Gluten Free
Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu (Better-Than-Takeout!) 🍜
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
20 minutes
Yield
4 -6 servings
🍜 Skip the takeout! This easy vegetarian pad thai with crispy tofu rivals any restaurant version - ready in 40 minutes with fresh veggies, a perfectly balanced sweet-tangy sauce, and customizable spice levels. Plus, it's simple to make vegan!
If there is one meal I feel like I never get sick of, it’s pad thai. It is such a comforting, delicious dish that reminds me of my travels through Thailand years ago when I would enjoy all their amazing street food. This easy vegetarian pad thai recipe is filling and a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Easy Pad Thai Recipe
- Easy: It’s in its name – this recipe is easy! It’ll only take 40-minutes to make.
- Flavorful: I love the fresh veggies, tofu, and the peanuts on top – seriously, pad thai is so good.
- Versatile: Add in meat, or different veggies or herbs you have on hand.
- Customizable: Adjust the spice level and ingredients to make it perfectly yours.
🍲 Ingredients
Tofu – Made from condensed soy milk that’s pressed into solid white blocks, tofu is a fantastic plant-based substitute in this vegetarian pad thai. It’s high in protein and contains all the essential amino acids that your body needs, making this dish satisfying and nutritious. The smoked tofu version adds extra depth of flavor.
Tamari – This Japanese form of soy sauce is formed as a byproduct of the production of miso paste. It contains no added wheat and is made with a higher volume of soybeans than regular soy sauce, making it perfect for this vegetarian pad thai noodles recipe and an excellent gluten-free option.
👩🍳 How to Make This Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai Recipe
- Preheat the Ninja Foodi grill or large skillet, then add the sesame oil.
- Cook the rice noodles and set them aside.
- Add the cubed tofu to one half of the grill, and the onion + garlic on the other side.
- Cook the tofu for 3-4 minutes on each side, then remove from the heat.
- Stir the onions and garlic, allowing them to become soft, translucent, and begin to golden.
- Thinly slice the red pepper, carrot, and green onion, being about 2-2½ inches in length.
- Add to the grill with the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
- Add the bean sprouts to the cooking veggies, mix together and push to the side to make room for the eggs.
- Crack the eggs on the side of the grill, cook, and scramble, while cooking the veggies on the other side. This will be another 5-8 minutes.
- Once the veggies are golden and the eggs are cooked, combine the ingredients together on the grill and cook.
- Pour the maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, tamari, and sambal over top and mix together.
- Add the smoked tofu, cooked rice noodles, and half of the chopped peanuts.
- Mix until combined.
- Add the roughly chopped fresh basil, cilantro, and the second half of the peanuts.
- Squeeze the fresh lime juice overtop, serve immediately, and ENJOY!
🧩 Troubleshooting
- Noodles Breaking: You’re cooking them too long or over-tossing. Be gentle when mixing.
- Sauce Too Thin: Simmer for 1-2 minutes or add more sugar or maple syrup.
- Too Salty: Add a splash of water and extra lime juice to balance.
- Too Sweet: Add extra tamari or rice wine vinegar to cut the sweetness.
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Noodles: Rinse under cold water after cooking and toss with a tiny bit of oil to prevent clumping.
- Tofu: Cook until crispy edges form and tofu becomes golden for the best texture.
- Vegetables: Bell peppers, carrots, bok choy, snow peas, and bean sprouts all work beautifully.
- Balance: The sauce should have a sweet-salty-tangy balance – adjust to your taste.
🗒 Substitutions
- Protein Options: Swap tofu for crispy chickpeas, edamame, or increase tofu amount for vegan version.
- Vegetables: Add any vegetables you desire – this is a customizable pad thai.
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari and gluten-free rice noodles for a completely gluten-free vegetarian pad thai.
- Spice Level: Add more sambal or sriracha for spicier pad thai, or reduce for milder version.
🌱 Vegan Option
To make this vegetarian pad thai fully vegan, simply omit the eggs or swap for your favorite egg replacement! You can increase the tofu amount or add other plant-based proteins like crispy chickpeas.
🍽️ Best served with
- Thai Inspired Mango Salad
- Dumpling Soup
- Gut Friendly Thai Noodle Soup (Thai Inspired)
- Healthy Air Fryer Shrimp Bowl
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store the vegetarian pad thai in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for 5-6 days. To reheat, add a splash of water or lime juice in a skillet to revive the noodles and prevent drying out. This dish is not freezer-friendly as the texture will suffer.
🤔 Common Questions
This vegetarian pad thai uses tofu as the protein and tamari instead of fish sauce (which is in traditional pad thai). To make it fully vegan, simply omit the eggs or use a plant-based egg replacement. You can also increase the amount of tofu or add other proteins like crispy chickpeas.
Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions, then immediately rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking. Toss with a small amount of oil to prevent clumping. Don’t overcook them initially, as they’ll continue to soften when you add them to the hot pan with the sauce.
Absolutely! You can add extra vegetables like bell peppers, bok choy, snow peas, or mushrooms. For protein alternatives, try crispy chickpeas, edamame, or tempeh. The cooking method remains the same – just crisp them up before adding to the vegetarian pad thai noodles.
For milder pad thai, reduce or omit the sambal. For spicier vegetarian pad thai, add extra sambal, sriracha, or red chili flakes. Start with less and add more to taste as you can always increase heat but can’t remove it.
The best vegetables for this easy vegetarian pad thai recipe include red peppers, carrots, green onions, bean sprouts, bok choy, and snow peas. Cut them into similar 2-2½ inch lengths for even cooking. Fresh basil and cilantro added at the end provide essential authentic flavor.
Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 5-6 days. To reheat without drying out, add a splash of water or fresh lime juice to a skillet and gently warm the vegetarian pad thai over medium heat, tossing frequently. Avoid microwaving if possible as it can make the noodles rubbery.
Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai with Tofu (Better-Than-Takeout!) 🍜
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 6 – 8 oz smoked tofu or tempeh cubed
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 large carrot
- 3 sprigs green onion
- 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp. tamari
- 1 tbsp. sambal
- ⅓ cup chopped peanuts
- ¼ cup fresh basil roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- Juice of one lime
- 6 – 8 oz rice noodles
Instructions
- Preheat the Ninja Foodi grill or large skillet, then add the sesame oil.
- Cook the rice noodles and set them aside.
- Add the cubed tofu to one half of the grill, and the onion + garlic on the other side.
- Cook the tofu for 3 – 4 minutes on each side, then remove from the heat.
- Stir the onions and garlic, allowing them to become soft, translucent, and begin to golden.
- Thinly slice the red pepper, carrot, and green onion, being about 2- 2 ½ inches in length.
- Add to the grill with the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
- Add the bean sprouts to the cooking veggies, mix together and push to the side to make room for the eggs.
- Crack the eggs on the side of the grill, cook, and scramble, while cooking the veggies on the other side. This will be another 5 – 8 minutes.
- Once the veggies are golden and the eggs are cooked, combine the ingredients together on the grill and cook.
- Pour the maple syrup, rice wine vinegar, tamari, and sambal over top and mix together.
- Add the smoked tofu, cooked rice noodles, and half of the chopped peanuts.
- Mix until combined.
- Add the roughly chopped fresh basil, cilantro, and the second half of the peanuts.
- Squeeze the fresh lime juice overtop, serve immediately, and ENJOY!
I literally just made this, took the first bite and it is INCREDIBLE! I had to write something right away. Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!