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
Vegan Pad Thai
This vegan version of Pad Thai cooks up in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for weeknight dinners. It tastes even better the next day too.
Ingredients
- 1 Box Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles
- 1 White Onion (1 cup diced)
- 2 cloves Garlic (or 1 tbsp minced garlic)
- 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)
Instructions
- Cook Brown Rice Pad Thai noodles according to package directions.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 the veggies are the desired texture.
- In a small bowl, mix together tamari and peanut butter until well mixed. It takes a few minutes of stirring. Set aside.
- Once noodles are done, drain the water and return to original pan. Pour the sauce in and stir it into the noodles. Sometimes I'll add extra tamari too.
- Pour saucy noodles into the tender-crisp veggies and mix well. Add hot sauce if desired.
Notes
- Gluten-Free: Tamari and Brown Rice Noodles are already gluten-free, but make sure any substitutes are also gluten-free if needed.
- If Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles aren't available, Stir Fry Noodles are a good substitute.
- Package sizes vary, I've used 8 ounce packages and 14 ounce packages of noodles with similar results.
- 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 veggies in the freezer so I can make this quickly.
- More Protein: Add a can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed) when you add the noodles. You can also add baked or sautéed tofu.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The recipe is a bit confusing. A ‘box of pad thai noodles’ can come in many sizes! In the same way as the rest of the recipe describes measurements, we should be given how many grams of pad thai noodles.
Hi Meredith, I’m sorry it was confusing. I always just bought whatever box I could find but in looking back over my purchases, the boxes ranged from 8 ounces to 14 ounces. I know we don’t all have the same products available but if you can find something in that range it should work. A box of the noodles I’ve used multiple times is also linked in the recipe card.