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Easy Vegan Pad Thai with Summer Squash

Brown rice pad Thai noodles with summer squash, bell pepper and tofu scrambled "eggs" make a tasty, seasonal vegan alternative to the classic Pad Thai recipe!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai, Vegan
Keyword tofu, vegan, vegan tofu recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 430 kcal
Author Denisse

Ingredients

For the vegan eggs:

  • 6 ounces firm tofu
  • 1/2 cup aquafaba canned chickpea brine
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric for color
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the pad Thai:

  • 8 ounces Annie Chun Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles
  • 5 tablespoons tamarind sauce
  • 1 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce or more soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 Thai chili finely sliced
  • 1 zucchini sliced
  • 1 yellow squash sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup roasted & unsalted peanuts chopped
  • ½ cup sprouts
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. In a high-speed blender, combine the tofu, aquafaba, olive oil, nutritional yeast, turmeric, and black pepper . Blend on high for 1 minute or until completely smooth.
  2. Grease a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, slowly pour in the tofu mixture. Cook for 1 minute, then cover and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture begins to set around the edges. Remove the lid and use a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula to fold the mixture, forming soft curds. Continue to cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, gently folding the mixture regularly until it takes on a soft-scrambled texture.
  3. Boil rice noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
  4. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
  5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add green onions, garlic and chili. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to a separate plate. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet. Add zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes.
  6. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and pour the sauce into the pan. Add the noodles and spring onions, chili, garlic, tofu eggs and vegetables back to the wok. Mix everything well and cook for another minute or two to let everything warm up.
  7. Divide between plates and top with sprouts and crushed peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe Notes

  • Be careful not to overcook the noodles when boiling; since they will cook a bit more when added to the skillet with the sauce and vegetables, it's best to actually undercook them the first time by a minute or so.

  • Tamarind paste adds an authentic, tangy flavor to the pad Thai sauce, but if you can't find it, feel free to substitute with coconut aminos or additional soy sauce.

  • Similarly, I love using coconut sugar in this easy vegan pad Thai, but have also used brown sugar and it works just as well.