Not For the Wimp: Bad Ass Pad Thai — Veganizing the Fish Sauce
The hardest part of veganizing Pad Thai is the fish sauce. It's the backbone of the whole dish — funky, salty, deeply savory. Most vegan substitutes fall flat. This version uses a combination that actually works.
The Vegan Fish Sauce Substitute:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp nori seaweed flakes (or nori sheet torn up)
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
Let this sit together for 10 minutes before using. The nori gives the oceanic funkiness.
Ingredients — Pad Thai:
8 oz rice noodles, soaked per package directions
2 cups extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
2 cups bean sprouts
3 scallions, cut in 1 inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, sliced
3 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (above)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
Garnish:
Crushed roasted peanuts
Lime wedges
Fresh bean sprouts
Dried chili flakes
Fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Mix tamarind, vegan fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar into your sauce. Taste it — it should be tangy, salty and slightly sweet
Fry tofu in oil until golden and crispy on all sides. Remove and set aside
In the same wok over high heat, fry shallots and garlic 1 minute
Add drained noodles and sauce, toss constantly for 2 minutes
Push noodles to side, add a bit more oil, add tofu back
Add bean sprouts and scallions, toss everything together 1 more minute
Off heat, taste and adjust
Serve immediately — Pad Thai waits for no one. Pile on the garnishes aggressively.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.
The Vegan Fish Sauce Substitute:
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp nori seaweed flakes (or nori sheet torn up)
1 tsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
Let this sit together for 10 minutes before using. The nori gives the oceanic funkiness.
Ingredients — Pad Thai:
8 oz rice noodles, soaked per package directions
2 cups extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed
2 cups bean sprouts
3 scallions, cut in 1 inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, sliced
3 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (above)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
Garnish:
Crushed roasted peanuts
Lime wedges
Fresh bean sprouts
Dried chili flakes
Fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Mix tamarind, vegan fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar into your sauce. Taste it — it should be tangy, salty and slightly sweet
Fry tofu in oil until golden and crispy on all sides. Remove and set aside
In the same wok over high heat, fry shallots and garlic 1 minute
Add drained noodles and sauce, toss constantly for 2 minutes
Push noodles to side, add a bit more oil, add tofu back
Add bean sprouts and scallions, toss everything together 1 more minute
Off heat, taste and adjust
Serve immediately — Pad Thai waits for no one. Pile on the garnishes aggressively.
Hungry for more plant-based inspiration? Head back to Vegan Good Eats for more creative vegan recipes straight from the kitchen.