks for sharing.
Tara
This Pad Thai sounds so good with the addition of the marinated tofu. Such a beautiful combination of vibrant colors too.
nancy
wow this Vegan Pad Thai is so satisfying. I could have this everyday!