Vegan Pad Thai
By switching fish sauce for coconut aminos, I made a delicious alternative to traditional Pad Thai! The trick to making this recipe is to not overcook the noodles and to taste test the sauce to find the right balance of flavors. This dish is spicy!Vegan, Gluten-fee, Soy-free
Ingredients
- 8 ounce pad thai rice noodles
- 5 ounce shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts rinsed well
- 1/4 cup green onion green tops only, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup peanuts crushed or chopped
- 1 lime cut into wedges (for serving)
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or any high-heat oil)
- Olive oil for mushrooms
- Sea salt for mushrooms
Spicy Pad Thai Sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate (see notes on how to make tamarind concentrate)
- 6 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1/2 tablespoon cayenne powder (spicy! adjust to taste; optionally substitute with 4 finely chopped dried Thai red chili peppers)
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 cup water (plus more if noodles look dry)
Instructions
Soak Noodles
- Soak the rice noodles in warm tap water for 1 hour, then drain. This method takes longer, but it produces more consistent, al dente noodles. If you're short on time, you can boil the noodles according to package instructions—just be careful not to overcook them. Prep the remaining ingredients before cooking the noodles so the noodles don’t sit out too long.8 ounce pad thai rice noodles
Cook Mushrooms
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Spray a large baking sheet (no parchment paper) with olive oil.
- Spread the sliced mushrooms in a single layer without overlapping. Spray lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.5 ounce shiitake mushrooms, Olive oil, Sea salt
- Bake for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for another 5–15 minutes until the mushrooms are browned and crispy. The time will depend on how thinly the mushrooms are sliced. We want the moisture to evaporate to get a crispy mushroom. Set aside until ready to add to the wok.
Prep Ingredients
- In a small bowl, mix together the tamarind concentrate, coconut aminos, cayenne powder (or dried chilies), paprika, and ½ cup water. Taste and adjust if needed.1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate, 6 tablespoon coconut aminos, 1/2 tablespoon cayenne powder, 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/2 cup water
- Chop the red onion and garlic and place them together in a bowl or on a plate.1/4 cup red onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Wash and drain the mung bean sprouts. Chop the green onions and place them together in a bowl or on a plate.1 cup mung bean sprouts, 1/4 cup green onion
- Crush or chop the peanuts and cut the lime into wedges—set each aside in separate small bowls or plates.1/4 cup peanuts, 1 lime
Cook in the Wok
- Once the noodles are soaked and drained, heat your wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil.1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
- Add the red onion and garlic, sautéing for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Pour the sauce into the wok and taste again—this is the final chance to adjust the balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. See notes on how to get these flavors.
- Add the crispy mushrooms and bring the sauce to a boil.
- Add the noodles to the wok and stir-fry for 2–5 minutes, until the sauce is mostly absorbed. Taste a noodle to check for doneness. If the noodles seem dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Once fully cooked, turn off the heat and fold in the mung bean sprouts and green onions. Let the noodles sit for a couple of minutes to allow the veggies to soften slightly from the residual heat.
- Give everything one last stir to combine. Serve hot, garnished with crushed peanuts and lime wedges.
Notes
*To make the tamarind concentrate, follow the instructions from Hot Thai Kitchen:
Tamarind Paste from Pulp - Hot Thai Kitchen (hot-thai-kitchen.com)
I recommend you follow her canning instructions to save you time in the future. You've already bought a block of tamarind, so you might as well prep it now! *Choose between cayenne pepper powder OR dried Thai chilis. On a scale of mild-medium-hot-Thai hot, I would label this amount of spice as "hot". *When tasting the sauce, use these ingredients to find a nice balance of flavors: Sweet-coconut aminos, sugar optional Salty-sea salt, coconut aminos Spicy-cayenne pepper powder, crushed dried Thai chilis Sour-tamarind, juice from a dark green lime
Tamarind Paste from Pulp - Hot Thai Kitchen (hot-thai-kitchen.com)
I recommend you follow her canning instructions to save you time in the future. You've already bought a block of tamarind, so you might as well prep it now! *Choose between cayenne pepper powder OR dried Thai chilis. On a scale of mild-medium-hot-Thai hot, I would label this amount of spice as "hot". *When tasting the sauce, use these ingredients to find a nice balance of flavors: Sweet-coconut aminos, sugar optional Salty-sea salt, coconut aminos Spicy-cayenne pepper powder, crushed dried Thai chilis Sour-tamarind, juice from a dark green lime