Pad Thai has to be my favourite noodle dish ever! It has such a fresh taste and combines so many delicious flavours and textures – it’s sweet, sour, salty, crunchy and chewy. No wonder it leaves my taste buds singing!

In today’s post I’m sharing the recipe for an easy plant-based Pad Thai that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It comes together in just 30 minutes (from scratch!)

The inspiration for today’s post was a recipe I spotted in this September’s Vegan Life magazine for a Peanut Butter and Purple Sprouting Broccoli Pad Thai by Meera Sodha. It looked so fresh. I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

For me, the star ingredients of this dish have to be the peanut butter and lime. Two of my favourite flavours combined into one delicious sauce! And they work so well together, with the zingy lime cutting through the richness of the peanut butter. The soy sauce and maple syrup add the sweet and salty flavour dimensions.

I lightly adapted Meera’s original recipe so I could use ingredients that I tend to always have on hand. It was a huge hit with the family! Since I first tried it, I’ve gone on to make it twice more… that’s three times in one month, which is so unusual for me! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Be sure to add a wedge or two of lime to each dish so you can add another squeeze of juice before you tuck in. It will leave your taste buds singing!

Big thank you to Vegan Life Magazine and Meera Sodha for inspiring today’s recipe!

Peanut Butter and Lime Pad Thai

This dish combines so many delicious flavours and textures – it’s sweet, salty, sour, crunchy and chewy! Ready in just 30 minutes, this dish is perfect as a weeknight meal.

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Hands-On Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Stir Fry

• 1 block (about 400g / 14 oz) firm tofu pressed and cubed
• 450 g / 16 oz tenderstem or regular broccoli* [see Notes]
• 1½ TBSP organic rapeseed (canola) oil (or other high heat oil)
• ¼ tsp garlic granules
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1 red pepper deseeded and sliced (I used a sweet romano pepper)
• 250 g / 9 oz flat brown rice noodles (or other wholegrain noodles)
• 4-8 lime wedges

For the Pad Thai Sauce

• 4 TBSP crunchy peanut butter (a natural one; no salt, sugar or oil added)
• 2 TBSP tamarind paste
• 3 TBSP maple syrup
• 4 TBSP reduced salt soy sauce (or tamari, for a GF option)
• 3 TBSP fresh lime juice
• 4 TBSP water

Optional toppings

• Crushed roasted peanuts
• Sliced spring onions
• Bean sprouts
• Chilli flakes
• Pickled Thai radishes

Instructions

 

• First, press the tofu for at least 10 minutes, then slice into cubes.
• Steam or roast the broccoli until just tender. If using tenderstem, slice the stalks into small pieces.
• Heat 1 TBSP oil in a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) on medium-high heat. Arrange the tofu cubes in the pan, and sprinkle the garlic granules and salt on top. Leave for 3 minutes or so until the underside of the tofu is golden brown, then flip the cubes over. Continue cooking until browned on all sides. Transfer the tofu to a bowl and cover with a plate to keep it warm.
• Meanwhile, prepare a large pan of boiling water and prepare the noodles as per the instructions on the packet. Refresh under cold running water and set to one side.
• Add a splash of oil to the frying pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic, ginger, onion and red pepper, and cook until the onion has softened (about four minutes).
• Whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour them into the pan, along with the cooked broccoli. Stir through and continue cooking until the sauce has heated through.
• Carefully fold the noodles into the stir fry until they are fully coated in the sauce. Once the noodles are warmed through, divided between four bowls. Add any additional toppings, and serve with a lime wedge or two on the side.

Notes

* If using regular broccoli (rather than tenderstem) I love to roast it before adding it to this dish. I finding roasting broccoli really helps to bring out the flavour and gives it a really lovely texture!

This dish is best served immediately, however the sauce, veggies and tofu can be prepped in advance.

This recipe has been lightly adapted from a recipe by Meera Sodha in East: 120 vegan and vegetarian recipes from Bangalore to Bejing, which featured in Vegan Life Magazine, Issue 63

Keyword Easy Vegan Meals, Family Friendly, Gluten-Free, Plant-Based, Stir Fry, Vegan Dinners, Vegan Pad Thai

N.B. These nutritional values are approximations and will vary depending on the specific ingredients used.

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If you make this Peanut Butter and Lime Pad Thai (or any other recipes on our blog), I’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for adaptations! Tag your photos with #bitofthegoodstuff on social media and they will find their way to me. You can also connect with me on my social media channels here:
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With love,

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