Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai with a simple five ingredient Pad Thai sauce – adaptable to any veggies you have on hand! So easy and delicious!
Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai with Peanuts and Basil
Fast and easy? Adaptable? Simple? Delicious? That’s this vegetarian pad thai.
Featured comment
This recipe is extraordinary! I make it about every 2 weeks as both my husband and I crave it! The flavour is amazing and it is quite filling!
Jaclyn
Once again, NOODLES.
Here we are again, just me and my big bowl-o-noodles… and a few veggies, and a lot of sauce, and a handful of fresh basil and cilantro…. a fork, a hungry mouth, a heart-eyes emoji… ugh. This reunion with me and cooking could not get any happier.
This Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai is first and foremost RAINBOW, which is the only fun way to eat anything in life.
It is brown rice noodles (affiliate link), and spiralized veggies (affiliate link) (because veggies in noodle form feels like more noodles), and a super tangy-delicious Pad Thai sauce that you just shake up in a jar in about five seconds flat, and peanuts that almost instantly start to soak up the sauce, and a gently scrambled egg that kind of cream-ifies the whole thing.
Also: fresh herbs by the fistful. You’ll take a bite, you’ll love it, and then you’ll remember you have to add in the basil, and so you’ll add them in and try your second bite complete with the herbs, and OH MY GOODNESS things just went to the next level. I’m so excited for you.
In This Post: Everything You Need For Vegetarian Pad Thai
- Watch How to Make Vegetarian Pad Thai
- Ingredients in This Vegetarian Pad Thai
- How to Make Some Yummy Pad Thai
- Pad Thai Variations
- Vegetarian Pad Thai: Frequently Asked Questions
Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?
Low Effort, Big Flavor
This Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai (with peanuts and basil dohhh) is just really good, my friends. It is really good and surprisingly easy. I took a few ideas I had seen out there in the big wide internet world (vegetables as noodles! Pad Thai sauce-ery!) and made them into this. And I am so happy with how it turned out + the minuscule amount of effort it takes to get there.
As I’ve mentioned a few times, I’ve been really taking it easy lately in the kitchen. When I say take it easy, I don’t mean making ten minute basil artichoke toasts and five minute magic green sauce. I mean taking it easy as in NOT COOKING ANYTHING. We’re talking life-saving dinner made by friends, hot dogs (gulp), mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets out of the freezer. During these last few weeks, my old self has definitely been food-snob-judging my current self.
It’s a hard job, all this noodle-eating, but I’m willing to fight the good fight. Carry on, Warrior!
Ingredients In This Vegetarian Pad Thai
Lots of easy-to-find, fresh ingredients in this Pad Thai!
- Brown rice noodles*
- Veggies (you can use whatever you’d like, but we really love red bell peppers, zucchini, onion, and carrots)
- Egg
- Peanuts
- Fresh herbs
And for the sauce you’ll need:
- fish sauce
- brown sugar
- broth
- white vinegar
- soy sauce
- chili paste
How To Make Some Yummy Pad Thai
Let’s talk about how to make this Pad Thai, because it’s so easy. More like I’ll show you with pictures because I talk too much, always.
- Prep your noodles and veggies. Soak your noodles in a bowl of cold water to get them ready. Spiralize your veggies – you don’t need-need to spiralize. You can use a peeler or just cut the veggies into thin strips. But boy, oh boy! Spiralizers are fun to use!
- Shake your sauce. Toss the fish sauce, brown sugar, broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili paste into a small jar and shake it up until a sauce forms.
- Cook your veg. Stir fry your veggies in a pan with a little bit oil. Just 2-3 minutes should do it so that the veggies remain crispy rather than soggy. No sad veggies in this Pad Thai!
- Add the noodles and other bits of yum. Add your drained rice noodles to the hot pan. Move the noodles to the side and cook the egg. Add the veggies back to the pan with the sauce and slurp away on the best vegetarian Pad Thai.
Pad Thai Variations
Lots of ways to make these noodles for you! May we suggest…
- Crisped up tofu – why are these cubes so addictingly good?
- Bean sprouts – the perfect crunch
- Garlic – hello, good friend. You are welcome here.
- Lime squeeze – the perfect freshness right on top
- Different veggies (mushrooms, green onions, pea pods, so many fresh options!)
However you Pad Thai, do not, we repeat, DO NOT sleep on these slurpable noodles. Just so, so good.
Vegetarian Pad Thai: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without sugar?
If going sugar-free is important to you, make sure to sub another sweetener for the brown sugar. Also important: fish sauce contains trace amounts of sugar.
How sticky should my noodles be?
There is a fine line between the mixture being Just Right Sticky and TOO Sticky. Usually too sticky happens when you cook it too long. Watch it carefully and once you see it starting to come together, remove from heat right away and toss with the veggies.
Should I use all of the sauce?
You might not need all the sauce in this recipe, but I (as a sauce lover) did use all of it! I would say just eyeball whatever amount looks good to you and save the rest to add in later if you want.
How can I make this gluten-free?
This recipe is gluten-free other than the 1 tablespoon soy sauce, so just swap that out for tamari if you need it to be gluten-free!
Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai with Peanuts and Basil
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai with a simple five ingredient Pad Thai sauce – adaptable to any veggies you have on hand! So easy and delicious!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Pad Thai
- 4 ounces brown rice noodles* (you can get stir-fry type noodles or Pad Thai noodles – and usually that’s half a box)
- 1 zucchini
- 1 red pepper
- half a yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs like cilantro, green onions, and basil, chopped
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce or vegan fish sauce substitute
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or sub another sweetener)
- 3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (sambal oelek)
Instructions
- Place the uncooked noodles in a bowl of cold water to soak. Spiralize the zucchini, red pepper, and onion into noodle-like shapes. Cut the carrots into very small pieces (or spiralize them, too, if they’re big enough).
- Shake up the sauce ingredients in a jar.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the veggies – stir fry with tongs for 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp (if they are not spiralized, they might need longer). Be careful not to overcook them – they’ll get soggy and heavy. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Drain the noodles – they should be softened by now. Add the noodles to the hot pan and stir fry for a minute, using tongs to toss. Add the sauce and stir fry for another minute or two, until the sauce is starting to thicken and stick to the noodles. Push the noodles aside to make a little room for the egg – pour the beaten egg into the pan and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Toss everything around with the tongs. The egg mixture will stick to the noodles and everything will start getting sticky.
- Add in the vegetables, toss together, and remove from heat. Stir in the peanuts and herbs and serve immediately.
Equipment
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- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Keywords: pad thai recipe, easy pad thai, vegetarian pad thai, sticky noodles, pad thai sauce
NOTE: The fish sauce is a key ingredient and the flavor is hard to replicate, and personally, I’m not a die-hard vegetarian, so this works for me as is. But that being said, if I were absolutely 100% vegetarian, I would try this recipe as a vegan fish sauce substitute.
More Slurpable Noodle Recipes
- Coconut Curry Ramen (think heavy pulls of steamy ramen noodles)
- Sesame Noodle Bowls (easy to meal prep)
- 15 Minute Lo Mein (dinner on the table in 15 minutes!)
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One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our simple slurpable noodles page. Check it out!
Filed Under: All Recipes Bell Pepper Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Healthy Most Popular Pasta Quick and Easy Stovetop Sugar-Free Summer Vegetarian
August 4, 2021
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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Hmmmm… I love your recipes but this one fell short for me. Very little flavor. I just added my home made chili crisp to the top and for me that gave the recipe the depth I was looking for.
I don’t think I did anything wrong and I Love all veggie dishes.
Of course I am making another of your recipes tonight!!
POY is my go to website. I have never failed with a recipe from here. Every single thing has been amazing and so easy. I started using POY 10 years ago and haven’t found a more reliable food blog.
This recipe like all the rest was amazing. I didn’t have peanuts so used natural peanut butter mixed in. Also didn’t have zucchini and it was still delicious. My husband said he was going to eat the whole pan and I tripled the recipe. Another POY recipe to keep in my permanent recipe rotation!
VEGETARIAN recipe??? Don’t call something vegetarian when you use fish sauce
This is my go to pad thai recipe and i’ve made it dozens of times! I do have some tweaks that help me get the best results.
-i sautee the onions first for 2-3 minutes, add in the peppers and cook they are slightly soft, then the carrots till heated through and finally add in the zucchini til heated through. That prevents soggy veggies!
-I use 3 tb broth and 3 tbs brown sugar but definitely lessen the amount of fish sauce, vinegar and soy sauce because otherwise it’s way too salty for me. I just made this pad thai today and used about 1.5 tb fish sauce, 1 tbs + 1tsp vinegar, 1 tbs + 1 tsp soy sauce.
-i go a little extra on the chili sauce maybe 2 tsp and still not super spicy
-before sautee-ing the vegetables, i’ll first sautee some shrimp and set aside, then mix the shrimp in once the dish is finished.
-add 2-3 finely sliced green onions to the pad thai once done cooking
-don’t forget the lime, cilantro garnish, and chopped peanuts! it makes a big difference.
My whole family gobbled it up…this means it’s a winner for me!
This recipe was phenomenal and got rave reviews all around the table from both the vegetarians and meat-eaters in my house. I stir-fry/roasted the veggies in the oven rather than the skillet (not spiralized). Also added some cooked crispy tofu on top for a little more heft and protein. Soooo good!
Really misleading to label this as vegetarian when it clearly isn’t as it has fish sauce in. Just wastes time when looking for a proper vegetarian recipe. You are either a vegetarian or not.
“Vegetarian” Pad Thai with fish sauce in it? Please don’t call it vegetarian.
(Actually made recipe)
Normally I enjoy recipes from Pinch of Yum, but this one was bad. The noodles were rock hard (do you use a certain brand??) so we had to cook some noodles separately to add in. Also, I love fish sauce, but this was disgustingly fishy. It overpowered all of the other flavors. Last, this was too salty, even using all low sodium versions of ingredients. I would not recommend this recipe and will not be making it again. Please consider workshopping a new pad thai recipe to take this one’s place!
Great recipe and works very well with a vegan fysh sauce! THANK YOU! Love it😊
Love love love this one! My household has egg & peanut allergies, so I just leave both out – still tastes amazing 🥰
This was so delicious and easy to prepare.
What are some popular recipes featured on Pinch of Yum that you would recommend for someone looking to try out new dishes?
This recipe was super easy and packed with savory flavors. I added shiitake mushrooms, reduced the fish sauce from 3TBL to 2. Used Nakano seasoned rice vinegar. I also added 1 TBL of white miso. I overcooked the noodles a bit but this was just operator error 😉 Will make again very soon.
Hey your “vegetarian” pad Thai recipe has fish sauce in it dingus.
Apart from that it looks genuinely delicious.
But yea it’s definitely not vegetarian lol.
So yummy!
I would love to know what brand of spiral veggie noodle maker you use!
Thanks,
Debbie
Geeze.
Scrolling the comments I was surprised to see so many complaints that have such simple, intuitive solutions:
1. If you are a strict vegetarian, omit the eggs, use veggie stock, and use a vegetarian recipe for faux fish sauce. (For which there is a link).
A word to vegetarians regarding recipes that may include a few items that aren’t “vegetarian”… Isn’t it great that more people are trying to eat a diet that’s more plant based? If this *almost entirely* vegetarian recipe helps others do that, even if they aren’t “strict” vegetarians, isn’t that a good thing, for the planet? It’s easy to see how you can make this as strictly veggie as you want. So do that, if you want. Remember that it’s best for the planet if everyone eats more plant based. If this recipe helps that happen, that’s good for everyone.
2. About Fish Sauce… Why are people so afraid of fish sauce? Thai food is some of the best food in the world, and fish sauce is a *staple* in authentic Thai food. (You’re not supposed to drink it, guys). To me, it provides a complexity to the flavor that is irreplaceable, (unless you are a strict vegetarian). Be brave, and try it, friends!
3. The Noodles: the packaging you buy them in probably says how long to soak them… Or just try testing them, and add hotter water or soak longer if they are taking to long to soften. It’s just like making spaghetti noodles, everyone. You’ve probably done that a million times… You want them a little al dente so they can finish cooking in the sauce and soak up the flavor.
4. Regarding too much sugar or too much salt, if you prefer it with less, then use less! The choice is (always) yours.
5. And finally, I think it’s important to note that pad Thai is always going to turn out better if you know how to cut your veggies thin, (if you don’t spiralize) so just make sure you have a really large, sharp knife, to make those thin slices so it will cook quickly and retain that bite. Pad Thai is miserable if over cooked and mushy. You have to include texture, so that is why I also like to add crushed peanuts (just smash them in a bag) and fresh herbs and maybe some match stick carrots. And fresh lime juice, added right before you eat. I think you can ruin this dish if you over cook it. So just remember to slice thin, if you use a knife, so it cooks easily as a stir fry.
And finally, when making the sauce, it’s easy to make a mistake measuring, if you aren’t paying attention, so make sure you slow down and pay attention to what you’re doing.
(I thought the sauce was perfectly balanced.)
But again, guys, you can always adjust the saltiness, ect. (As in any recipe, always). Does a recipe need to literally tell you that, for this to be common knowledge? And keep in mind, it’s not supposed to be absolutely drenched in sauce, so just add as much as you like. It’s that simple.
Another 5 star vote from my husband.
Believe the hype! I made this for dinner last night in a huge batch, hoping there’d be leftovers for lunch, but it disappeared. Best Pad Thai I ever made! The sauce was simple to make with ingredients I already had, since we love Thai food. I’ll only use this recipe from now on.
Vegetarians don’t eat fish
I love Thai food and find the recipes pretty easy to follow. Do you have a recipe book I can buy?
Hi! Would this be any good without the egg and would you recommend anything in place of it?
Thanks!
Definitely! You can just keep the egg out.
I used this sauce (with a few minor tweaks) to enjoy with my left over ginger chicken meatballs. I didn’t have broth so I used water, used rice vinegar instead of white vinegar and add 1/2 tbsp of lime juice, 1 tsp minced ginger and 2 tsp of minced garlic. Heated the sauce up and reheated the meatballs in the sauce as well and enjoyed with white rice, cucumbers and shallots.
fish sauce isn’t vegetarian. that’s really misleading.
👎🏼
Why would this be labeled vegetarian? Fish sauce and chicken broth are not vegetarian ingredients. Yikes.
Hi there! We offer a link to a vegan fish sauce alternative and offer veggie broth as an alternative as well. Hope this helps! Enjoy!