Vegetarian Pad Thai

Published on October 19, 2024

4.85 From 19 reviews . Help us out! Review HERE.Help out & review HERE

This Vegetarian Pad Thai is a colorful combination of fresh produce, an easy vegetarian pad Thai sauce, and freshly spiralized zucchini noodles. It’s a magic wand that transforms classic pad Thai into a healthy, low-carb, 30-minute dinner.

Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai with Zucchini Noodles in a white bowl with chopsticks and garnished with lime wedges, cilantro and peanuts

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Why You’ll Love This Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai Recipe

Ready in Minutes. This vegetarian pad Thai recipe is essentially a stir-fry, which means it comes together lickety-split! It’s fast, easy, and with its sweet, salty, a-little-bit-funky (in a good way) sauce, it hits the spot every time I’m feeling tempted by takeout.
Made Low-Carb With Zoodles. If you are going for authenticity, this Healthy Shrimp Pad Thai with rice noodles is most like the version Ben and I ate daily when we visited Thailand. (Read more about our travels in this post: Thailand Part 1.) But swapping zucchini noodles for classic rice noodles is a great way to make pad Thai a healthy dinner option for any night of the week.
A Balanced Meal. This vegetarian pad Thai offers healthy proteins and fats thanks to a trio of eggs, peanuts, and edamame, and it’s packed with veggies. You don’t need anything else! (But if you do want to pair your pad Thai with something else, I’ve got some ideas below.)

Zoodle Pad Thai in a white bowl with chopsticks and garnished with lime wedges, cilantro and peanuts

5 Star Review

“I cannot tell people how wonderful this dish is – just DELISH!”
— Martha —

How to Make Vegetarian Pad Thai

The Ingredients

Zucchini. The zucchini noodles drink up the flavor of the tasty pad Thai sauce and make this meal incredibly healthy and low carb too.
Soy Sauce. Gives this dish its iconic briny, umami flavor. I opt for low sodium soy sauce to keep the dish from becoming too salty. If you are not concerned about this dish being 100 percent vegetarian, you may add a teaspoon or two of fish sauce to the sauce for a more authentic Thai flavor.
Rice Vinegar. Has a serious impact on the yum-factor of this sauce.
Chili Garlic Sauce. Or Sriracha, if you prefer.
Honey. Sweetness to balance the chili sauce.
Eggs. Provides protein to make this dish filling and satisfying.
Carrots. Add a bright burst of orange color and some crunch.
Bean Sprouts. If you can’t find fresh bean sprouts, you can omit them or swap them for finely shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw. Do not use bean sprouts from a can, as they will lend an unpleasant metallic and overly-fermented taste.
Edamame. Provide a nice contrasting texture while contributing a dose of healthy plant-based protein. (If you love edamame, try my Edamame Hummus.)
Garlic and Green Onions. Add a little extra aroma and zip.
Cilantro. Finishes the dish with a little color and fresh herb taste.
Lime. A final squeeze of fresh lime juice balances and brightens the dish.
Peanuts. Give this dish a nice crunch that contrasts the tender vegetables beautifully. A pad Thai essential.

Dietary Note

To Make Vegan Pad Thai: Use maple syrup or light agave in place of the honey, and omit the eggs or substitute them for extra edamame or tofu.

Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai with Zoodles in a white bowl with chopsticks and garnished with lime wedges, cilantro and peanuts

The Directions

Make the Sauce. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients.
Prep the Noodles. Spiralize the zucchini into zoodles (or cut into ribbons using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler). Set aside.
Cook the Eggs. Next, sauté the garlic, and scramble the eggs until they just begin to set.
Add the Veggies. Add the zucchini noodles, bean sprouts, carrots, edamame, green onions, and sauce. Then, cook until the veggies are crisp-tender.
Finish. Garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve and ENJOY!

Meal Prep Tips

While this recipe does not hold up the best to reheating, you can prep the ingredients in advance to cut down cooking time for a make-ahead dinner.

Prewash, spiralize, and chop your produce up to 24 hours before cooking.
Store prepped veggies in separate or divided containers in the refrigerator.
Mix the sauce ahead and store it in an airtight container.

Then, when ready to cook, simply heat your skillet or wok and cook as directed in the recipe. Easy peasy!

Two bowls of 30-minute vegetarian Pad Thai with Zoodles garnished with lime wedges and peanuts

What to Serve with Vegetarian Pad Thai

Tofu. For an extra protein boost, add Air Fryer Tofu or reader favorite Crispy Tofu.
More Thai Food. Whip up a few Thai recipes and serve them family style! This Massaman Curry is fantastic, as is this Thai Chicken Curry.
Fried Rice. Cauliflower Fried Rice keeps it low-carb, or go for a more traditional Egg Fried Rice.
Asian-Inspired Apps. Start your meal with a batch of Air Fryer Egg Rolls!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Add Your Favorite Veggies. Feel free to add additional veggies or swap for any in-season produce of your choice. While the blend of vegetables in the recipe, as it is written, is most traditional, pea pods, sliced red bell pepper, or spinach would be tasty additions.
Garnish With Gusto. Add a sprinkling of fresh, chopped Thai basil (or regular basil) and chives for yet another layer of flavor. Fresh radish adds some crunch and punchy flavor, cashews are a crunchy alternative to peanuts—or come up with your own garnish ideas!
Adjust the Balance of the Sauce. Pad Thai is known for the balance of flavors in the sauce—salty, umami, sweet, and pungent. You can tweak the proportions to make the perfect balance for your taste buds. For sweeter pad Thai, add additional honey. For spicier, add additional chili paste.

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