Recipes » Main Dish » Easy Veggie Pad Thai
T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies

Reprinted fromThe PlantPure Kitchen (BenBella Books, 2017)

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 6-8 ounces brown rice noodles
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
  • ½ red onion, sliced
  • 3 cups chopped broccoli florets
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 2 cups chopped spinach
  • 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
  • 4-6 green onions, chopped
  • 3-5 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 Tbsp low-sodium tamari
  • 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp tahini
  • 1 Tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tsp cornstarch

Toppings

  • ½ cup chopped peanuts
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • 2. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
  • 3. Arrange tofu in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tofu thoroughly with the sauce (reserve the remaining sauce for the vegetables). Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • 4. While the tofu is baking, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  • 5. In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the carrot, bell pepper, red onion, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, sprouts, green onions, and garlic in a small amount of water until the broccoli is bright and tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the reserved sauce and continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
  • 6. In a large serving bowl, toss the noodles, tofu, and vegetables together. Garnish with the peanuts and cilantro and serve with the lime wedges, if desired.

Cooking Tips

  • 1. Don't hesitate to try different veggies in this dish. I like the variety and color of the ones I use here, but you can choose your own favorites.
  • 2. Tamarind paste (a sticky, sour fruit paste) can be found in the Asian section of most large supermarkets, but if you can't find it, you can substitute with 1 pitted date.

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