Homemade Vegan Pad Thai Recipe (Gluten-Free)

Mar 24, 2021 • Updated Jul 13, 2023

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This vegan pad Thai with tofu recipe has rice noodles, tamarind, lime juice, vegan fish sauce, sprouts, and crushed peanuts on top—all the delicious flavors of the classic version made completely vegan and vegetarian.

an overhead shot of vegan pad thai on a white plate

What Makes This Recipe Great

Growing up, I spent a lot of time in Thailand, and pad thai was a go-to meal for me, so this is an inspired Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu! Pad Thai is a classic Thai dish comprised of rice noodles, a tangy, savoury, and sweet sauce, and protein. Is Pad Thai vegan? Well, it is typically made with fish sauce, so while it’s common to find a pad thai made with tofu, chances are the sauce is still fish based.

Pad Thai noodles are rice-based, so they are gluten-free, but often the sauce contains gluten. This easy dish is not only fish sauce free but also made with a gluten-free pad Thai sauce. Same taste, just vegan and vegetarian friendly!

We’ll use traditional pad Thai ingredients, including tamarind, preserved radish, and mung bean sprouts, with a plant-based twist. From start to finish, it takes about 30 minutes or less to make these pad thai noodles with tofu, and it comes together in one pan.

Ingredient Notes

flat rice noodles
garlic cloves
shallot
Thai chili peppers
chives
dried preserved radish
baked tofu cubes or vegan chicken

Sauce

vegan fish sauce: Vegan fish sauce is an alternative to conventional fish sauce, which is, of course, made with fish. Fish sauce adds umami and funk to the sauce, and you can find plant-based alternatives made from kelp and mushrooms, also sources of umami.
tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
tamarind purée: Tamarind is a fruit that grows in pods, with a pulp inside that is sweet and sour at the same time. It is native to Africa but found in Southeast Asia and is often used in Thai cooking. You can find tamarind in full pod form, a pressed block of tamarind paste, tamarind concentrate, and purée form, which resembles syrup. For this recipe, we’ll work with tamarind syrup, which I find easiest to make pad Thai sauce with. It’s also much easier to preserve for future use
lime juice
rice wine vinegar
coconut sugar
garnish: Crushed roasted peanuts, mung bean sprouts, dried chili flakes, and fresh lime wedges.

an Asian noodle dish on a white plate topped with peanuts and lime wedges.

Step-by-Step Instructions

To make this delicious dish, we’ll be primarily following the traditional method but making ingredient swaps to make it both vegan and gluten-free.

First, soak or prepare your rice noodles according to the package directions.
In a large pan or wok, sauté shallot, garlic, and chili peppers over medium-high heat until fragrant. Then add radish, garlic, chives, and either tofu or plant-based chicken and sauté again.
In a small bowl, whisk together the pad thai sauce ingredients, add into the pan, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Drain cooked noodles and add to the pan, tossing to coat.
Once ready, serve noodles with roasted crushed peanuts, mung bean sprouts, chili flakes, and fresh lime.

vegan pad thai topped with tofu, lime, sprouts, and peanuts.

Expert Tips

Protein: Typically, pad thai is made with egg and chicken or seafood as the primary protein. When making vegan pad thai, I like to use a super firm or dried tofu, however, if you’d like to choose from a plant-based meat alternative, vegan chicken or vegan shrimp make great stand-ins! You can also use tempeh, seitan, or other plant-based proteins.
Vegetables: Feel free to add additional veggies, such as julienned carrots, onion, green onion, bell pepper, etc.
Sourcing Ingredients: You can find tamarind at Southeast Asian and Indian grocery stores if there are any near you. You might also check Asian grocery stores or the Asian/International section of conventional grocery stories. If all else fails, you can find tamarind online! If looking for a substitute, I recommend using date syrup, as it’s similar (minus the tang).
Vegan Fish Sauce: Many Asian grocery stores carry vegan fish sauce alternatives, but it is trickier to find a vegan fish sauce that is gluten-free friendly. I like to use this gluten-free, soy-free vegan fish sauce.

Serving Tips

Serve with roasted crushed peanuts, mung bean sprouts, chili flakes, and fresh lime wedges!
You can serve this as a full meal or alongside additional dishes such as Pad See Ew, Takeout Style Fried Rice, Peanut Curry with Smoked Tofu, stir-fry, and more!

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat over the stove or in the microwave.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make my own vegan fish sauce?

If you prefer, you can make your own vegan fish sauce at home. Here’s a recipe by my friend Chez Jorge for homemade vegan fish sauce and another by Feasting at Home. You’ll find that both call for kombu or kelp and mushrooms for that umami flavour.

What is vegan pad Thai made of?

It’s actually made from many of the same ingredients as regular pad Thai! There are a few swaps (like the fish sauce) to make it completely vegan! Plus, it has the same delicious flavors!

More Vegan Noodle Recipes

Miso Mushroom Ramen

Sweet & Spicy Noodles

Spicy Almond Butter Noodles

Red Curry Noodles

Vegan Japchae Spicy Chili Crisp Noodles (via Okonomi Kitchen)

If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a star rating and comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!

The Pad Thai sauce was spot on! I am also looking forward to having fun adding the preserved dried radish to other dishes. Where do you usually use this ingredient?