Quick And Easy Vegan Pad Thai

Thai food has been rocking the world for a long time. Why is Thai food so addictively delicious? Thais manage to find the perfect balance between all 5 tastes – sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy. This makes the Thai food to taste “complete” – like nothing is missing. So today I’ll share with you a very traditional Thai recipe. You’ll learn how to make a quick and easy vegan Pad Thai.

Pad Thai is the queen of all Thai foods. When I lived in Thailand for 2 months, I felt in love with his dish. It’s my all time favorite Thai food. Basically, Pad Thai is stir-fried rice noodles with vegetables, protein (in this recipe – tofu), sauce and some fresh toppings like bean sprouts and greens. Thais use a wide variety of rice noodles in the Pad Thais – from thinner (glass noodle type) to more ticker.

Bok Choi is the main vegetable in this Pad Thai. It’s one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. Bok choi isn’t just an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. It also has powerful cancer-fighting properties.

Bok Choi is high in vitamin K and A and also omega-3 fatty acids which have anti-inflammatory abilities. Bok Choi also promotes bone health, improves digestion and boosts muscle and nerve function.

This vegan version of Pad Thai is a bit different from the traditional one (not spicy at all – to give your taste buds some rest!), super quick and easy to make. And very delicious!

To make 4 servings of vegan Pad Thai, you’ll need:

• 1 pack (150g) uncooked rice noodles (both thinner or thicker will do for this recipe)
• 1 red onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 150 g of firm tofu
• 1 red bell pepper
• 5 stalks of bok choy
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 4 tbsp soy sauce (+ more for topping)
• 2 tsp brown sugar (or maple syrup)
• 1 lime
• coconut or olive oil for cooking
• for toppings: roasted cashews, bean sprouts, sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Cook the rice noodles according to the instruction on the package. I soaked mine in a room’s temperature water for 15 minutes, drained and set aside while cooking the vegetables.
2. Heat a pan over a medium heat and drizzle it with some coconut oil. Dice the red onion and garlic. Cook them in the pan for about 3 minutes, and then add cubed tofu. Add the soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are transparent.
3. Cube the bell pepper and add in the pan. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the pepper gets slightly soft (but not too soggy!). Chop the bok choy (remove the root ends) and add in the pan. Stir fry everything for few minutes until the bok choy has softened.
4. Add the prepared rice noodles, coconut milk, and juice of 1/2 lime. When the milk starts bubbling, reduce the heat and slowly cook everything for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. When serving, top the Pad Thai with bean sprouts, sesame seeds, and roasted cashews. Serve 1/4 of lime on the side. Drizzle with extra soy sauce if preferred.