Name: Vegetarian Pad Thai (with Extra Veggies!)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 ounces rice noodles ((or noodles of choice)); 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound green cabbage (, shredded); 3 tablespoons tamari ((gluten-free soy sauce)); 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon sriracha; 1 carrot (, shredded ); 3 green onions (, chopped ); 1 cup fresh cilantro (, chopped ); ¼ cup chopped peanuts

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Have you ever felt intimidated about making Pad Thai at home? I certainly did. But after several kitchen experiments, I’ve figured out a way to make this classic takeout dish with simple pantry ingredients (and a few extra veggies).

It’s not 100% authentic by any means, but it certainly is delicious. And more importantly, it’s easy to throw together for a fast weeknight meal.

Adding shredded cabbage to this dish stretches the noodle-like texture, so you get to eat a much larger portion for fewer calories. If you’d like to add your favorite protein on top, it’s easy to customize every time you make it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

These are absolutely delicious and should be called “Marry Me Noodles.” I overheard my boyfriend telling his guy friend just how amazingly delicious they were – ranting and raving about what a great cook I was, when your recipes are always the secret ingredient. Yummmm and thank you!” – Lola

Pad Thai Ingredients

Since I don’t typically keep tamarind paste or fish sauce in my pantry, here’s what you’ll need to make this easier vegetarian version.

Rice Noodles. Pad Thai is traditionally made with rice noodles, which are thin, flat, and naturally gluten-free. They can be made with white rice or brown rice. I’ve also made this with traditional spaghetti noodles and chickpea linguine noodles, which is what I use in my popular Peanut Noodles recipe. Almost any noodles should work!
Veggies. Traditional recipes usually call for shredded carrots, green onions, cilantro, and mung bean sprouts. I also like to take this dish a step further by adding shredded cabbage. It develops a noodle-like texture when cooked, so it blends right in with the noodles!
Tamari. This gluten-free soy sauce helps add umami and a salty flavor to the vegan pad thai sauce.
Lime juice. Fresh lime juice adds a tangy, refreshing flavor. (Lemon juice should work, too.)
Sriracha. This spicy sauce is a staple in our fridge and an easy way to add a dash of spice. You can easily add another squeeze if you prefer things spicier, too.
Maple Syrup. This sweetener balances the acidity of the sauce and is vegan-friendly. If you don’t need a vegan dish, honey could be used instead.
Peanuts. These are added for crunch in the traditional dish. You can use any other nut you like, too.

How to Make Healthy Pad Thai

Step 1:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and prepare the noodles according to the package directions.

Step 2:

While the noodles are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the cabbage and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.

Step 3:

While the cabbage and noodles are cooking, stir together the sauce in a small bowl. Combine the tamari, lime juice, maple syrup, and sriracha, and stir until smooth.

Step 4:

When the noodles are done, drain well, then add them to the large skillet with the cabbage. Add in the sauce, carrots, and green onions, and stir often, so everything gets heated and evenly coated in the sauce.

Taste and adjust any seasoning as needed. (See the section below for tips!) Stir in the cilantro right before serving, and sprinkle in the peanuts, so they’ll stay crunchy. Serve warm.

Storage Tip: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes to serve again.

sauce added to noodles and veggies in skillet for Pad Thai

How to Customize the FLavor

Here’s how you can modify this dish to your liking:

Too salty? Add more maple syrup or veggies to balance it out. Sweetness balances out salty flavors.
Too tangy? Add more maple syrup or veggies. Sweetness balances out tangy flavors, too.
Needs more flavor? Add more salt! Most food that tastes bland is under-seasoned. Use a mineral-rich salt and season liberally.
Not spicy enough? Add more sriracha, to taste. Spicy flavors are the hardest to “undo,” so start with a small amount if you are sensitive to spice. I consider myself sensitive to spice, and as-written I don’t think this dish is very spicy, but everyone is different!