This vegan Pad Thai recipe tastes just like your favourite takeout version, but it’s made without fish sauce or scrambled eggs, making it perfect for plant-based diets! Bonus: you only need 20 minutes to make it from start to finish!
Pad Thai is one of those restaurant dishes that’s sometimes stealthily un -vegan. You might think ordering tofu Pad Thai will mean it’s plant-based, but then: oops, there are scrambled eggs in there! So next time, you ask for no eggs, but: oops again, there’s fish sauce in traditional Pad Thai too!
Well, when you make Pad Thai at home, there are no oopses. You know what you’re getting is vegan!
Now, there are a lot of vegan Pad Thai recipes floating around online, and many of them don’t measure up to the restaurant version. Often, the reason is because they don’t use tamarind paste.
While we all hate having to buy ingredients we might not use often, tamarind paste really is key to that Pad Thai flavour. Without it, you just have stir fried noodles, which are nice, but, well, they’re not Pad Thai. So don’t skip it!
(If you love Asian-inspired noodle recipes try my Vegan Sesame Noodles and Vegan Coconut Curry Soup with Noodles next!)
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Wide flat rice noodles
- Avocado oil – Or another neutral-flavoured oil suitable for cooking.
- Extra-firm tofu – You’ll need to press the tofu first; learn more here: How To Cook Tofu 101 + Best Tips on Making the Most Delicious Tofu .
- Tamarind paste
- Tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- Brown or coconut sugar
- Rice wine vinegar
- Chili garlic sauce – Add more or less, according to your preferences.
- Bell pepper
- Baby bella mushrooms – White mushrooms or an Asian variety of mushroom works, too.
- Lime
- Bean sprouts
- Roasted peanuts – If you happen to have a peanut allergy, roasted cashews are also excellent in Pad Thai, even if they’re not quite as authentic!
- Cilantro
Where Do You Find Tamarind Paste in the Grocery Store?
How to Make Vegan Pad Thai
While this is the kind of recipe ideal for an easy weeknight dinner, vegan Pad Thai also keeps well in the fridge, so it works for meal prep too! Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Prepare the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, then add the noodles and cook them according to the package instructions. Drain and return the noodles to the pot.
Cook the tofu. While the noodles boil, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until it’s browned on all sides. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
Make the sauce. Stir together the tamarind paste, tamari or soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
Cook the Pad Thai. Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in the skillet, this time over medium heat. Add the peppers and mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Return the tofu to the skillet, then add the noodles and sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until everything heated through and evenly coated in the sauce.
Finish. Stir in the bean sprouts and lime juice, then turn off the heat. Serve with peanuts and cilantro.
Tips for Success
There’s not much to this vegan Pad Thai recipe, but here are some simple tips to make sure it’s perfect.
- Cooking the tofu. Be sure to press the tofu to get all the water out, then when you’re cooking it, split it into batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Don’t move the tofu until the bottom is brown and crispy; at this point, you can flip it and cook the other side.
- Making it your own. Pad Thai at restaurants doesn’t usually have veggies added to the mix, but that’s the beauty of making it at home! I added bell peppers and mushrooms, but feel free to add any veggies you like or happen to have on hand—or skip them if you prefer.
- Don’t over-cook it. Once the sauce is absorbed, the noodles will start sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Serving Suggestions
Because this vegan Pad Thai recipe is so easy to make, you can easily pair it with other Thai-inspired recipes and have a takeout-at-home night. Here are some of my favourites:
- Quick and Easy Thai Green Curry
- Thai Peanut Sauce
- Vegan Thai Red Curry with Tofu
- Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Ginger Sauce
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or in a skillet on the stovetop with a splash of oil.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze this vegan Pad Thai for up to 3 months. Store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be microwaved from frozen, or you can let it thaw in the refrigerator first for more even heating.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces wide flat rice noodles
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 7.5 ounces extra firm tofu , pressed and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- ⅓ cup tamari sauce , or low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar , or coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1-3 tsp chili garlic sauce , to taste
- 1 bell pepper , sliced thinly
- 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 1 lime , juiced
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- ½ cup roasted peanuts , chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add the noodles and cook according to package instructions, then drain and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
- Meanwhile, stir together the tamarind paste, tamari/soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce in a bowl or liquid measuring cup.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in the empty skillet over medium. Add the peppers and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Return the tofu and noodles to the skillet, along with the sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, until heated through and the sauce coats the noodles. Stir in the bean sprouts and lime juice and turn off the heat.
- Garnish with peanuts and cilantro to serve.
Notes
Vegan Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 8 ounces wide flat rice noodles
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 7.5 ounces extra firm tofu pressed and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- ⅓ cup tamari sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1-3 tsp chili garlic sauce to taste
- 1 bell pepper sliced thinly
- 8 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- ½ cup roasted peanuts chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add the noodles and cook according to package instructions, then drain and return to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
- Meanwhile, stir together the tamarind paste, tamari/soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce in a bowl or liquid measuring cup.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in the empty skillet over medium. Add the peppers and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Return the tofu and noodles to the skillet, along with the sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, until heated through and the sauce coats the noodles. Stir in the bean sprouts and lime juice and turn off the heat.
- Garnish with peanuts and cilantro to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Pad Thai https://jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-pad-thai/ September 16, 2022
This recipe for vegan birria tacos will help you make restaurant-style birria tacos at home, without the meat! King oyster mushrooms replace the beef, but you still get all that smoky flavour and irresistible sauce for dipping.
Birria tacos are everywhere lately, but plant-based versions of this food trend—well, they’re a little bit harder to find. Luckily you can make meaty, crispy, smoky-and-savory vegan birria tacos at home!
What Are Birria Tacos?
Birria tacos are a Mexican street food dish from the state of Jalisco. They’re made with slow-cooked meat that’s been shredded and then fried, creating a crispy exterior.
The meat is piled onto corn tortillas that have been dipped in the cooking liquid from the meat, then the tacos are fried in a skillet until crispy. The crispy tacos are served alongside the birria sauce for dipping.
For this vegan version of birria tacos, I’m using king oyster mushrooms as the base for the taco filling. When shredded, they have a meaty texture that’s perfect for replacing the beef in the original recipe.
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Dried guajillo peppers
- Olive oil
- Onion – Yellow or white onions are both fine.
- Garlic
- Dried oregano
- Smoked paprika
- Ground cumin
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt – Kosher salt has larger crystals than table salt, so if you use table salt or another finer salt, you’ll need to use less.
- Crushed tomatoes
- Chipotle peppers – You’ll need peppers and some of the adobo sauce from the can.
- Apple cider vinegar – This adds some tangy flavour to these vegan birria tacos!
- Low-sodium vegetable broth – Or use homemade vegetable broth .
- Oil – Any kind of cooking oil you like or have on hand.
- King oyster mushrooms – Also known as king trumpet mushrooms. Both the tops and the stems of these mushrooms can be eaten.
- Corn tortillas
- Shredded vegan cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- Red onion
- Cilantro – Not a fan? You can omit it.
Are Dried Guajillo Peppers Spicy?
Guajillo peppers are on the milder side when it comes to heat, but still spicy—consider them on par with a jalapeño. In other words, if you can handle jalapeños, you can handle guajillo peppers too! They have a smoky flavour that’s perfect for these vegan birria tacos.
How to Make Vegan Birria Tacos
Here’s how to make your own meaty, smoky, umami-packed mushroom birria tacos.
Toast the guajillo pepper. In a large pot, heat the guajillo peppers for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they’re fragrant. Remove them from the pan and set aside for later.
Cook the aromatics. Add the oil to the pot and warm it over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until it’s softened. Stir in the garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and salt and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Stir in the tomatoes, chipotle peppers and adobo, vinegar, and vegetable broth, along with the guajillo peppers. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and continue to simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Puree the sauce. Turn off the stove and remove the peppers from the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce, or puree it in a blender . Season to taste with salt and vinegar.
Crisp the mushrooms. Set a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to coat the bottom of the pan and once it’s shimmering, add the shredded mushrooms. Cook until they’re crispy, or for 5 to 10 minutes.
Simmer the mushrooms. Transfer the mushrooms to the sauce and return it to a simmer. Cover and cook the mushrooms for 5 to 10 minutes over low heat, or until they’re tender.
Cook the tacos. Set a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Working one at a time, dip a tortilla into the birria to lightly coat it, then place it in the skillet for about 1 minute. Flip the tortilla, then top one half of it with the mushroom filling, cheese, diced red onion, and cilantro. Fold it closed, then flip and cook until both sides are crispy.
Serve . Transfer the tacos to plates and serve with the remaining birria sauce on the side for dipping.
Tips for Success
These tips will help you make sure your vegan birria tacos turn out perfect:
- Dry the mushrooms well. If there’s still water clinging to them, they won’t get crispy when you fry them.
- Shred, don’t cut. You really want that shredded texture for these tacos, so resist the urge to simply cut the mushrooms into pieces. You can either shred them with two forks, or scrape them vertically with a fork to create grooves in the stems, then pull them apart along these grooves with your hands.
- Adjust the heat as needed . If you’re not a fan of spicy dishes, you can use fewer guajillo and chipotle peppers.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these vegan birria tacos alongside:
- Black Bean Avocado and Corn Salad
- Kale Cabbage Slaw
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the vegan birria tacos on a baking sheet and heat in a 400ºF oven until hot and crispy. You can also reheat them in a toaster oven, air fryer , or on the stovetop. (The microwave works too, but they won’t be crispy.)
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
No, I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the texture of the mushrooms will change and become mushy. For a freezer-friendly taco filling, try my Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos .
Ingredients
- 3 dried guajillo peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 15.5- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 canned chipotle peppers + 3 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1-2 tablespoons oil
- 12 ounces king oyster mushrooms , shredded with a fork
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded vegan cheddar or mozzarella cheese
- Diced red onion for serving
- Cilantro for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the guajillo peppers for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the oil to the empty pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, and cinnamon, and salt and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and juice, chipotle peppers and sauce, vinegar, and vegetable broth. Return the guajillo peppers to the pot, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
- Turn off the heat, remove the guajillo peppers, and puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender to puree smooth, then return to the pot. Season to taste with salt and/or a splash of more vinegar if necessary.
- In a different pan over medium high heat, add the 1-2 tablespoons of oil until hot. Add the shredded mushrooms and cook until crispy, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms to the pot of the sauce and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Working one at a time, dip a tortilla into the birria to lightly coat in sauce both sides (you don’t want to saturate the tortilla; it will get soggy), then place in the skillet for about 1 minute. Flip the tortilla, then top with mushroom filling on one side. Add cheese, diced red onion, and cilantro. Fold closed like a taco, then flip and cook until crisp on both sides. Serve with remaining birria sauce on the side for dipping.
