Vegan Tofu Pad Thai

This vegan pad Thai recipe is quick and easy to make using rice noodles, pan-fried tofu, and colorful vegetables tossed in a savory and tangy sauce. Plus, like my pad see ew and Thai basil tofu, it can be cooked in just one pan and takes only 30 minutes! 

Pad Thai works excellently as a standalone dish, but I love pairing it with a side salad like my spicy Asian cucumber salad to get more veggies. 

💚Why you will love this recipe 

• A quick and easy stir-fry dish that is ready in 30 minutes 
• Bold in flavor and incredibly delicious 
• Hearty, satisfying, and packed with protein and veggies 
• Highly customizable to suit your preference 

🤔What is pad Thai 

Pad Thai is a popular Thai street food made with rice noodles, protein (shrimp, tofu, or chicken), bean sprouts, eggs, and a sweet and sour sauce made from fish sauce, tamarind paste, and sugar. It is then topped with crushed peanuts and served with a lime wedge. 

To make this recipe vegan, we will use soy sauce or vegan fish sauce instead of fish sauce. Tofu will be our primary source of protein in this version. 

🥜What you will need 

📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 

• Rice noodles - Also known as pad Thai noodles. You can get them in most groceries, at your local Asian market, or through an online retailer. You can also use glass noodles, rice vermicelli, or fresh rice noodles in place. 
• Tofu - Use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand. Press tofu using a tofu press or by stacking something heavy on top. Check out this post on how to press tofu for more details. 
• Soy sauce - Traditionally, this dish calls for fish sauce. If you can get vegan fish sauce, definitely use them! It can also be substituted with tamari or shoyu. 
• Oyster sauce -  Use vegetarian oyster sauce to keep this recipe vegan. I'm using Lee Kum Kee's stir-fry sauce, which is labeled as such, but the Chinese wording can be directly translated to "vegetarian oyster sauce."
• Tamarind paste - An essential condiment for pad Thai. If you can't get it, substitute it with an equal amount of rice vinegar. 

🔪How to make 

Cooking noodles - Cook noodles according to the package's instructions. Rinse with cold water and set aside for later use. 

Preparing tofu - Place tofu cubes, cornstarch, and salt into a container. Place the lid on and toss until tofu cubes are well coated. 

Pan-frying tofu - Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick wok. Place tofu cubes in one layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until most sides are browned. Set aside. 

Making the sauce - While tofu is cooking, combine all condiments needed to make the sauce. 

Making pad Thai - Heat some oil in a non-stick wok, then add garlic and fry until fragrant. Add carrot, cooking for 1-2 minutes before adding noodles, bean sprouts, tofu, and the sauce. 

Fry until everything is hot, remove from heat and stir in green onion. Top pad Thai with crushed peanuts and other toppings of choice. Your tofu pad Thai is ready to be served! 

✨Variations and add-ins 

More veggies - Boost this tofu pad Thai's fiber and nutrient content by adding more veggies like edamame, sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, baby corn, and snap peas. 

Tofu - If you do not like tofu, feel free to substitute it with another plant-based protein like seitan chicken, tempeh, or vegan chicken-style slices. 

Dial up the heat - Increase the amount of chili flakes added, and drizzle on some sriracha before serving. 

Adding vegan egg - After cooking carrots, push them aside and pour some Justegg mixture. Stir until they are cooked before adding the rest of the ingredients. 

🍚How to serve 

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this vegan pad Thai: 

• Toppings - lime wedges, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, cilantro leaves, sriracha 
• Beverages - vegan boba, lemon barley water 
• Thai side dishes - pad pak Thai, Thai fresh rolls 

❔Commonly asked questions