Rainy days had me craving Pad Thai & lucky for me I had been house-sitting in my old neighborhood where my favorite Thai restaurant is located. Kevin & I indulged that Saturday night and it did not disappoint.
But it did get me thinking, how can I improve my own recipe flavors and tofu texture without frying my tofu and while staying on track with my whole food plant-based lifestyle?
Well, I am so happy to say that I nailed it! I could not get enough of this meal! And better yet, it didn’t cost me $30 for take out.
Here’s my healthy swaps to take out:
- Use brown rice noodles and mix in spiralized carrots to replace part of the noodles
- Bake the tofu instead of frying in oil
- Whisk up the sauces at home to use clean ingredients
- Add in extra vegetables to fill your plate
These swaps are so simple and delicious that it won’t feel like extra work so enjoy your healthy Tofu Pad Thai for dinner and the leftovers are just as flavorful for lunch!
Crispy Tofu Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz package of water packed firm or extra firm tofu
- 3 large carrots, spiralized
- 1 8oz package of brown rice noodles Thai Kitchen brand is easiest to find
- 1 head broccoli or package broccoli florets
- 1/2 yellow or white onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup green onions, diced
- 2 Tbsp peanuts, crushed
Sweet & Spicy Tofu Marinade
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Creamy Peanut Butter Sauce
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger root, freshly grated
- 3 Tbsp water
Instructions
Prepare the Tofu
- Open the package of firm or extra firm tofu and drain the water. Cut the tofu block into six slices.
- Lay paper towels on a sheet pan and spread tofu slices in a single layer on top. Place more paper towels over the tofu, then add another sheet pan on top of that. Place heavy objects on the sheet pan to press the water out of the tofu. (Try canned foods or cookbooks)
- Let the tofu press for 30 - 60 minutes. Uncover and leave as tofu "steaks".
- Mix the Sweet & Spicy Marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add tofu steaks to large ziploc bag or storage container & pour marinade over tofu.
- Close container or bag and set in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Try not to go beyond 24 hours.
Prepare the Pad Thai
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Slice pressed & marinaded tofu into desired sized pieces and add to a bowl. Sprinkle tofu with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper.
- Spread tofu flat directly onto a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 15- 20minutes. Turn the oven off and leave tofu on the baking dish until all other ingredients are prepared.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. While waiting for water to boil slice, chop and spiralize the vegetables.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and bell pepper. Cook until tender & onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add in broccoli florets and season with a pinch of salt & pepper. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 4-5 more minutes. Remove peppers, onions & broccoli from skillet and set aside in a bowl.
- Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water. Add the brown rice noodles and cook as directed on the package. Once the noodles have 2 minutes remaining in the boil time add in the spiralized carrots. Drain the noodles and carrots from the pot.
- Whisk together all Creamy Peanut Butter ingredients.
- Heat the Creamy Peanut Butter Sauce over medium-low heat in a large skillet. Add in the vegetable mixture & noodles. Toss until well coated and heated to the desired temperature.
- Divide the noodle & vegetable mixture evenly into 4 plates. Top with baked crispy tofu, diced green onions, and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe, test out my Thai Chickpea Burgers & Slaw next!