Pad Pak Thai (Thai Stir-fry Vegetables)

This Thai version of vegetable stir-fry has been one of my favorite quick dishes to make of late! It is savory, bold in flavor, with a gentle kick coming from sambal oelek. The best part is, this Pad Pak Thai is highly customizable, and you easily swap ingredients used to suit your taste!

💚Why you will love this recipe

• A delicious way to enjoy your veggies - You can easily get in your daily dose of vegetables from this Pad Pak Thai!
• Fresh and bold in flavor - Thanks to the various seasonings used, this dish is incredibly flavorsome, rich and savory. We definitely do not tolerate bland-tasting recipes here!
• Highly customizable - Almost every components of this dish is swapable, and you can give your own spin to it by adding other seasonings or spices.
• Great for meal prep - Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days, and you can easily multiply the ingredients to make a larger batch. Hence, you will have something healthy to grab during busy workdays!

🤔What is Pad Pak Thai

Pad Pak is simply the Thai version of stir fry that is hugely influenced by the Chinese version. Traditionally, this dish mainly consists of veggies paired with protein sources like chicken, shrimp, or beef. It is usually served with a side of rice.

To keep this recipe vegan, we will be omitting the protein. However, feel free to add plant or animal protein of choice to make this dish more filling and hearty.

🧄What you will need

For stir-fry

For stir-fry sauce

📃Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Veggies - Feel free to substitute vegetables used in this recipe with others you have on hand.
• Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use gluten-free ones if needed.
• Oyster sauce -  Use vegetarian ones to keep this dish vegan. If you do not have it on hand, feel free to use more soy sauce in place.
  • I am using Lee Kum Kee ones. Although it is labeled as '' stir-fry sauce'', it is essentially vegetarian oyster sauce and contains mushroom extracts.
  • Feel free to substitute it with more soy sauce, but you might need less of it.
• Sambal oelek - It is essentially a ground chili paste. You can substitute with sriracha, or omit it completely to make this Pad Pak spice-free.
• Coconut sugar - Can be substituted with other granulated sugar of choice like cane or brown sugar.

🔪How to make

Here is the simplified version of the instructions. As usual, the full detailed instructions will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Heat a pan, then saute garlic until fragrant.

Add in carrot, red pepper, broccoli, and cauliflower. Saute for a few minutes or until they had softened slightly.

Stir in snow peas and mushrooms next. Cook for another few minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in stir-fry sauce and toss until everything is well combined. Remove from heat and give it a taste, adding more seasonings if needed. It is ready to be served!

✔Helpful tips

• If you are using different kinds of vegetables than this recipe calls for, remember to cook harder ones first, like carrot, broccoli, and cauliflower, before adding more tender veggies like snow peas and mushrooms, and baby corn.
• Cut vegetables into uniform sizes so that they are cooked evenly.
• Use a large enough pan to make your Pad Pak Thai. This ensures that your vegetables do not leap out of the pan and cause a mess while stir-frying them.
• Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container. 

✨Variations

Vegetables - As mentioned above, you can substitute vegetables called for in this recipe for others that you have on hand. Some of my favorite veggies to use in stir-fries include cabbage, mushrooms of any kind, water chestnut, and baby corn.

Protein - You can add in a source of protein to make this a more filling meal. Both animal and plant protein will work. I especially love adding tofu, tempeh, seitan, or even chickpeas.

Noodles - Feel free to add in some cooked noodles of choice like ramen, soba, or udon to make stir-fry noodles. I recommend doubling the sauce and adding it to taste.

Spicy - To make this spice-free, simply omit sambal oelek. If you want to dial up the heat, add some chopped chilies or chili flakes to the mix!

Low sodium - Use low sodium soy sauce in place of regular ones.

Oil-free - Use ¼ cup of water or vegetable broth to saute your veggies, adding more at 1 tablespoon increments if the mixture appears dry. Also, omit sesame oil in the sauce, and top Pad Pak with some toasted sesame seeds instead.

🍽How to serve

• Toppings - crushed peanuts, chopped green onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes
• Rice - This Pad Pak is best paired with some freshly steamed rice, either white or brown. For lower-carb options, use broccoli or cauliflower rice instead. I also love cooking up some sambal fried rice or green curry fried rice.
• Noodles - Thai noodles like Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, and drunken noodles pair exceptionally well with this dish. You can also toss in some cooked noodles, but do double the stir-fry sauce.
• Other Thai dishes - You could also go all out and whip up a few Thai dishes or a Thai-inspired dinner! Red curry, Tom Yum soup, or Thai basil tofu are some great dishes to make.

❔Commonly asked questions