Veggie Pad Thai Recipe [20 Minutes]

What is tamarind puree?

You probably noticed an odd ingredient on the list: tamarind puree. I wanted to make a note of that as this ingredient shouldn’t be left out. Traditional Pad Thai recipes always use tamarind puree or paste. Many Americanized versions skip this and use ingredients like ketchup instead. While I totally understand it can be hard to come by, trust me when I say this veggie pad thai recipe with tamarind puree is sooooooo much better.

You can buy it at most Asian grocery stores and even Whole Foods has it! You can also order it online here. Sometimes it comes as a brick of tamarind paste rather than a puree. If that’s the case, Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the paste and mix with 1/4 cup of hot water. Use this in place of the 2 tablespoons of puree this vegetarian pad thai recipe calls for. It also keeps for a long time, so you can make this recipe many times. I promise you it will make the difference!

How to Customize This Vegetarian Pad Thai:

Vegetables – You’ll see that this vegetarian pad thai recipe calls for it 4 cups of vegetables. I left this open to adjustments because I really love making this recipe when I want to consume veggies around the house.

I’ve probably made it with pretty much every type of veg, but if you’re looking for inspiration, here are a few ideas:

• broccoli florets
• carrot
• Red pepper
• broccoli
• bok choy
• cauliflower
• bean sprouts

protein – I also sometimes add extra firm tofu or chicken to this recipe. This adds to the time so most of the time I just use eggs but can pan fry chicken or tofu or use leftovers and add straight to the recipe. Shrimp are great too!

sauce – A few other swaps you can make: tamari or even coconut aminos for soy sauce, brown sugar for coconut palm sugar and you have a few different options for oils, although personally I prefer sesame oil.

garnish – When it comes to toppings, there are no limits! Crushed peanuts give it a more authentic feel, but you can also add scallions, fresh cilantro, extra lime juice/lime wedges, or red pepper flakes for a tangy kick.

Most importantly, get creative and have fun! Let your time in the kitchen be pleasant and not stressful. Trust me it will change your life.

Is this Veggie Pad Thai vegetarian?

Technically no, because it contains fish sauce, but you can skip the fish sauce or use a vegan fish sauce to keep this Pad Thai recipe vegetarian. To make this recipe vegan, you would need to use vegan fish sauce AND omit the eggs. It won’t have that true authentic taste, but it will still be delicious!

More Easy Dinner Recipes:

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Veggie Pad Thai

Get the flavor of your favorite Thai dish with a veggie twist in this easy veggie pad thai recipe. It’s ready in just 20 minutes and gives you that extra portion of veggies you need for a filling and flavorful dinner.

• Author: David Lederle
• Preparation time: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 portions 1X
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Cook
• Kitchen: Thai
• Diet: vegetarian

For the sauce:

For the noodles:

• 8 ounces rice noodles
• 2 tbsp Sesame oil or peanut oil (can use coconut oil or olive oil if you don’t have any)
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 2 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 cups Vegetables (broccoli, peppers, broccolini, bok choy etc…)
• 4 Big Eggs

optional toppings: Spring onions, crushed peanuts, coriander, chilli flakes etc..

1. Heat water in a medium saucepan and cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
3. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add sesame oil (or whatever oil you use). Add onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and vegetables of your choice and cook for another 5 minutes. If the veggies are still a bit tough, place them on the pan and let them steam for a few minutes until cooked through.
4. Push the vegetables to the edge of the pan and crack the eggs straight into the pan. Stir to stir and cook for 2 minutes or until fully cooked through.
5. Combine egg with vegetables and add rice noodles.
6. Top up with sauce until completely covered. Cook in the sauce over low heat for about 3 minutes or until the pasta has absorbed most of the sauce.
7. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.

*Note: Sometimes tamarind comes in a paste block. If this is the case, use 1 Tbsp of the paste and mix it in 1/4 cup of hot water.

Keywords: Vegetarian Pad Thai, Vegetable Pad Thai, Veggie Pad Thai