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Spring Vegetable Vegan Pad Thai with asparagus, edamame, carrots, cabbage, peanut sauce, rice noodles, and more! This gluten-free, vegan recipe comes together quickly and is a much healthier option than takeout!
In honor of my love for Pad Thai, I’m sharing with you an easy version of the meal. A vegan version that is positively LOADED with vibrant fresh vegetables!
Yes, it’s totally inauthentic version of classic Pad Thai, but I do promise as long as you love noodles and veggies, you’ll just adore it!
A typical Pad Thai is made with peanut oil, fish sauce, and tamarind paste all mixed up with rice noodles, chicken, tofu, shrimp, bean sprouts, and scrambled egg. It’s a meat-lover’s noodle bowl.
While I love the Chicken Pad Thai, I figured I’d throw in some spring vegetables and make a vegetarian meal of it for those times I’m craving loads of fiber and something meatless.
How to Make Vegan Pad Thai:
In lieu of the chicken, shrimp and scrambled egg from classic Pad Thai, I use asparagus, edamame, cabbage, carrot, and bell pepper.
Instead of the peanut oil, fish sauce and tamarind paste, I make a simple peanut sauce.
I replace soy sauce with coconut aminos or liquid aminos to keep the recipe soy-free, and you’d never know the difference!
So really what I’m trying to get at here, is this recipe really bares no resemblance to authentic Pad Thai, but it certainly tastes good!
Plus, it’s jam packed with colorful, nutritious vegetables.
If you want to really go wild, make Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce to go alongside these delicious Thai noodles!
Enjoy this easy Vegan Pad Thai recipe!
Taste the rainbow!
Vegan Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 14 ounces Pad Thai Rice Noodles, or rice noodles of choice
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 Carrot, shredded
- 3 cups Red Cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 cups shelled edamame
- 6 medium spear Asparagus, chopped
For the Sauce:
- 2/3 cup coconut aminos, liquid aminos, or low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 tablespoons Peanut Butter
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated (fresh)
- 2 cloves garlic
For Serving:
- Sesame Seeds
- Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- Soy Sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the sauce to a small blender and blend until smooth. Set aside until ready to use.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the rice noodles. Allow the noodles to cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 6 minutes into cooking, add the shelled edamame and the chopped asparagus to the hot water in order to cook the vegetables (you want to leave the asparagus al dente and not over-cook it). Note: if you aren’t using Pad Thai rice noodles, follow the instructions on your package of rice noodles.
- Strain the vegetables and noodles into a colander and immediately place in a large serving bowl.
- Add the remaining vegetables, pour the sauce over everything and toss together.
- Add salt and soy sauce (or liquid aminos) to taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
This was fantastic! I couldn’t stuff it in my mouth fast enough ! I eat very similiar as you do to some gut issues and Candida . Your website is my go to help maintain this very challenging way of eating . You’ve made life more normal for me with your great recipes , Thank you !
I’m so happy to hear you enjoy the recipe, Sonja! My heart goes out to you with your current health ailment – it sounds like you’re doing a great job of taking care of yourself, so I trust you will feel better soon. Thanks so much for your sweet words! Much love to you! xo
Wondering if i can use a different kind of peanut butter my daughter is allergic to peanuts and almonds? would this be just peanuts grinded up in a vitamix as opposed to store bought peanut butter that has oil and sugar in it? Thanks
Hi there! You can replace the peanut butter with any nut or seed butter. Cashew butter works great, or homemade nut butter will work marvelously too. Hope you enjoy! xo
Thanks for sharing your ‘non pad-thai’ pad thai, I’ll remember this next time i’m out of Tamarind paste and desperately need a pad thai fix! I like the idea of adding all the spring greens too, that will make it healthier and spread it further 🙂
You got it, Lola! I’m happy you like the recipe and enjoy the idea of veggie-ing it up! Let me know when you try it! 😀
I made this last weekend and it was a-mazing! Definitely going in the favorite file.
Oh I’m so happy to hear it, Gina! I love that pad thai, myself! It’s so fresh and doens’t make you feel all weighted down like takeout does from time to time. 😀
Authenticity is overrated where deliciousness is involved! And I do love me some pad thai!!
I love love quick, inauthentic thai meals! It’s easier then pretending to be the real thing, but just as tasty. This looks wonderful!
Pad Thai, spring rolls, and peanut sauce are my favorite take out foods! Where I grew up, there was an amazing Thai restaurant that I would go to once a week and order the same thing every time. I haven’t had Thai food in years and I think I need to fix that asap! I love that you used spring vegetables in yours, it is so beautiful! I just made my first peanut sauce last night (not sure why it took me so long) and now I want to make gallons of it and put it on everything. Can’t wait to make this pad thai!!
Easy and healthy? I’m sold. We love pad thai too…it’s definitely on the top of our take-out list.
I’d take this of the animal-infused version of Pad Thai any day! It’s so colorful too. Love!
This is beyond beautiful!! I’m a sucker for pad thai, and would love this veggie version in summer! Great stuff Julia!
Thanks, love! I’m glad you’re a fellow Pad Thai lover!
I love this vegetarian and healthy version of Pad Thai. And I also like that you didn’t add extra sugar. Great recipe, Julia!
The colours in this look amazing! So bright and summery and healthy too.
I love this version! Great take on the traditional pad thai. I also like that it’s not too sweet, because I’ve had pad thai at restos that taste like dessert… Beautiful photos too btw!!!
Thanks so much, Allison!! I didn’t even realized Pad Thai had sugar in it until I poked around the internet at Pad Thai recipes. I love a slight sweetness to the noodles, but can’t bring myself to add sugar at home. So happy you like the recipe, my dear!
This sounds awesome! I love Thai-inspired meals, authentic or not, so I’ll have to try this! 🙂
Love this lighter version of Pad Thai! It looks so bright and happy with all of those vegetables 🙂 Thank you for sharing!