This Thai-inspired vegan pad see ew is rich, flavorful, and delicious. A quick and easy recipe that is ready in 30 minutes. Even non-vegans will be impressed by this dish!
This vegan pad see ew is one of my go-to noodle dishes! It is fuss-free and super simple to prepare, yet tastes incredible. Plus, it is naturally spice-free too, hence is perfect for those with a low tolerance to spice!
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🤔What is pad see ew
Pad see ew is a popular Thai street food that features wide rice noodles (sen yai), eggs, meat, and Chinese broccoli tossed in a rich sauce mainly made from soy sauce. In fact, pad see ew can be directly translated to ‘fried soy sauce’!
To make this recipe vegan, we will be substituting the eggs with scrambled tofu and using vegetarian oyster sauce instead of the regular ones.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Incredibly flavorful and jam-packed with flavors
- A quick and easy dish that is ready in 30 minutes
- Naturally spice-free, making them kid-friendly
- Super versatile and goes well with any Asian side or main dishes
🍜What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Tofu - Use firm or extra firm tofu. You do not need to press it beforehand.
- Wide rice noodles - I am using fresh noodles, which can be found in some Asian markets. You can also use dried wide rice noodles or Pad Thai noodles instead. Just cook it beforehand according to the instructions on the package.
- Chinese broccoli - Also known as kai lan. They can be substituted with broccolini or bok choy. Cut them into 2-inch pieces, separating the leaves from the stem.
- Oyster sauce - Use vegetarian oyster sauce to keep this recipe vegan.
- I am using the 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.
🔪How to make
Make the stir-fry sauce by combining dark and regular soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar.
Crumble up your tofu, then add nutritional yeast and salt. Stir to mix.
Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a cast iron wok, and add tofu. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until they are hot. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add another ½ tablespoon of oil to the wok. Once the oil is heated, add garlic and fry for a minute. Next, add the stems of Chinese broccoli, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Then, add Chinese broccoli leaves, and cook until they are wilted.
Raise the heat to high, then add noodles along with stir-fry sauce. Toss until the noodles are well coated.
Spread noodles around the wok, and leave them for 10-15 seconds without tossing them. Repeat this several times until the noodles are slightly caramelized and charred.
Remove from heat, and stir in scrambled tofu. Give it a taste, adding more soy sauce if needed. Your vegan pad see ew is ready to be served!
✔Helpful tips
- If using fresh noodles, you will need to separate the strands before using them. You can easily do so by submerging the noodles in warm water and gently loosening them using a fork or a pair of chopsticks.
- It is highly recommended you use a large enough wok, preferably a cast iron wok, to make this recipe. A large non-stick or cast iron skillet will work too.
- Do prep all ingredients before starting the cooking process. Stir-frying noodles is a relatively quick process and requires constant stirring.
- Be careful not to fry the noodles for too long, as they tend to clump together if overcooked.
- This vegan pad see ew is best enjoyed fresh, but you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You might need to add a splash of water to loosen the noodles when reheating.
❔Commonly asked questions
Pad see ew is one of the rare Thai dishes that is not spicy. Hence, it is kid-friendly and great for those with low spice tolerance. However, if you love spice, you can serve them with a side of sambal oelek, or top it with some sriracha.
Thick fresh rice noodles, also known as sen yai, are commonly used to make pad see ew. Hence, the noodles are naturally gluten-free. However, as soy sauce and other condiments used might contain gluten, this dish might not be suitable for those who are intolerant or sensitive to gluten.
The main difference between pad see ew and pad Thai is the noodles used. Pad thai noodles are much thinner than the former. Their flavor profile is also quite different too. Pad see ew is savory and umami, while pad Thai has more tang due to the addition of tamarind paste.
More vegan Asian dinners
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Pad See Ew
Equipment
- cast iron wok or a large skillet
Ingredients
For noodles
- 16 oz fresh rice noodles or 7 oz dried
- 4-6 stalks Chinese broccoli or broccolini
- 3 cloves garlic minced
For the sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce *
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar (or any other granulated sweetener)
For scrambled tofu
- 7 oz extra firm tofu or firm tofu (about ½ block)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch of black salt or regular salt
Instructions
Preparing noodles
- Fresh noodles - separate the strands before using them. You can easily do so by submerging the noodles in warm water and gently loosening them using a fork or a pair of chopsticks.Dried noodles - cook them according to the instructions on the package. Drain and rinse them under cold water, and set aside for later use.16 oz fresh rice noodles
Cutting Chinese broccoli
- Cut Chinese broccoli into 2 inches pieces, separating stems from leaves.4-6 stalks Chinese broccoli
Making pad see ew
- Make the stir-fry sauce by combining all ingredients needed.1 ½ tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce, 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- Crumble up your tofu either using your hands or a fork, then add nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Stir to mix.7 oz extra firm tofu, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, pinch of black salt
- Heat up ½ tablespoon of oil in a cast iron wok over medium-high heat and add tofu. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they are hot. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add another ½ tablespoon of oil to the wok. Once oil is heated, add garlic and fry for a minute. Next, add the stems of Chinese broccoli, and cook for 2-3 minutes.3 cloves garlic
- Then, add the leaves of Chinese broccoli, and cook until they are wilted.
- Raise the heat to high, then add noodles along with stir-fry sauce. Toss until the noodles are well coated.
- Optional: To create charred noodles, spread noodles around the wok, and leave them for 10-15 seconds without tossing them. Repeat this several times until the noodles are slightly caramelized and charred.
- Remove from heat, and stir in scrambled tofu. Give it a taste, addingmore soy sauce if needed. Your vegan pad see ew is ready to be served!
Notes
- I am using the 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.
- It is highly recommended you use a large enough wok, preferably a cast iron wok, to make this recipe. A large non-stick or cast iron skillet will work too.
- Do prep all ingredients before starting the cooking process. Stir-frying noodles is a relatively quick process and requires constant stirring.
- Be careful not to fry the noodles for too long, as they tend to clump together if overcooked.
- This vegan pad see ew is best enjoyed fresh, but you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You might need to add a splash of water to loosen the noodles when reheating.
Nutrition
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.
CAROL
1524mg sodium per serving!! YIKES. That's more than 3 times my allotment per meal! How would you suggest getting that down to 450mg sodium per serving?
Meesha
You can use low sodium soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce. And a reminder that the nutritional info is just a rough estimate.😊
M
And why would you add salt to the recipe? Use less soy sauce and skip the salt.