This vegan Pad Thai with crispy tofu and vegetables makes the perfect weeknight dinner! It’s super easy to make, packed with flavor, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes. You will never want to eat take-out again! 

I absolutely love Thai food! I still love to remember our trips to Thailand during which we ate vegetable Pad Thai right at the beach! So of course I also needed a vegan version of the Thai classic I could make at home. And it turned out sooo delicious! The best part is the super crispy oven-baked tofu and the flavorful sauce! 

Is Pad Thai Vegan?

No, pad Thai is usually not vegan. It is often stir-fried with eggs and the sauce contains fish sauce and dried shrimps. However, it’s definitely possible to order vegan Pad Thai. Just ask the cook to make it without eggs and fish sauce.

Many restaurants can easily replace the fish sauce with soy sauce for a vegan version of of Pad Thai without affecting the taste of the dish too much.

And of course you can always make your own vegan Pad Thai at home! 

What You Need For This Vegan Pad Thai Recipe 

I know the ingredient list might seem a bit long at first sight, but many of the ingredients are just spices or basic ingredients like garlic, ginger, sugar, and pepper. You should be able to find all of the ingredients for this vegetable Pad Thai in any well-stored supermarket. 

The only exception is the tamarind paste, which you can buy online or in Asian supermarkets. I listed it as optional as the recipe is still super delicious without it. But it’s definitely more authentic with the tamarind paste. 

You need: 

• rice noodles
• firm tofu
• broccoli
• bell pepper
• whole baby corn cobs
• garlic
• green onions
• ginger
• soy sauce or tamari
• sesame oil
• lime juice
• rice vinegar
• smooth peanut butter
• sambal olek or sriracha (or other chili paste)
• tamarind paste (optional) 
• ground ginger
• black pepper
• brown sugar or coconut sugar 
• fresh cilantro
• roasted peanuts

As always, you can find the full ingredient list and the recipe instructions in a separate recipe box at the end of this post. 

Vegan Pad Thai Sauce 

The vegan Pad Thai sauce I used for this dish is super simple. All you have to do is combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Then you just add it to the cooked vegetables, rice noodles, and baked tofu cubes. 

For the sauce I used: 

• soy sauce
• lime juice
• rice vinegar
• smooth peanut butter (unsweetened)
• sambal olek, sriracha, or other chili paste
• tamarind paste (optional but recommended) 
• ground ginger
• black pepper
• brown sugar or coconut sugar 

How To Make Vegan Pad Thai

The recipe for this vegetarian Pad Thai is pretty easy. All in all, it’s ready in just 30 minutes! 

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Start by making the oven-baked crispy tofu. Cut the tofu into cubes. Place them in a bowl and add the sesame oil and the soy sauce. Stir well. Then add the corn starch. Make sure all cubes are covered in corn starch. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tofu cubes on top. Bake for 25 minutes, tossing halfway. 

STEP 2: Cook the rice noodles according to the instructions on the package. 

STEP 3: Heat some oil in a large non-stick pan or wok. Add the garlic, the green onions, the ginger, and the chili and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

STEP 4: Add the broccoli, the carrots, the baby corn, and the bell pepper. Cook for 7-8 minutes stirring frequently. 

STEP 5: In the meantime, make the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, peanut butter, chili paste, ground ginger, black pepper, tamarind paste, and brown sugar in a bowl and stir well. 

STEP 6: Add the cooked noodles and the sauce to the vegetables and stir well. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until heated through. Then add the baked tofu cubes. Serve with lime wedges, freshly chopped cilantro, and peanuts. 

Vegan Pad Thai – FAQs:

Is Vegan Pad Thai Gluten-Free?

This vegan Pad Thai can easily be made gluten-free. As you’re using rice noodles, the base of this dish is naturally gluten-free. The only change you have to make to make this vegan Pad Thai gluten-free is using tamari instead of soy sauce. 

Is Vegan Pad Thai Healthy?

Yes, vegan Pad Thai is pretty healthy. It’s packed with fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots, corn, and bell pepper) and tofu, which is a great source of protein. Besides, the natural peanut butter also provides nutrients and protein.

If you want to make this vegetable Pad Thai even healthier, you can use brown rice noodles instead of regular rice noodles. Or if you can’t find them you could also use brown rice spaghetti. 

Recipe Tips and Substitutions 

• Make sure to use firm tofu for this recipe. I love super crispy tofu that is made in the oven. So while you cook your Pad Thai on the stovetop, the tofu is cooking up nicely in the oven. 
• If you want to make this dish gluten-free, make sure to replace the soy sauce with tamari. That’s all you have to do. 
• Are you allergic to peanuts? You could also replace the peanut butter with other nut butter like almond butter or cashew butter. Just note that this will change the flavor a bit. However, it’s a great and easy way to make this recipe allergy-friendly! And it still tastes amazing. 
• Feel free to use other vegetables in this recipe. Baby bok choi and bean sprouts also work really well. 
• You can store any leftovers in the fridge for about 2-3 days in an airtight container. However, the noodles will stick together a bit. But it will still be delicious!

More Asian-Inspired Vegan Recipes You Might Like: 

• Vegan Sushi 
• Vegetable Chow Mein 
• Poke Bowl with Watermelon “Tuna”
• Vegan Pho 
• Yaki Udon
• Congee (Rice Pudding) 
• 50 Amazing Vegan Asian Recipes 

I Love To Hear From You!

I hope you like this vegan Pad Thai recipe as much as we do around here.

If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!

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Sina