Pad Thai was invented in 1938 as Thailand's national dish propaganda campaign—tamarind paste creates that signature tangy-sweet flavor balance.
Vegan Pad Thai
Dive into a bowl of my all-time favorite comfort food: Vegan Pad Thai! This vibrant dish features stir-fried rice noodles tossed with crispy tofu, crunchy bean sprouts, and a zesty tamarind sauce that will tantalize your taste buds. Whip it up in no time and savor the delicious flavors of Thailand right in your own kitchen!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1 red bell pepper (optional)optional
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- spring onions
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 200g tofu (7.06 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (15 ml)
- 200g rice noodles (7.06 oz)
- 3 tbsp sugar (45 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (45 ml)
📦Other(2)
- a handful of bean sprouts
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste (45 ml)look for it in your local Asian store
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse.
- 2
Tear the tofu into pieces, dust with cornstarch, and fry in oil until brown.
- 3
Sauté the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper (if using) for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the soaked rice noodles to the pan.
- 5
Add a handful of bean sprouts and spring onions to the pan.
- 6
Mix in the soy sauce, sugar, and tamarind paste. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to allow the noodles to absorb the sauce.
- 7
Serve with crushed peanuts and lime.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak rice noodles in 140-150°F water rather than cold water to achieve optimal texture without overcooking - the starches gelatinize gradually at this temperature range.technique140-150°F
- ✓Dust tofu with cornstarch at a 3:1 ratio (tofu to cornstarch by weight) and let sit for 2-3 minutes before frying to create maximum surface area for Maillard browning.technique3:1 ratio, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Add bean sprouts only in the final 30-45 seconds of cooking to maintain their crisp texture and prevent vitamin C degradation from heat exposure.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Balance your sauce with a 2:1:1 ratio of soy sauce to sugar to tamarind paste, as tamarind's tartaric acid content provides the authentic tang that vinegar cannot replicate.ingredient2:1:1 ratio
- ✓Cook the final noodle-sauce mixture at exactly medium heat (325-350°F pan surface) to allow proper starch gelatinization without breaking the delicate rice noodles.equipment325-350°F
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Pad Thai was invented in 1938 as Thailand's national dish propaganda campaign—tamarind paste creates that signature tangy-sweet flavor balance.
Vegan Pad Thai
Dive into a bowl of my all-time favorite comfort food: Vegan Pad Thai! This vibrant dish features stir-fried rice noodles tossed with crispy tofu, crunchy bean sprouts, and a zesty tamarind sauce that will tantalize your taste buds. Whip it up in no time and savor the delicious flavors of Thailand right in your own kitchen!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 1 red bell pepper (optional)optional
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion
- spring onions
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 200g tofu (7.06 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (15 ml)
- 200g rice noodles (7.06 oz)
- 3 tbsp sugar (45 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (45 ml)
📦Other(2)
- a handful of bean sprouts
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste (45 ml)look for it in your local Asian store
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse.
- 2
Tear the tofu into pieces, dust with cornstarch, and fry in oil until brown.
- 3
Sauté the onion, garlic, and red bell pepper (if using) for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the soaked rice noodles to the pan.
- 5
Add a handful of bean sprouts and spring onions to the pan.
- 6
Mix in the soy sauce, sugar, and tamarind paste. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to allow the noodles to absorb the sauce.
- 7
Serve with crushed peanuts and lime.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Soak rice noodles in 140-150°F water rather than cold water to achieve optimal texture without overcooking - the starches gelatinize gradually at this temperature range.technique140-150°F
- ✓Dust tofu with cornstarch at a 3:1 ratio (tofu to cornstarch by weight) and let sit for 2-3 minutes before frying to create maximum surface area for Maillard browning.technique3:1 ratio, 2-3 minutes
- ✓Add bean sprouts only in the final 30-45 seconds of cooking to maintain their crisp texture and prevent vitamin C degradation from heat exposure.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Balance your sauce with a 2:1:1 ratio of soy sauce to sugar to tamarind paste, as tamarind's tartaric acid content provides the authentic tang that vinegar cannot replicate.ingredient2:1:1 ratio
- ✓Cook the final noodle-sauce mixture at exactly medium heat (325-350°F pan surface) to allow proper starch gelatinization without breaking the delicate rice noodles.equipment325-350°F