Easy Vegan Pad Thai

 Prep time    15 minutes  

Cook time   20 minutes    

Yield               4 servings

 Ingredients

     Noodles and Tofu Scramble 

• 8 ounces Pad Thai rice noodles (or flat brown rice noodles)
• 1 onion, medium diced
• 8 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• sea salt to taste

     Sauce

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium tamari
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

     Veggies 

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned (or shredded)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage (I like to use the coleslaw blends)
• 6-8 green onions, sliced

     Toppings

• ½ cup chopped peanuts
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

 Kitchen Tools 

• One large skillet
• One large pot
• One large mixing bowl
• High-speed blender
• Wooden spoons and spatulas
• Large spoons and forks
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Chef knife
• Cutting board

‍ Instructions

1. Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and set aside. 
2. Tofu Scramble:  In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onion until tender. Use water to deglaze the pan as necessary.  Add the crumbled tofu and turmeric and using a spatula, combine until the turmeric is evenly distributed and the scrambled tofu becomes a bright yellow color.  Remove from pan and set aside.  *(You can also use a dash of black salt here to create an egg flavor.) 
3. Sauce:  Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.
4. Veggies:  Using the same skillet, add the carrots, red bell pepper, shredded cabbage, and green onions and cook over medium-high heat adding water to prevent sticking.
5. Add the Pad Thai sauce and continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
6. In a large serving bowl, toss the pasta and vegetables together. Garnish with the peanuts, mung sprouts, and cilantro and serve with the lime wedges, if desired. 

Tips & Tricks  

• Don’t hesitate to try different veggies in this dish.  I like a variety of colors but you can choose your own favorites. 
• You can also skip the scrambled tofu and substitute baked tofu chunks or leave it out altogether.  
• Tamarind paste (a sticky sour fruit paste) can be found in the Asian section of most large supermarkets; Whole Foods Market carries this product as well.  But if you can’t find it you can substitute with:
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup + 1 teaspoon lime juice  
• 2 teaspoon pomegranate molasses. 
• 2 teaspoon marmalade

 Easy Vegan Pad Thai Grocery List

    Produce 

• 8 ounces extra firm tofu
• 3 medium carrots
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 4-6 green onions
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (or ginger paste)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 limes

     Grains, Pasta, Nuts & Seeds 

• 8 ounces Pad Thai Rice Noodles (or flat brown rice noodles such as linguini or fettuccini) 
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts

     Condiments and Sauces 

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoon low sodium tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
• 2 teaspoon tamarind paste (for substitutions see recipe “Tips & Tricks”)
• 1 teaspoon sriracha

     Baking & Spices 

• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

     Canned and Jarred Goods   

• 1 tablespoon tahini