20 Minute Pad Thai
If you’re craving this take-out classic but don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen, this recipe is perfect for you! This quick Pad Thai takes 20 minutes or less and combines your favorite tender stir fry noodles with crisp tofu cubes, fresh veggies, and a delectable homemade savory and sweet Pad thai sauce we all love.
What you’ll love about this:
Pad Thai Ingredients
*See below for more information.
See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.
What are stir fry rice noodles and where do I get them?
Stir fry rice noodles are flat, gluten-free noodles made from rice flour, commonly used in Asian stir-fries and soups. You can find them in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores or at specialty Asian markets. You can also use brown rice stir fry noodles (also gluten-free).
How do I make Pad Thai Sauce?
We are making a vegan version of the delicious, well-known Pad Thai sauce. Pad Thai sauce has a tangy, sweet, and savory flavor with a hint of spiciness. It generally contains fish sauce, but to make this vegan, but with similar flavor, we will use soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar, lime juice, a touch of miso paste, garlic, ginger, and a hint of peanut butter (optional). You can also add in a bit of Sriracha for spice (if desired).
How to Make Super Quick Pad Thai
Cook Your Rice Noodles
Start by cooking your rice noodles according to package instructions, just until tender. Rinse under cold water and set aside.
Prep your Sauce
Prepare your sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Pan-fry your tofu and pepper
In a large pan or wok, begin heating your oil over medium/high heat. Add your tiny tofu cubes and sauté for 3-4 minutes so tofu gets slightly crisp (but doesn’t have to be perfectly golden brown – just enough to give it a little outer crispiness). Add your minced garlic and sliced red pepper and cook for another few minutes.
Combine all other ingredients
Add your other ingredients to the pan: add noodles, sauce, bean sprouts, green onion, and peanuts to the pan Toss everything to combine.
Enjoy!
Finish it off with extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy right away!
▶︎If you love a good Asian pasta dish, be sure to try out my Vegan Lo Mein!
How to store leftover Pad Thai
Pad thai isn’t the best leftover dish (the noodles tend to dry out a bit after a day or two). You can store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, but try to enjoy it mostly within the first 24 hours for best flavors.
Variations of this Pad Thai
- Veggie only: Omit the tofu and consider doing a veggie packed pad thai. Add in julienned carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli and more.
- Different proteins: You can add in different variations of tofu like my simple air fry tofu. I also love the gardein chick’n strips (I use them for wraps, garlic pasta, stir fry, and more). Edamame is high in protein and is an easy addition to this recipe.
Doesn’t Pad Thai have eggs?
Yes, traditional Pad Thai usually includes scrambled eggs, which are stir-fried with the noodles and other ingredients. However, to make this dish plant-based, we have omitted the eggs. To add some of that “eggy” flavor, consider adding some Just Egg with the stir fried veggies!
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20 Minute Pad Thai
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Ingredients
- 8 oz flat rice noodles (also called stir fry rice noodles)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 14 oz extra firm tofu pressed and diced into tiny 1/4-1/2 inch cubes
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 large red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 1/2 cup lightly salted crushed peanuts plus more for topping
Pad Thai Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp peanut butter optional
- 1/2 tsp white miso paste
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ginger paste
Optional toppings
- chopped cilantro
- fresh lime wedges
- more crushed peanuts
Instructions
- Start by cooking your rice noodles according to package instructions, just until tender. Rinse under cold water and set aside.8 oz flat rice noodles
- Prepare your sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp white miso paste, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp ginger paste, 2 tbsp peanut butter
- In a large pan or wok, begin heating your oil over medium/high heat. Add your tiny tofu cubes and sauté for 3-4 minutes so tofu gets slightly crisp (but doesn't have to be perfectly golden brown – just enough to give it a little outer crispiness). Add your minced garlic and sliced red pepper and cook for another few minutes.2 tbsp vegetable oil, 14 oz extra firm tofu, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 large red bell pepper
- Add your other ingredients to the pan: add noodles, sauce, bean sprouts, green onion, and peanuts to the pan. Toss everything to combine.1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 cup lightly salted crushed peanuts, 1/4 cup diced green onion
- Serve and top individual servings with extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy right away!
Notes
- Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free (generally- check the label)- To make this recipe entirely gluten free, use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Other veggie additions: julienned carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli
- Storage: Pad thai isn’t the best leftover dish (the noodles tend to dry out a bit after a day or two). You can store it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, but try to enjoy it mostly within the first 24 hours for best flavors.
