This amazing Vegetable Pad Thai recipe is easy to make and is loaded with incredible flavor. It starts with rice noodles, fresh vegetables, peanuts and egg. A delicious homemade pad Thai sauce is then added that make this dish so tasty, it will rival any of your favorite Thai restaurants!

Pad Thai is the ultimate comfort in Asian cuisine. The official national dish of Thailand, Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle dish that’s famous all over the world for its robust flavors and the amazing versatility of ingredients you can use.

Though typical pad Thai recipes can have dried shrimp or chicken, for this recipe we used a colorful array of vegetables to lighten things up a bit. You’re simply going to love the combination of fresh veggies with the slightly sweet and nutty sauce.

A lot of Thai food is known for being fairly spicy to REALLY spicy! But this recipe is one the whole family can enjoy, even the little ones, because you can easily tailor the amount of pepper or even omit it to give it a much milder flavor. Another great mild Thai dish that is always a huge hit is this Thai Coconut Fish Curry!

Vegetable Pad Thai Ingredients:

For the Vegetables

8 oz. box Thai rice noodles
1 T. sesame oil
½ medium shallot, finely chopped
3 large spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks (as shown)
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
2 large eggs, whisked
½ c. roasted peanuts, chopped and divided
3 T. cilantro leaves, chopped
2 large limes, cut into wedges
Optional: Crushed red pepper flakes, to serve

no meat pad thai with bell peppers green onions on top, cilantro and lemon wedges on side on a white plate

For the Pad Thai Peanut Sauce:

1/3 c. honey
3 T. vegan fish sauce
2 T. tamari or coconut aminos
1 T. rice vinegar
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. sugar-free creamy peanut butter
1 T. garlic chili sauce

How to Make the Best Veggie Pad Thai

Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cool water and set aside.
While waiting for the water to boil for the rice noodles, add the sauce ingredients to a small skillet set over medium-low heat. Stir continually until the peanut butter is melted and the sauce is heated through, approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add the sesame oil to a large nonstick skillet set over medium high heat. Add the shallot, white part of the green onions, carrots, and red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are crisp tender and develop some color, approximately 4-5 minutes.
Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet with a spatula. Add the beaten egg to the other side. Cook, stirring and chopping frequently with the spatula, until the eggs are cooked through and broken into very small pieces, approximately 4-5 minutes.
Add the cooked rice noodles, one-third cup chopped peanuts, and the warm sauce to the skillet and stir to combine.
Transfer to individual serving dishes and top with the remaining roasted peanuts, green onion tops, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired, on the side. Enjoy!

green spring onions chopped on a cutting board

Frequently Asked Questions

What Noodles Make the Best Pad Thai?

Pad Thai recipes call for rice noodles. You can buy them in your local grocery store or at Asian grocery stores. You can get white or brown rice noodles. They work equally well and require the same amount of time to prepare; however, most brands of brown rice noodles offer more fiber and protein per serving.

If you are looking for a few ways to cut a few carbs from this dish, you can also use zucchini noodles. Using a veggie spiralizer, cut 3-4 medium size zucchini for this recipe. You’ll want to make sure you drain them really well before adding them to the recipe.

Can I Make this Vegan Pad Thai?

This recipe is for Vegetable Pad Thai, but it’s not vegan because of the fish sauce and eggs. If you want to make this a full-blown vegan version, you can replace the fish sauce with soy sauce or more aminos and instead using egg, you may want to use scrambled up tofu.

Another vegan tip is to be sure and check the type of rice noodles you are using because some are actually egg based.

sliced yellow and red peppers and sliced red onions

What Other Vegetables Can I Use in Veggie Pad Thai?

This recipe is a great way to incorporate all sort of vitamins and nutrients from vegetables into your diet. Here are some other veggies you can consider for next time:

bell pepper medley (red, orange, yellow)
snow peas
bean sprouts
mushrooms
red onion
bok choy
napa cabbage
bamboo shoots
edamame

Tips and Variations:

This pad Thai recipe is very mild. If you like a spicy kick, you can add red chili flakes or a few drops of chili oil to the sauce.
The honey gives this recipe the slightest hint of sweetness that really helps to balance out the other flavors. But if you don’t have honey, you can use maple syrup in its place.
Don’t overload the large skillet you’re cooking everything in. The ingredients need an even application of heat for them to cook properly. The veggies need to be able to cook fast on medium high heat, to keep them crisp and delicious.
Store leftover Pad Thai for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Even though some have had success with freezing leftovers, I find that for best results, pad Thai is best when freshly made.

rice noodles with vegetables and lemon wedge and cilantro on side on a white plate

Want More Vegetable Recipes?