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    Home » Vegan Asian Recipes

    Thai Basil Tofu Stir-fry (vegan pad krapow)

    Published: Aug 2, 2023 by Jim Mee Sha · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Graphic with an image of a plate of rice served with basil pesto with text below.

    This Thai basil tofu stir-fry is vibrant and flavorful, with a nice kick from the chilies. A quick and easy entree that is ready in 30 minutes. Serve your vegan pad krapow with freshly steamed rice to make it a meal! 

    A plate of rice and Thai basil tofu served with a spoon with 2 glasses of water beside.

    This Thai basil tofu is my go-to recipe whenever I crave Thai food! It is spicy, bold in flavor, and incredibly delicious. I love serving it with rice or my Thai vegetable fried rice for a simple yet satisfying weeknight dinner. 

    💚Why you will love this recipe 

    • Bold, aromatic, and jam-packed with flavors 
    • A quick and easy 30-minute recipe 
    • Versatile and highly customizable (substitution ideas are provided below) 
    • Healthier and lower in calories than Thai takeout 

    🤔What is pad krapow 

    Pad krapow is a popular Thai stir-fry dish that can be found in Thai restaurants all over the world. It features minced meat (chicken, beef, or pork) cooked with garlic, chilies, Thai holy basil, and a savory sauce made from oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and other seasonings. 

    Pad krapow is commonly served over steamed rice and topped with a fried egg. 

    This vegan version uses tofu in place of minced meat. Fish sauce is also omitted, but you can add some vegan fish sauce if you have it. 

    🌶️What you will need 

    Ingredients needed like onion, garlic, chili, tofu, green beans, and basil.
    Seasonings needed like sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce.

    📃Ingredient notes and substitutions 

    • Tofu - Make sure to use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand, either using a tofu press or stacking something heavy on top. Check out this post on how to press tofu for more details. 
    • Chilies - Reduce or increase the amount used depending on how spicy you want it to be. I choose to deseed mine to make it less spicy. 
    • Basil - I am using Thai basil as it is easier to find, but if you can find holy basil, definitely use that! Sweet basil can be used in a pinch. 
    • Oyster sauce - Opt for a vegan oyster sauce to keep this recipe vegan. I highly recommend using Lee Kum Kee’s stir-fry sauce. (Although it is labeled as a stir-fry sauce, it is a mushroom-flavored sauce imitating oyster sauce)
    • Soy sauce - can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. 

    🔪How to make 

    Making the sauce - Combine all seasonings needed to make the stir-fry sauce.

    Crumbling tofu - Using your hands or a potato masher, crumble tofu into small pieces to resemble minced meat. 

    Sauce for pad krapow in a small ramekin with 2 small sauce dish beside.
    Crumbled tofu in a blue deep plate with a fork beside.

     

    Frying aromatics - Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the a non-stick wok, and add chopped onions. Fry for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Stir in garlic and chilies next, and fry for another minute. Then, add French beans and saute for 2-3 minutes. 

    Cooked onion in a non-stick wok on a grey background.
    Onion, chilies, and garlic in a non-stick pan.
    Onion, chiles, garlic, and green beans in a non-stick wok.

    Putting everything together - Add crumbled tofu and stir-fry sauce to the pan. Toss and fry until tofu is hot. Remove from heat before stirring in basil leaves. Your vegan Thai basil tofu stir-fry is ready to be served! 

    Pad krapow in a non-stick wok with an empty bowl beside.

    ✅Helpful tips 

    • Types of basil - Although holy basil is traditionally used, it can be hard to find outside Thailand. Hence, I am using Thai basil to make this vegan pad krapow. If you can find holy basil, definitely use that! Sweet basil can be used in a pinch, but it will alter the flavor profile of this dish. 
    • Adjusting to taste - Adjust the amount of seasoning added to suit your taste. If you have vegan fish sauce, feel free to substitute part of the soy sauce with fish sauce. 
    • Cooking rice - As this dish is commonly served with rice, I recommend cooking rice before making this Thai basil tofu so you can pair them to make a simple yet satisfying meal. 
    • Storing leftovers - Leftover basil tofu can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Heat it in a pan or microwave before serving. 

    ✨Variations and add-ins 

    Tofu - Instead of tofu, you can use crumbled tempeh, vegan minced meat, or rehydrated TVP in place. 

    Veggies - Feel free to add more veggies to your vegan pad krapow! Chopped mushrooms, bell peppers, and broccoli florets are some that pair well. 

    Make it less spicy - Instead of bird’s eye chilies, substitute with 1 regular chili / Holland chili instead. You can further reduce the spice by deseeding your chilies. 

    Rice and pad krapow in a blue plate served with a spoon.

    🍚How to serve 

    As mentioned above, this Thai basil tofu is highly versatile! Here are some dishes I commonly serve with it - 

    • Rice - White rice, Jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option 
    • Noodles - Cooked rice noodles or rice vermicelli, stir-fry rice vermicelli, pad see ew 
    • Side dishes and appetizers - Thai spring rolls, tofu dumplings, pad pak Thai 

    ❔Commonly asked questions

    What is the difference between Thai basil and holy basil?

    Holy basil is pungent, peppery, and slightly spicy. On the other hand, Thai basil is milder and sweeter and has a hint of licorice and anise flavor.

    As for their appearance, Thai basil has pointy leaves with purple stems, while holy basil has round and jagged leaves with hairy stems.

    Can I substitute Thai basil with sweet basil?

    You can substitute Thai basil with sweet basil in a pinch when making this vegan pad krapow. However, as they have slightly different flavor profiles, the taste of pad krapow made from sweet basil will differ from the authentic one.

    Is pad krapow spicy?

    As chilies, particularly bird’s eye chilies, are a key ingredient in this dish, pad krapow is relatively spicy. The spice level will differ based on personal preference and the amount of chili pepper used. 

    Reduce or increase the amount of chilies used depending on your spice preference. If you are particularly sensitive to spice, I recommend deseeding your chilies.

    Spooning out some Thai basil tofu from a plate served with rice.

    🍽️More Asian tofu recipes

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    If you did make this recipe, do leave a rating and comment down below, we love hearing from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

    📖 Recipe

    A plate of Thai basil tofu served with rice with a spoon and 2 glasses of water beside.

    Thai Basil Tofu Stir-fry (Vegan Pad Krapow)

    Meesha
    This Thai basil tofu stir-fry is vibrant and flavorful, with a nice kick from the chilies. A quick and easy entree that is ready in 30 minutes. Serve your vegan pad krapow with freshly steamed rice to make it a meal! 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Thai
    Servings 3 servings
    Calories 106 kcal

    Equipment

    • non-stick wok

    Ingredients
      

    For the sauce

    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu
    • 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce *
    • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce optional, but recommended
    • 2 teaspoons sugar

    For stir-fry

    • 1 block extra-firm tofu drained and pressed (around 14oz/400g)
    • ½ medium red onion diced
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 3-5 bird's eye chili deseed to make it less spicy
    • 5 stalks green beans around 80g/3 oz
    • 1 cup Thai basil/holy basil lightly packed**
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Combine all seasonings needed to make the stir-fry sauce in a bowl. Mix well.
    • Using your hands or a potato masher, crumble tofu into small pieces to resemble minced meat. Set aside.
    • Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in the wok, and add chopped onions. Fry for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
    • Stir in garlic and chilies next, and fry for another minute.
    • Add French beans and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until they are tender.
    • Add browned tofu and stir-fry sauce to the pan. Toss and fry until tofu is hot.
    • Remove from heat before stirring in basil leaves. Your vegan Thai basil tofu stir-fry is ready to be served!

    Notes

    *Oyster sauce - Opt for a vegan oyster sauce to keep this recipe vegan. I highly recommend using Lee Kum Kee’s stir-fry sauce. (Although it is labeled as a stir-fry sauce, it is a mushroom-flavored sauce imitating oyster sauce)
     
    **Basil - I am using Thai basil as it is easier to find, but if you can find holy basil, definitely use that! Sweet basil can be used in a pinch. 
     
    Helpful tips
    • Adjusting to taste - Adjust the amount of seasoning added to suit your taste. If you have vegan fish sauce, feel free to substitute part of the soy sauce with fish sauce. 
    • Cooking rice - As this dish is commonly served with rice, I recommend cooking rice before making this Thai basil tofu so you can pair them to make a simple yet satisfying meal. 
    • Storing leftovers - Leftover basil tofu can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Heat it in a pan or microwave before serving. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 106kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 11gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 696mgPotassium: 293mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 434IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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