Raw Pad Thai Recipe w/ Photos (Vegan) – Vegangela (2024)

by Vegangela

For today’s post, I’d like to share a raw Pad Thai recipe that my mom made for me when I last visited her in Ottawa.

Raw Pad Thai Recipe w/ Photos (Vegan) – Vegangela (1)

She got the recipe from Chatelaine magazine, but it comes from Julie Daniluk’s Meals That Heal Inflammation cookbook. I love how fresh and healthy this dish tastes! In fact, I love it so much that I’ve already made it 3 or 4 times this month. It’s a total “keeper” for me and I hope it will be for you as well.

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I haven’t found any raw almond butter yet, so I used this roasted almond and cashew blend instead. So in my case, this salad isn’t 100% raw. However, I did manage to find this huge bottle of raw organic agave nectar at Homesense for $12.99 though. Score!

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You’ll need a spiralizer, mandoline or julienne vegetable peeler in order to make the veggie “noodles”. I’m normally not a big fan of kitchen gadgets, but I use these all the time and think they’re a good investment for any vegetarian/vegan, or anyone looking to eat more vegetables. Otherwise, check out my Raw Vegan Alfredo Sauce with Zucchini Noodles post to learn how to make wide Fettuccine noodles with a regular vegetable peeler. I used my julienne peeler for this recipe, and my mom gave me this special mandoline glove that prevents me from cutting myself when I use it.

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Notes – Raw Pad Thai Recipe

  • If you make the dressing first, and then toss the veggies on top, this is a one-pot meal.
  • I’ve doubled the recipe, because I find that even doubled, it only makes 2-3 servings.
  • The original recipe called for raw honey, but I’ve made it vegan by using raw agave or maple syrup.
  • I didn’t find any fresh sprouts, but this was still delicious, so I’ve marked them as optional below.
  • I also like serving this with crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro, so I’ve added them as options too.
  • As the directions indicate, it’s definitely better after a few hours in the fridge, however, if you leave it at room temperature for about 15 minutes, it should also help to soften-up the veggies and combine the flavors.
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Updates – Raw Pad Thai Recipe

February 27, 2013 – I sometimes like to add tofu to this dish. I simply cut up 250g of organic tofu and lightly fry it in some sesame oil and tamari sauce. I tend to leave-out the cauliflower when I do this. It no longer makes the dish 100% raw, but I like the additional protein punch it delivers this way.

Also, once the sauce has had a chance to break-down the veggies a little bit, I’ve noticed that there’s quite a bit of it left over. I’ve therefore updated the recipe to use 3 carrots and zucchinis instead of 2. I’ve also increased the serving size to 3. Less waste + more servings = even better recipe 🙂

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Print

Raw Pad Thai

Raw Pad Thai Recipe w/ Photos (Vegan) – Vegangela (12)

Print Recipe
★★★★★5 from 32 reviews

This easy vegan raw Pad Thai uses zucchini and carrots for the “noodles” / Raw, Vegan, Gluten-Free

  • Author: Angela @ Vegangela.com
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 mins
  • Yield: 3 1x
  • Category: Main, Salad
  • Cuisine: Raw, Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

  • 3 medium zucchinis
  • 3 large carrots
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup mung bean sprouts or radish sprouts (spicy) (optional)
  • 1/2 cup crushed peanuts (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander/cilantro (optional)

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup almond butter (or cashew butter, peanut butter)
  • 1/4 cup tamari (gluten-free, as required)
  • 2 tbsp agave (or maple syrup)
  • 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger root, grated

Instructions

  1. Use a spiralizer (or mandolin or vegetable peeler) to create noodles from the carrot and zucchini. Place them in a large mixing bowl and top with the other vegetables.
  2. Whisk sauce ingredients in a bowl. The sauce will be thick, but will thin out after it’s mixed with the vegetables.
  3. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss. Best after 1 day in the fridge.

Notes

Adapted from recipe in Julie Daniluk’s Meals That Heal Inflammation cookbook via Chatelaine magazine

Keywords: agave, asian, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, easy, ginger, gluten-free, julienne, low-carb, make-ahead, no-cook, nut butter, one-pot, raw, spiralizer, summer, tahini, thai, under 30 minutes, zucchini, vegan, salad

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Raw Pad Thai Recipe w/ Photos (Vegan) – Vegangela (14)
Raw Pad Thai Recipe w/ Photos (Vegan) – Vegangela (2024)

FAQs

What is the pink stuff in pad Thai? ›

Tamarind concentrate: This is the starring ingredient in pad Thai that gives the sauce its signature tangy, sweet, and fruity flavor. Granted, some American Thai restaurants have switched to using ketchup in its place, which gives the dish a notably different and less-tangy flavor.

Is pad Thai usually vegan? ›

Authentic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle dish that is a popular street food in Thailand. It is traditionally prepared with seafood, proteins such as chicken and or tofu, and eggs. For this vegan version, we've made a few simple plant-based ingredient swaps without compromising on flavor or the integrity of the dish.

How is pad Thai made in Thailand? ›

Pad Thai is made with rice noodles, which are stir fried with eggs and chopped firm tofu, flavored with tamarind juice, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots, and sometimes red chili pepper and palm sugar, and served with lime wedges and often crushed roasted peanuts.

Does pad Thai usually have meat? ›

Pad Thai is a Thai noodle stir fry with a sweet-savoury-sour sauce scattered with crushed peanuts. It's made with thin, flat rice noodles, and almost always has bean sprouts, garlic chives, scrambled egg, firm tofu and a protein – the most popular being chicken or prawns/shrimp.

Is Pad Thai good or bad for you? ›

Pad thai is a nutrient-dense dish offering many nutrients and health benefits, primarily from: Flat rice noodles: They are rich in carbs, which serve as an energy source to fuel our bodies, and selenium, an essential mineral that supports the immune system.

What does Pad Thai mean in English? ›

Thai (ไทย) – that's obvious. Pad (ผัด) – means fried. There are however, countless Thai dishes with the word Pad in it. The main ingredient in Pad Thai is rice noodles which are stir-fried. So, if you were to roughly translate Pad Thai, you'd have to say the dish is stir-fried noodles Thai style.

Is Pad Thai junk food? ›

Best: Pad Thai

This dish is a menu staple of Thai restaurants. It's made from rice noodles sauteed with spices, peanuts, egg, and bean sprouts. Get it with shrimp, chicken, or tofu for lean protein, and extra veggies for fiber and vitamins. Just watch your portion: Pad thai clocks in at 300 to 400 calories a cup.

How long does vegan pad thai last in the fridge? ›

Noodles: Cooked rice noodles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Rinse them in cold water, then toss in a little vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking. Sauce: Make the sauce as normal and keep it in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Can Vegans eat rice noodles? ›

Yes, rice noodles are generally vegan! This is because its very basic ingredients are plant-based and generally nothing is added to packet rice noodles that stop it from being vegan friendly.

What is a substitute for tamarind paste in Pad Thai? ›

Rice vinegar: Mix rice vinegar or white wine with an equal amount of brown sugar to replace tamarind paste in recipes. The rice vinegar or wine adds acidity and some sweetness, while the brown sugar enhances that sweetness. Use this as a one-to-one substitute for tamarind paste in recipes.

What's the difference between Pad Thai and phad thai? ›

Pad thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish that is commonly eaten in Thailand. It can also be spelled phad thai, pad Thai, or phad Thai. The word literally means 'Thai stir fry'. The rice noodles are often fried with bean sprouts, eggs, peanuts, and other vegetables.

Why is Pad Thai so sweet? ›

A perfectly cooked pad Thai should have a balance of flavors — tangy, sweet, spicy and salty, Trang says. This comes from a blend of tamarind paste, palm sugar, crushed red chili peppers and fish sauce. Traditional pad Thai sauces follow a basic formula of a third each of palm sugar, tamarind paste and fish sauce.

Why is Pad Thai not vegan? ›

Is Pad Thai vegan? Well, authentic pad Thai is typically made with fish sauce, so while it's common to find a pad Thai made with tofu, chances are the sauce is still fish based. Pad Thai noodles are rice-based, so they are gluten-free, but often the sauce contains gluten.

What is the red thing in Pad Thai? ›

The sauce that coats noodles in Pad Thai should be a light brown color that comes from a sauce made with tamarind paste, fish sauce, and lime juice. Some authentic versions add shrimp paste which can give the dish a deeper red tint.

What kind of noodles are used in Pad Thai? ›

Rice noodles are traditional for pad Thai, but not all are created equal. You're looking for thin, flat rice noodles that aren't too thick, preferably made in Thailand—dried is more readily available, but fresh works too. Whichever you find, don't boil them!

Why is my Pad Thai pink? ›

ONE of the biggest misconception about something Thai is that Pad Thai is Thai. If you take a look more closely at it, you might realize that it resembles something more Chinese, or that it has a Chinese root.

Can you eat the pink stuff? ›

Ingestion The product is considered to be a low hazard under normal conditions of use. May be harmful if swallowed. Skin contact Prolonged skin contact may cause temporary irritation. Skin irritation should not occur when used as recommended.

What gives Pad Thai its color? ›

When it's sold in restaurants outside Thailand, the noodles are sometimes bright orange – that's because sauces or spices, like paprika, have been used instead of tamarind. Authentic Pad Thai is a light reddish-brown colour.

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