This Pad Thai is pretty nontraditional, not just because it’s vegan, but also because I didn’t go with the usual veggies such as bean sprouts. Plus, I certainly didn’t go with the typical thin rice noodle; I opted for a heartier, thick cut one. So it is really Pad Thai? Well, sure! It’s my version and it was a hit with the family, so I must have done something right! The limey-tamari sauce, with is the star of the show in all it’s creamy, peanutty glory.
INGREDIENTS:
14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 orange or red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
2 C snap peas
1/2 C green onion, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce
2/3 C tamari
1/3 C creamy peanut butter
1/3 C sugar
2/3 C lime juice
1 heaping Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
The rest
16-oz rice noodles
1 C peanuts, chopped
1 C fresh cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Begin with the noodles. The kind I used required 25-30 minutes of soaking in very hot tap water. The package warms not to over soak, but I probably soaked them about 40 minutes because they were still hard in places. However, once you add them to skillet in the end, they soften up quite quickly. While they’re soaking in a bowl, start with the tofu. I don’t use any oil, I just tossed the tofu cubes in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauteed them until browned, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the bell pepper, water chestnuts and snap peas. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
While those are cooking, however, start the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and heat over low-medium heat. Once it just starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
Add the tofu and green onion to the other veggies in the skillet and combine to rewarm the tofu.
Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet and let the noodles soften, about 5 minutes, over low-medium heat. Add the sauce and combine thoroughly; serve immediately. Top each serving with fresh cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!
- 14-oz pkg. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 orange or red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 can water chestnuts, sliced
- 2 C snap peas
- ½ C green onion, sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sauce
- ⅔ C tamari
- ⅓ C creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ C sugar
- ⅔ C lime juice
- 1 heaping Tbs freshly grated gingerroot
- 1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- The rest
- 16-oz rice noodles
- 1 C peanuts, chopped
- 1 C fresh cilantro leaves
- Begin with the noodles. The kind I used required 25-30 minutes of soaking in very hot tap water. The package warns not to over soak, but I probably soaked them about 40 minutes because they were still hard in places. However, once you add them to skillet in the end, they soften up quite quickly.
- While they're soaking in a bowl, start with the tofu. I didn't use any oil, I just tossed the tofu cubes in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauteed, flipping them often, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the bell pepper, water chestnuts and snap peas. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
- While those are cooking, however, start the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and heat over low-medium heat. Once it just starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
- Add the tofu and green onion to the other veggies in the skillet and combine to rewarm the tofu.
- Drain the noodles and add them to the skillet and let the noodles soften, about 5 minutes, over low-medium heat. Add the sauce and combine thoroughly; serve immediately.
- Top each serving with fresh cilantro and peanuts. Enjoy!
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