Archives for April 2021

Put dinner on the table that is packed with a rainbow of vegetables in under 30 minutes. This Vegan Pad Thai recipe tastes even better the next day too!

Homemade Pad Thai can be intimidating with its complex flavors and long list of ingredients, but I have some time-saving tips to cook this dish in a jiffy.

For starters, you don’t have to use all fresh vegetables. Frozen is totally fine here if you want to skip washing and chopping.

Wok or Pan?

Grab a pan with a lid! A wok provides a large surface area for food to cook at various temperatures. That’s great for developing flavors over time, but I have homework to supervise and bedtime routines to enforce.

When you make Pad Thai in a pan, you can cover it with a lid to expedite the cooking process. It will bring your veggies to tender-crisp in no time!

Vegan Pad Thai Sauce

Traditional Pad Thai sauce includes a handful of various sauces and spices. In my speedy, vegan version, I simply combine Peanut Butter and Tamari (or Braggs Liquid Aminos) for the sauce.

If you don’t do Peanut Butter, feel free to substitute with Sunflower Seed Butter.

It takes a few minutes to combine the two, but it can be done while the noodles and veggies are cooking.

Sometimes I add more Tamari at the end for taste and hot sauce for an added kick. You won’t miss any Pad Thai flavors with this method!

Is Pad Thai Gluten Free?

Yes, my version of a Vegan Pad Thai is gluten free. The Brown Rice Noodles and Tamari are free of gluten, but make sure you choose any substitutions carefully to meet your dietary needs.

I also have tips for making this soy-free or adding vegan protein. Check out the dietary notes following the recipe for ways to make a Pad Thai that is uniquely yours.

Vegan Pad Thai Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 box Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles (package sizes vary, I’ve used 8 oz to 14 oz)
• 1 White Onion (1 cup diced)
• 2 cloves Garlic (or 1 tbsp minced)
• 1/4 cup Water (as needed for water sauté)
• 2 Carrot (sliced)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper (diced)
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (diced)
• 1 cup Broccoli (chopped into florets)
• 1 cup Shredded Red Cabbage
• 1/2 cup Frozen Shelled Edamame
• 1 Lime (sliced into wedges)
• 1/4 cup Peanut Butter
• 1/4 cup Tamari (or Braggs Liquid Aminos)
• 1 tsp Hot Sauce (optional)

Step 1 – Cook Noodles

Cook the Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles according to package directions.

Step 2 – Sauté Onions and Garlic

Add diced onions and garlic to a hot skillet. Cook for a few minutes until onions start to turn translucent. Add small amounts of water as needed to water sauté. Cover with a lid.

Step 3 – Cook Carrots and Peppers

Pour carrots and bell peppers into the skillet with the onions and garlic. Stir occasionally and add water if they start to stick. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Cover with a lid.

Step 4 – Add More Veggies

Add the rest of the veggies and stir. If needed, pour in a little more water. Cover with a lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes until all veggies are the desired texture.

Step 5 – Mix Sauce Together

In a small bowl, mix together tamari and peanut butter until well mixed. It takes a few minutes of stirring. Set aside.

Step 6 – Drain Noodles

Once the noodles are done, drain the water and return them to the original pan. Pour the sauce in and stir it into the noodles. Sometimes I’ll add extra tamari too.

Step 7 – Add Noodles to Veggies

Pour saucy noodles into the tender-crisp veggies and mix well. Add hot sauce if desired.

Dietary Notes

Gluten-Free: Tamari and Brown Rice Noodles are already gluten-free, but make sure any substitutes you use are also gluten-free if needed.

Soy-Free: Substitute coconut aminos for the soy sauce to make this dish soy-free.

Peanut-Free: Substitute sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter to make this dish peanut free.

Veggies: Fresh or frozen veggies can be used. I always keep a bag of stir fry vegies in the freezer, so I can make this quickly.

Protein: If you’d like more protein, add a can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) when you add the noodles. You can also add baked or sautéed tofu.

More Plant-Based Dinner Ideas

• Vegan Sushi Bowl
• Plant-Based Taco Bar
• Vegetable Spaghetti
• Vegan Bolognese Pasta with Lentils
• Vegan Burgers

Can you eat sushi on a plant-based diet? Yes, but I have an even better idea – sushi bowls!

When you roll sushi, you are limited by what will fit into a sushi roll. When you make a sushi bowl, you can add as much as you want! Just cut up Nori to get that seafood flavor.

Nori Seaweed Sheets

Nori is a seaweed that is grown, cleaned and processed in natural sea water. It is considered a super food because it packs a hefty amount of vitamins, minerals and amino acid.

Traditional sushi rolls are typically made with nori seaweed sheets. They hold all the rice and added ingredients together.

For a sushi bowl, cut up the nori sheets into bite-sized strips with scissors. Its addition is what takes the dish from a rice bowl to a sushi bowl. Nori also adds texture, along with a salty-sweet flavor.

Is Nori Seaweed Vegan?

Yes! Nori seaweed sheets are vegan. The seaweed is a plant derived from red algae that grows in the seas of Japan and China.

It is processed much like paper where the seaweed is first dried. Then water is added back, and the nori is dried again in thin sheets for packaging.

Easy Vegan Sushi Recipe

Rolling sushi takes practice and can be time consuming. I have several tricks to make vegan sushi bowls quick and easy.

The basis of any sushi is rice. You know I love my Instant Pot, so this one is a no-brainer. Letting the pressure cooker take care of the rice frees up time to prepare the veggies.

All the veggies in this dish are raw. It couldn’t be easier. Just cut them up, and they are ready to go in the sushi bowl.

This is a fun recipe to make for a family or crowd because each person can build their own bowl. Place each veggie in it’s own container, buffet style, so everyone can see what is available and choose what they want. You can’t go wrong!

How to Make Vegan Sushi Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 cup Brown Rice (or rice of your choice)
• 2 cups Water
• 2 tsps Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Cane Sugar (optional)
• 1 Cucumber (diced)
• 1 Avocado (diced)
• 1 Carrot (cut into matchsticks)
• 4 Nori Sheets
• 1/4 cup Tamari
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1/4 cup Cilantro
• 1 Mango (diced)
• 1/2 cup Frozen Shelled Edamame (defrost to serve)
• 1/2 cup Shredded Red Cabbage

Step 1 – Pressure Cook Rice

Add rice and water to your Instant Pot. Seal and cook on manual (pressure cook) for 22 minutes.

Allow pressure to release naturally when done. Stir in rice wine vinegar and sugar, then set aside.

Step 2 – Prepare Veggies

Prepare all the veggies by dicing and placing in bowls (buffet style). Use scissors to cut Nori into strips.

Step 3 – Assemble Bowls

Scoop the rice into bowls and top with your favorite prepared veggies. Pour Tamari over the bowl, or serve it on the side. Enjoy.

Notes

You can use any rice you prefer. Brown rice is a great whole grain option, but Jasmin Rice is delicious too.

We use Tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos because they are gluten-free. You can use soy sauce or other sauces you prefer.

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftover veggies individually in air tight containers. You can make a bowl in the morning and take it to work for lunch, but I wouldn’t let it sit longer than that with everything together.

More Plant-Based Bowl Recipes

• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl
• Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl
• Smoothie Bowl