Vegan Pad Thai with Crispy Tofu

Crispy baked tofu and vermicelli rice noodles are the base of this vegan Pad Thai that's simply delicious and so much better than takeout. It also has quite a bit of crunch from bean sprouts and peanuts and is ready in just 30 minutes for the perfect speedy weeknight dinner.

This vegan Pad Thai with crispy tofu is one of my favourite fakeaway dishes not just because it's truly delicious, but also because it's ready in just 30 minutes, and that includes the time for baking the tofu.

Pad Thai is a popular dish in Southeast Asia, mainly in Thailand and Vietnam. It's made with rice noodles, usually cooked and served fresh, stir-fried together with various other ingredients.

My version mixes shallots, green onions, grated carrot and sliced red pepper with a delicious fragrant sauce and crunchy bean sprouts and peanuts. To make the tofu crispy, I coat it in a mix of soy sauce and cornstarch and bake it for about 15 minutes.

What ingredients do you need?

Extra-firm tofu - You'll need a large block of extra firm tofu for this recipe. If you're in the UK, the tofu from Cauldron is great. Even if it's extra firm, I press all my tofu because it's difficult to make it crispy otherwise.

Soy sauce - Use a low-salt soy sauce to avoid a very salty end result. Both light and dark versions work well here, so use your favourite.

Brown sugar - Don't skip this or reduce the quantity. Pad thai sauce should have a good sweet-and-sour balance and the sugar will help you achieve it.

Veggies - Like with any stir fry, you can easily play with the veggies. I used a mix of shallot, spring onions, carrot, and sweet red pepper, but you can also add stuff like broccoli or cauliflower florets.

Bean sprouts - These give the Pad Thai extra crunchiness, and they're also super nutritious. They have lots of fiber, vitamin C, plus calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Rice noodles - You can make Pad Thai with flat rice noodles or with vermicelli, which is what I used here. Vermicelli are still rice noodles but have a thinner cut. Any kind of rice noodle is the perfect vehicle for a sweet-and-sour sauce. You can use ready-cooked noodles to save time.

How to make vegan Pad Thai?

This dish only takes 30 minutes to make, and even though you have to use both the oven and stove to make it, it's still super simple to make.

You can easily make the sauce while the tofu is crisping nicely in the oven. Here's how to do it step by step.

• Preheat the oven at 190°C (375°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
• Cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch pieces and place them in a bowl.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons cornstarch and toss gently until the tofu pieces are well covered.
• Spread the tofu bits on the lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes until crispy.

• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan or wok and stir fry the shallot, spring onions, carrot, and red pepper for 3-4 minutes.
• Next, add the garlic and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
• Stir in the tomato paste and the soy sauce. Cook for another minute, then add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves.
• Stir in the rice noodles and the water. Toss well to combine, then add the rice vinegar.
• Transfer the baked tofu to the pan, stir to combine, then add the peanuts and give it another stir.
• Divide into bowls and serve immediately, with extra peanuts on top if you like.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can use Tamari soy sauce for this recipe. This is a Japanese form of soy sauce with a thicker texture and less salty.
• Use chilli-infused oil for an extra boost of flavour.
• Make the Pad Thai even spicier by topping it with red pepper flakes. You can also add in some sriracha sauce if you can handle the heat.

If you liked this vegan Pad Thai with crispy tofu, have a look at some of my other delicious tofu recipes:

Easy Vegan Tofu Korma

Vegan Kung Pao Tofu

Vegan Tofu Massaman Curry

Tofu Bolognese

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