This peanut butter pad thai is a creamy plant-based twist on traditional pad thai. Loaded with tofu and veggies for a hearty and nutritious meal.
Pad thai has become a very popular dish in the West, which is no wonder because it’s absolutely delicious! How can you go wrong with noodles, veg, protein, and a sweet tangy sauce?
Before we get into the recipe, let me admit: this is not an authentic pad thai recipe. I’m not familiar with Thai cooking, I just enjoy Thai cuisine and this is a riff on pad thai. (Authentic pad thai is also not vegan – it uses fish sauce.) So don’t expect this to taste exactly like pad thai. But I’ve been making this peanut butter “pad thai” for well over a year now and my boyfriend and I love it! Packed with fiber and nutrients from the veggies, protein from the tofu and peanuts, and carbs from the rice noodles, this vegan peanut butter pad thai is delicious, filling, and nutritious.
Pad Thai FAQ
Can I make it without tamarind paste?
Tamarind will impart the best flavor, but you can use rice vinegar or a mix of rice vinegar and lime juice.
Can I make it without peanut butter?
I love adding peanut butter to make the sauce a little bit creamy, plus peanuts pair really well with pad thai. But you can also use almond butter or sunflower seed butter. You could leave out the nut/seed butter completely, but I find it more satiating and satisfying with it.
Tips for Success
Adjust/scale sauce to your taste ⟶ I prefer lightly sauced dishes (so I can taste the other ingredients not just the sauce), but feel free to scale the sauce ingredients up or add more soy sauce/tamarind/sweetener to suit your tastes.
Use medium firm tofu ⟶ I used to always use firm or extra firm tofu for stir fries, but I always found them to be a little too dry. Medium firm tofu is my new favorite! It crisps up beautifully on the outside when fried but still retains a chewy, bouncy texture inside. You can find medium firm tofu at Japanese markets, or in your regular grocery store if you’re lucky (I shop at Sprouts a lot but they only have firm and extra firm tofu😢).
Replace soy sauce with vegan fish sauce ⟶ If you happen to have vegan fish sauce, you can swap that in place of soy sauce (but adjust amount to taste since vegan fish sauce can be more/less salty than soy sauce depending on the brand). For reference, soy sauce typically has about 800-1000 mg sodium per tablespoon.
More Tasty Noodle Dishes!
- One Pot Spicy Miso Ramen
- Vegan Curry Udon
- Spicy Edamame Noodles
- Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Soy Lime Tofu
If you try out this peanut butter pad thai, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Peanut Butter Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 8 oz rice noodles
- 16 oz medium firm or firm tofu, drained
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1-2 carrots, julienned
- 8 oz bean sprouts
Sauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2-3 tbsp
tamarind paste* - 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 2-3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp ground dried shiitake mushrooms**, optional
- ¼ cup water
Garnishes
- ¼ cup crushed peanuts
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Soak rice noodles in hot water for 10-20 minutes until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- Meanwhile, mix together sauce ingredients (starting with 2 tbsp tamarind and sugar). Taste and add more tamarind or sugar as desired. Add water as needed to thin. Set aside.
- Cut tofu into cubes and pat dry with a towel. Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in a large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add tofu and cook undisturbed for a couple minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining oil to wok, then add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add cabbage and carrots and cook until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes.
- Add bean sprouts, noodles, tofu, and sauce. Cook for another minute, tossing well to combine all the ingredients.
- Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, green onions, and lime juice.
**Notes
*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but the price remains the same to you. Thank you for supporting Ellie Likes Cooking!
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