A blend of green cabbage, carrots, and sweet peppers marinated in a garlicky peanut butter sauce, this is a recipe you don’t want to miss out on. With the option of regular pasta noodles and zucchini noodles (zoodles), this is a recipe that will suit your dietary preferences while making a weekly presence on your kitchen table.

When my family and I go out for Thai food, we always come to the inevitable conclusion that we are going to split everything buffet style. Of one of the dishes, Pad Thai is always our first choice in noodles dishes - and for good reason. Here, I have created my own version of a Pad Thai that hits every note that you would expect, slightly salty from the soy, citrus undertone to brighten the flavors, creamy sauce, and a whole lot of vegetables.

What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a traditional street food dish from Thailand dating back to World War II. The dish takes on a Chinese style and origin via the stir-fry method but is infused with classic Thai flavors and ingredients. It has been thought to be an adapted version of Chow Mein. During the war, Thailand experienced a deficit in its rice stores and production and began using rice noodles which thus became the national dish. According to some sources, rice noodles use approximately 50 percent of rice that would otherwise be consumed.

The name can be deciphered to mean: “pad” =fried while “Thai” just means “Thai.”

How to make Vegan Pad Thai? Ingredients and Steps

Ingredients: Pad Thai and Sauce

Pad Thai

1. Sesame Oil or Non- stick cooking spray

2. Rice Noodles or Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles)

3. Green cabbage

4. Sweet pepper

5. Carrots

6. Yellow onion

7. Fresh bean sprouts

8. Cilantro

9. Peanuts

10. Lime wedge(s)

Sauce

1. Peanut butter

2. Soy sauce

3. Unseasoned rice vinegar

4. Minced garlic

5. Cornstarch

6. Water

7. Crushed red pepper

Steps: Pad Thai

1. *If using pasta noodles, bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt and add pasta. Cook per box instructions, strain, then set aside.

2. Preheat non-stick pan on medium-low heat. Prepare vegetables.

3. Spray the pan with a non-stick spray, add yellow onion and carrots. Saute until softened ~ 5 minutes. Next, add green cabbage and sweet pepper, and mix to incorporate, cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

5. Add the spiralized zucchini (zoodles) or cooked pasta noodles. Pour the pad Thai sauce over the noodles and mix, cooking until the sauce has slightly thickened and evenly coated the ingredients.

6. Serve and top with mean sprouts, cilantro, and peanuts. Enjoy!

Steps: Pad Thai Sauce

1. To a medium-sized bowl, add the peanut butter, soy sauce, unseasoned rice vinegar, minced garlic, cornstarch slurry, water, and crushed red pepper. Whisk to combine.