Plant-Based Pad Thai
Pad Thai is one of the ultimate fast and delicious meals. It's a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. My version has loads of crunchy vegetables, chewy brown rice noodles, and savory tofu.
Ingredients
Teriyaki Tofu Marinade - Prepare and marinate for a minimum of 4 hours, overnight is ideal.
1/3 cup low-sodium tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos
3 tablespoons 100% maple syrup
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, I prefer black sesame seeds
8 ounces super-firm tofu, cubed
Pad Thai Sauce
3 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon tamarind puree or ketchup with no added high fructose corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek chili sauce or hot sauce - more or less depending on how hot you like it
Noodles
8 ounces pad Thai-style brown rice noodles
1 cup onion, sliced in half-moons
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup julienned carrots
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
3 green onions, chopped
1-2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
avocado, sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts
1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
Drain and lightly press the tofu to remove the water, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
Prepare the Teriyaki Marinade by mixing together all ingredients from the tamari through the sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Add cubed tofu to the marinade and give it a good stir. Let tofu marinate for a minimum of 4 hours but is best when it’s marinated overnight.
Make the pad thai sauce in a small bowl by whisking together the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, tamarind puree, and chili sauce. Set aside.
Prepare the noodles by bringing a large pot of water to a boil, add the pad Thai noodles, and cook according to the package directions. Aim to cook the noodles as you cook the vegetables.
In a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, cooks the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. If the pan gets dry, add a tablespoon of water. Add the garlic and continue stirring for another minute or two. Remove the cubed tofu from the marinade and add it along with the carrots, red pepper, purple cabbage, and green onions to the pan and saute until tender-crisp. Again, feel free to add a tablespoon of water if the pan gets too dry.
Drain the noodles. When the vegetables are tender but still a bit crisp and bright in color, add the noodles to the pan along with the pad thai sauce. Mix and toss everything together.
Serve on a platter with a heaping of bean sprouts, followed by the pad thai mixture and topped with cilantro, avocado, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges.
***Adapted from Be A Plant-Based Woman Warriorr cookbook.
