Thai · easy · 25 min · serves 2
How to make pad thai vegan
Short answer
Replace fish sauce, egg, dried shrimp with soy sauce + lime + kelp, crumbled firm tofu with turmeric, chopped roasted peanuts + a pinch of seaweed. The method is unchanged and takes about 25 minutes for 2 servings.
What makes the classic version non-vegan
- Fish sauce
- Egg
- Dried shrimp
Swap table
| Instead of | Use | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fish sauce | Soy sauce + lime + kelp | Same salt-and-sea balance |
| Egg | Crumbled firm tofu with turmeric | Scramble it in the same way |
| Dried shrimp | Chopped roasted peanuts + a pinch of seaweed | Keeps the savoury crunch |
Method
- 1Soak rice noodles in hot water until pliable but firm.
- 2Whisk tamarind paste, palm sugar, soy sauce, lime and a pinch of kelp powder into a sauce.
- 3Fry pressed tofu until golden, push aside and scramble the turmeric tofu.
- 4Add noodles and sauce, tossing over high heat for 2 minutes.
- 5Finish with beansprouts, spring onion, peanuts and lime.
The one thing people get wrong
Tamarind, not ketchup, is what makes Pad Thai taste right — buy the paste, not the concentrate blocks if you can.
Frequently asked questions
- Can pad thai be made vegan?
- Yes. Replace fish sauce, egg, dried shrimp with soy sauce + lime + kelp, crumbled firm tofu with turmeric, chopped roasted peanuts + a pinch of seaweed. The method stays essentially the same and takes about 25 minutes.
- What is the hardest part of veganizing pad thai?
- Tamarind, not ketchup, is what makes Pad Thai taste right — buy the paste, not the concentrate blocks if you can.
- How long does vegan pad thai take?
- About 25 minutes for 2 servings — a easy recipe.
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