This recipe has been a long time coming.
While doing some experimentation with my diet in the winter, I really missed our weekly takeout order of Pad Thai. Due to some restrictions, I wasn’t able to have it, so I decided to make a version that was friendly to my gut while still tasting delicious.
Spoiler alert: This is my new favorite Pad Thai recipe that trumps takeout every time. It’s that good!
This recipe is simple, requiring just 30 minutes to prepare!
And LOOK at all those veggies! Noodle-free Pad Thai never looked so gorgeous and delicious.
To replace traditional rice noodles, I went with carrot “noodles,” collard greens, thinly sliced bell pepper, and cabbage. Look at all those gorgeous plants you’re going to eat!
And let’s not forget the sauce, which I played around with quite a bit until perfecting: almond butter, lime juice, coconut aminos (or tamari / soy sauce), maple syrup, and chili flake. That’s it! So simple, savory, spicy, sweet, and insanely delicious.
For more “oomph,” I added a bit of crumbled tofu to mock the egg in traditional Pad Thai, but this is completely optional, especially if you’re soy-free. I even included some options below for those looking for soy-free protein sources!
I hope you all LOVE this healthier Pad Thai! It’s:
Colorful
Fresh
Flavorful
Savory-spicy-sweet
Super healthy
Satisfying
Versatile
& Delicious
This would make the perfect weeknight meal when you want something satisfying and healthy on the table FAST. It is delicious on its own, but it would pair especially well with these Thai Spring Rolls, Thai Yellow Curry with Mango, and Curry Roasted Cashews.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
- 1/2 cup (124 g) extra-firm tofu (excess liquid pressed out, crumbled with a fork)
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce if not GF)
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce or 1/8 tsp red pepper flake
- optional: 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 1/2 Tbsp (40 g) nut butter (almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.)
- 3 Tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
- 3 1/2 Tbsp (52 ml) coconut aminos (or sub tamari or soy sauce if not GF), plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flake or 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (Huy Fong Foods brand)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp (22 ml) maple syrup or (12 g) coconut sugar, plus more to taste
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil (sub water or omit if low/no-fat)
- 1 serrano pepper, seeds + stem removed, thinly sliced (omit for less heat)
- 3 green onions, ends removed + thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups (135 g) thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper (120 g), cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce if not gluten free), divided
- 4-5 large carrots, peeled and ribboned with a vegetable peeler (~4 cups packed or 300 g)
- 6 collard greens, large stems removed, stacked + thinly sliced (~2 cups packed or 72 g)
- optional: 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
- optional: 1/2 tsp freshly grated turmeric (or 1/4 tsp ground turmeric)
- Fresh cilantro
- Crushed peanuts / peanut sauce
- Red pepper flake
- If serving with tofu: Add tofu to a small mixing bowl and season with coconut aminos, chili garlic sauce (or pepper flake), and turmeric (optional). Stir and set aside.
- Add all sauce ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lime juice for acidity, coconut aminos for saltiness, red pepper flake or chili sauce for heat, or maple syrup for sweetness. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water), pepper, onions, cabbage, bell pepper, and 1 Tbsp coconut aminos. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring/tossing frequently.
- Add tofu to a corner of the pan and sauté until slightly browned, stirring frequently - about 3-5 minutes.
- Add carrots and collard greens and remaining 1 Tbsp coconut aminos and stir. Sauté for 2 minutes. Then add Pad Thai sauce and freshly grated ginger and turmeric (optional).
- Sauté over medium heat until warmed through and collards are slightly wilted - about 3 minutes - stirring frequently.
- Taste and adjust flavor of dish as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, red pepper flake or chili garlic for heat, coconut aminos for saltiness, or lime juice for acidity.
- Divide between serving plates and enjoy. Serve as is or with peanut sauce, crushed peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serves 2 as an entrée or 4 as a side.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1/2 of the recipe without additional garnishes or toppings.
*This recipe is Pad Thai-inspired and not authentic. It is my healthier take on a classic dish I love and am always looking for ways to recreate.
I feel like you could leave out the tofu and add your recipe for peanut marinated tempeh on top if you need a little more protein.
Totally!
This looks amazing! I totally need to try this soon!
Paige
This is so pretty! Can I ask where you bought that white plate?
Sure! It’s from West Elm.
This looks amazing! Do you have a good substitute for collard greens? I’m not the biggest fan but would love some green.
kale!
Great recipe! I think I am going to forgo the cooking and just have it raw.
Lovely! Share how it tastes.
i was thinking the same thing! perfect for a hot summer night :)
your recipes – i die. like seriously ur amazing. pls dnt EVER stop! ty soooo much for sharing! :)
lol, thanks! Beautiful name, btw // xoxo!
Do you think zucchini noodles would be a good sub for the carrot noodles?
I do, but know that zucchini noodles won’t be as sweet / flavorful.
Yes I tried it it’s so good !!!
Is the calorie count including the tofu?
Yes!
Could you sub apple sauce for the maple syrup?
Yes, but it will be slightly more thick and less sweet.
I am prediabetic and have to greatly reduce my sugar. Need suitable substitute for maple syrup. Love your recipes. Trying to renew my vegan life style!
I just made this recipe and it was amazing! thanks for sharing this! Your website is so inspirational, I’ve made so many things and all was super delicious! you are the first blog that I come by that does things completely how I like it!
Ah! What a compliment. Thanks, Wendy! So glad you enjoyed this one. xoxo
This looks amazing!! Definitely making this for dinner this week! As someone who is allergic to gluten & dairy, I’m a BIG fan of your recipes. So simple, so delicious, and so healthy! Thanks for sharing your creations! :D
So kind! Thanks Allison.
How did you get the carrots so “noodle” thin?
Thanks!
Vegetable peeler!
This sounds fabulous and the photography is amazing! We just went to an authentic Thai restaurant over the weekend and had amazing pad thai – I need more! I can’t wait to try this to satisfy my craving. Thank you! I’ll be sure to leave my review once made on the weekend.
Blessings to you and your wonderful site!!!
Thanks Andie! Let me know how it goes!
Hi, just curious, why do you need to forego the noodles in the first place? Aren’t they already gluten-free?
To get more vegetables!
Loved this! I made it with all green cabbage instead of red, spinach instead of collards, skipped the tofu. I served it with steamed rice. It fed our family of 5 and plenty of leftovers for 2 lunches.
Yay! Great name, btw ;D
Thank you for a really easy and delicious meal. Made this for dinner tonight and we were blown away by how good it was. Subs I used (on hand) spinach instead of collard greens and jalapeño instead of Serrano – worked out great.
Thanks Jen!! xoxo
Hi Dana,
Hi have followed you for a long while and made many of your recipes, all wonderful. This one is so extraordinary that I just have to give you a shout out! Thank you! I have been veg for nearly 50 years now, and have a super plant based diet with homemade meals most of the time. For this dish I did part rice noodles and part spiraled carrots and upped the ginger, but otherwise, as written. SO so so so delicious! thank you! I might even have to take to instram next time! xxooooo
Thanks Blair!! xoxo
Some things just can’t wait until tomorrow, and this recipe was no exception. After seeing the post, I was smitten with the idea of making a noodle free Pad Thai and later this evening off to the market I went . The promise of the dish in 30 minutes did not seem possible but I was able to prep the ingredients within 20 minutes and cook the dish within 10 minutes and was pleasantly surprised. I did not change much to the recipe but I would definitely make extra sauce for serving on the side (it’s really good/salty/sweet/sour/spicy). The veggies were lightly coated with the sauce so it would be nice to have a bit extra. For cooking, I used a wok and appreciated the extra room to cook this dish in considering the large amount of veggies involved, it made tossing and cooking a breeze. I’m not a huge fan of tofu, but decided to use it in the recipe since it is so commonly found in Pad Thai. Similar to many Thai restaurant versions of Pad Thai, I cubed the extra firm tofu. It was hard to get a nice sear on the tofu cubes even with the veggies pushed to the side of the pan. Next time I will sear the tofu first and remove it from the pan and then add the tofu back at the end with the ginger and sauce to keep the crispy texture. This is one of the most fun and creative ways I’ve had eating my veggies in a while and was thrilled to get so many different veggies packed into this dish! In the past, I’ve made traditional noodle pad thai and spent over an hour just making a traditional sauce. I absolutely loved the simplicity of this recipe and would agree that it is a great stand in for the real thing…and without a doubt much healthier! I’ve found with plant based cooking as long as you use similar herbs, flavors, sauces, you can really recreate some traditional favorites. Keep up the great work Dana, and keep the inspirational recipes coming! You have once again saved the day for me as a new plant based eater. I’m having so much fun with your recipes and appreciate being able to create so many flavorful dishes!
So kind! Thanks for the feedback xoxo
I forgot to add, I did use a traditional vegetable peeler to make the carrot noodle ribbons which was a first for me. It took me a couple carrots into the process to get the method down. The easiest way for me was to lay the carrot on a cutting board holding the thin end and holding the peeler blade side down and sweeping the peeler blade along the length of the carrot. When it started to get tougher to peel I would rotate the carrot a quarter turn. When finished I was left with larger pieces from each carrot which I will use for another purpose, but the 4 carrots gave me enough ribbons to make the dish.
This recipe was delicious! I made it for dinner tonight. I never thought an asian dish was so easy, I had all the ingredients. I will be adding this recipe to my favorites list! Thank you, Dana
Yay!! Thanks for sharing, Carolyn!
Can I use Tahini in replacement of nut butter?
It will taste totally different, but you can give it a try!
Wow, I never knew that veggie-based Pad Thai could look SO good! I definitely will have my take with tofu. It looks like the perfect dish to meal prep!
Made this last night and wow this blew me and my friend away! I wasn’t expecting something life changing because all those pretty raw veggies as a main course I wasn’t totally on board with but wow they were the star of the show! Especially the bell peppers which turned out to have such a amazing flavor which the sauce brought out! I’ll definitely be making this very regularly thank you so much!
Yay! Thanks Christina!! xoxo
Definitely have to try this recipe out as soon as possible. Looks so delicious, thanks for the share!
If I make it with eggs, when and how would I add them in the cooking process ? Thanks! Lucy
Hi Lucy! I would add them at the very end of cooking in a corner of the pan so they can scramble. Then once cooked, toss in with the rest of the dish!
Great– this dish was AMAZING!!!
This was tremendous!!!! We loved every bite and all the flavor depth. WOW!
Thanks, Minimalist Baker! We are a big fan of your recipes!
Yay! Thanks Emily!
Well THAT was a success!! The peanut sauce changes flavor slightly when cooked …thank goodness bc I was so nervous about it despite many adjustments (which probably brought right back to the original ratio 🤔). Ginger is a plus/must. THANK YOU!!
–newby vegetarian
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Thaydene. xoxo
Carrot noodles!! Flippin’ brilliant. My kids ate every bite. I put them in first and used the greens from cauliflower instead of bok choy. So amazing – thank you!!
My sister and I made this recipe and we loved it! We added a lot of extra veggies and made some extra carrot “noodles” make up for not having some of the veggies that were called for but it was still just as delicious. This recipe will definitely become a regular in our house!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Kathleen!
I am a new vegan. One month yesterday! You are my go to for all recipes delicious and vegan. Pad Thai is my favorite dish. Cheesecake Factory back in the day made a dish with tofu loved it. I was at Trader Joe’s and they have sweet potato ribbons. What do you think of substituting those for the carrots?
I think that would work! Definitely a different flavor, but would probably be delicious!
Yum! Made this tonight for my sister and boyfriend (the boyfriend is a carnivore). Instead of scrambling the tofu, we pressed, cubed, baked, and then pan seared 14 oz. of tofu to go on top. Super yum. We ate the whole recipe. I think sweet potato noodles would be amazing here, although I am partial to the collard greens. We also doubled the peanut sauce to serve extra on the side, and served the dish alongside this delicious thai cucumber salad.
Love this!! Totally worth turning on the stove on the hottest day of the year (in the PNW, but still ;) ). Had to stop myself from eating all the leftovers before bed.
haha, thanks Carly! xoxo
Question about the almond butter/sauce for those who have made this–I love pad Thai but always get it without peanuts and I loathe peanut sauce (not allergic, just want to stab it till it’s dead). Does this sauce have a peanut sauce kind of taste? I’m wondering if I could skip the almond butter altogether…
I don’t think it does, personally. If you’re worried about it, you could some sunflower butter which is less nutty in my opinion. Otherwise, I think you should enjoy it!
Hi! It does taste like a nut-based sauce but I would recommend making a different sauce all together rather than skipping the almond butter if you are not crazy about the taste.
Just made this recipe for dinner this evening. It was a hit!
You never disappoint Dana! Thanks for another delicious recipe:)
Ah, thanks Tina! xoxo
I just made this. I made the sauce recipe exactly and then used my own mixture of
veggies and rice noodles. Zucchini, carrots, onions and kale. Delicious!!! Will definitely make again.
I wasn’t in the mood for greens so I used extra cabbage and peppers instead. But wow, this was amazing. So amazing that I ate a batch for lunch and dinner and then prepped another 2 batches as meal prep dinner for the week since I try to keep dinner a low carb meal. Yum, yum, yum. Will definitely be on repeat.
The sauce was absolutely delicious. I didn’t have most of the veggies, but I poured it over zoodles, grilled red peppers, sungold tomatoes, jalapeños, shishito peppesr, onions and quinoa.
Amazing recipe! I used it with leeks, sweet potatoes, white corn, carrots and 2 eggs and 3 whites. Used lemon instead of lime, which requires a bit more coconut sugar and maple syrup-jist a splash…and put the scramble in lettuce wraps! I had to is all the veggies I had before buying specifics for this recipe…I will never need to order take out again. Thank you for all your inspirational ingredients!
Thank you for this beautiful recipe!
I made it last night and I absolutely loved it… like all the the recipes I’ve tried from your blog so far!
You are such a talented minimalist culinary creator ! I regularly recommend your blog to my friends (and even my students) !
I made this today and it’s so delicious I’m already looking forward to the next time. I subbed Green Cabbage for the Red, Spinach for Collards, added Zucchini Ribbons and omitted oil. Thanks for yet another delicious recipe.
Wow. I had high hopes for this dish but I had no idea it would be this freaking good You know how you meet a promising guy on Saturday night and then you spend the day with him on Sunday and you can’t imagine going back to work on Monday because you don’t really want to be apart? That’s how I feel about your pad Thai. If I have to call in sick tomorrow I am blaming you…
“I am altering the recipe. Pray I do not alter it further.” – Darth Reader
The sauce, the balance of vegetables are perfect. I used kale and added garlic sauteed shrimp. Cooked the peppers separately to spare my wife The Heat.
One complaint: you switch back and forth between measured ingredients (lime juice – how many tablespoons are in a lime?), cabbage (by the cup – how many cups of cabbages are in a cabbage?), and whole ingredients (5 collard greens). I prefer the whole ingredient approach. In the frenzied head of a stir-fry, clarity and consistency count.
#WifeLovedIt
I was thinking the same thing about measurements! Until I realized that the size difference between big and small red cabbages and big and small limes was huge and it would have been thrown off if I’d gone with 1 lime…. since I got like 5-6 tablespoons out of my lime… ;)
Also LOVE the star wars reference!
Made this incredible recipe !!! Sooo good.. I just substituted sweet potatoes noodles for the carrots.. I was too lazy to ribbon carrots and Whole Foods had already noodled sweet potatoes.. thank you so much!! YOur recipes never disappoint
I made this tonight, minus tofu. It was AMAZING and will now be in our regular rotation! So colorful and flavorful! Thank you for creating this fantastic recipe!
made this last night – it was friggin’ amazing, and I couldn’t stop picking at the leftovers even though I was ridiculously full. my only complaint is that there’s a TON of salt; I doubled the amount of tofu (thus, doubled the glaze), which brought the total amount of soy sauce used to 7 1/2 tablespoons. yikes. any future recipe users could probably take out at least 2 tablespoons somewhere and it would probably still be just as good.
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I made this exact; just added some ribboned zuchini as well as I had a couple in the fridge. I also made your cinnamon buns as well…soo good! How can anyone not want to go Vegan with dishes like this? You will see nothing but positive results – I wish people could see that. I am purchasing your book to add to my Vegan collection and I must say, yours will be the one that I will regularly reach for and will probably be covered in food splatters.
Thank you Dana!
I made this today and it was great; I tried to use a special peeler that makes long julienne slices for the carrots, but my carrots were not that big (next time I will do the ribbons). I used Gardein vegan Chik strips instead of tofu. This was another delightful dish; I would say it took about 45 minutes to chop and peel vegetables and make the sauce. The cooking time is included. I love the fact I did not need rice or noodles to feel full. Thank you for this dish.
Another fantastic recipe! I made this tonight with green cabbage instead of purple, but that was the only substitution. Making the carrot noodles with the peeler was so smart and simple. I was so impressed with how it all came together, it was very much like pad thai. The sauce was my favorite part :)
This recipe will definitely be on rotation! I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I was skeptical that it could be better than take-out but as usual, you pulled through. It was definitely yummy but how on earth did you pull this together in 30 minutes? It took me a little over an hour, and I even has a spiralizer to use for shredding the cabbage and bell peppper! (I used a veggie peeler for the carrot noodles though.) Was this 30 minutes after you’d prepped the veggies already? Do you have any tips for making the carrot noodles? I struggled so much and wasn’t sure how to proceed when I’d shaved most of it and was left with a piece that was too thin to peel but too thick to be a noodle… I’d love tips on making this faster because it was delicious and I’d like to make it more often if it could be faster…
Thanks for the recipe!
This is sooo awesome I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you so much Dana you are amazing!!!
very colourful …..
We love Thai food, and Pad Thai is my husband’s favorite dish. This recipe looks so simple and delicious. I can’t wait to give it a try. The nut butter sauce sounds divine!
Is there a vegan substitute you’d recommend for the fish sauce that gives pad thai its signature flavor?
This was one of my least successful go’s at a MB recipe, but it was my own doing. I added zucchini noodles to bulk it up/was too lazy to go out and buy collards, but this left even less crunch in the dish. Definitely add the crushed nuts/some kind of seed/bean sprouts to this. Even with all the veg, it desperately needed the crunch contrast in traditional pad thai. Don’t be lazy like me! Get the extra firm tofu and take the time to let the water expel before making the dish.
That said, it was still a tasty and flavorful dish as are all your awesome recipes!
I made this last week since I had all the ingredients on hand. The only change was the addition of a pad thai sauce ( tamarind, TJ’s spicy yuzu sauce, soy, ginger, garlic) to give more flavor to the “noodles”. I’m a saucy gal!
Served on a bed of fresh greens from the garden. My husband LOVED it! Wants it on regular rotation. It makes a good summer meal served raw or al dente.
This was such a fantastic recipe! My family started eating vegan three weeks ago and though my kids are both good eaters, I was curious whether they would adjust well to the diet. They slurped this up hungrily tonight. Definitely one of my favorite recipes of yours so far! Thank you for making becoming vegan easier!
I just made this for dinner and absolutely loved it. Thank you for yet another healthy, quick, and amazingly tasty meal!
Really good! I have a soy allergy so I appreciate the coconut aminos!
In the nutrition information, it lists a serving size contains 51g of carbohydrates. When I try to add up the individual ingredients, I don’t get as many. (I love following Minimalist Baker on IG! Glad I ventured to the blog!)
One of the most delicious dinners I have ever made. Also loved by my meat eating boyfriend so you know it has to be good!
followed the sauce directions as directed and it’s straight liquid. Is that normal? It doesn’t resemble a peanut sauce in any way — it’s a very runny, liquidy, sauce.
Absolutely the best vegan recipe I have come across in a while? Love it!
Made this tonight for meatless Monday and it was delicious! Made sans tofu and was surprised how filling it was and so tasty. I bought enough ingredients for more than one serving but wondering if you have ideas for how to use red cabbage, collard greens, green onions, and zucchini for another recipe.
Thanks so much for all your recipes.
This is seriously amazing! I used soy and honey in the sauce as it’s what I had in the cupboard and it was delicious. Added some ribboned zucchini in addition to the carrot.
I always love your recipes, this one was next level, thank you!! x
Wow the flavor of this is insane! I really think that almond or peanut butter with lime juice and aminos give this a great umami flavor. I followed the recipe except I used soy sauce. SO very flavorful. Thank you! This is a keeper!
Awesome meal. We made it at the fire house and everyone loved it. And leftovers the following day OMG!!!!
Made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! SO colorful, flavorful, and healthy. Also really really time consuming. It took me over an hour to make. Cooking time was not long at all, but washing, slicing, peeling, chopping the veggies took an eternity. I think next time won’t take as long now that I know what I’m doing. I would probably also cut down on the soy sauce a bit but I am definitely going to be making again and again. Thank you, Dana!
I just made this! Seriously SO GOOD! I added zucchini noodles and used Kale instead of collards! SO GOOD! I made it a little spicier than I was prepared for – so I added some chick peas in and it is so yummy! Nutty, filling! Delicious! Great Recipe!
I made this for dinner and OMG it is sooo good! Flavor is on point, thank you for this recipe!
I made this tonight. I baked some tempeh, and then marinated it in the sauce while prepping the veggies. I used cabbage, ribboned carrots and zucchini, and it was amazing. What a great recipe!
I don’t usually comment on, well, anything, but I have to tell you this sauce is truly amazing. I saw a link on Reddit to this recipe a few weeks ago and made the sauce in the Vitamix for lunch that very day, mixing it with shirataki angel hair noodles and garnishing with sliced almonds. It was divine. I used maple syrup, substituted Bragg’s Liquid Aminos for the coconut aminos, and added the sesame oil to the sauce in the blender. I’m making it tonight for my family with the veggies as written and I cannot wait. Thanks for the delicious, healthy recipe. It’s a keeper.