This vegan one-pot recipe of spicy noodles is my version of Pad Thai. Make this Thai street food in 20 minutes using noodles or spaghetti.
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What is Pad Thai
Spicy Thai Noodles also known as Pad Thai, phat Thai, or Phad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish. It's a popular street food in Thailand. I have tried many versions of Pad Thai noodles and now finally settled on this version. It's my easy version of the popular Thai drunken noodles. The flavors are so good that you can add these vegan Thai noodles to your weekly menu rotation, just like I do! Your family will love it!
Love Asian food
Thai cuisine comes a close second for me after Chinese Food and Italian food. I enjoy eating and cooking all these cuisines as much as I enjoy Indian food. Veg Thai Chilly Fried Rice, Butternut Squash Chickpea Thai Curry, Thai Peanut Butter Noodles, and Thai Curry Noodle Soup are some of my go-to Thai recipes. I also have a Korean Fried Rice recipe on the blog if you want to check it out.
Why make this
- Spicy and savory vegan noodles recipe
- Can be made with basic pantry essentials
- Needs less than 10 ingredients
- Minimal chopping needed
- You can make it ahead of time
- Quick and easy to make
- Can be made in under 20 minutes
- One-pot meal
- The spice can be controlled
- It's slurpy, delicious, and addictive
Ingredients needed 🧾
Noodles - I make this with rice noodles or whole wheat spaghetti. You can also use any variety of noodles here. Rice noodles are what will make these vegan Thai noodles authentic though.
Red Thai curry paste - Check the label behind the bottle to ensure it is vegan. Vegan Thai curry paste is now easily available in all leading grocery stores.
Sriracha - I have used sriracha in this Pad Kee Mao recipe. It will give this spicy noodles recipe the required heat. You can also use any other hot sauce or Sambal Oelek instead.
Spices - Thai red chillies, ginger, and garlic paste bring in the spice, aroma, and flavor.
Meatless crumbles - This spicy Thai noodles recipe is very customizable. I have added meatless crumbles made out of mushrooms in this recipe. You can always add mushrooms, bell pepper, green peas, etc instead.
Protein - Tofu is significant to Asian or Thai recipes. I have used ready-to-eat tofu here to save cooking time. If using uncooked tofu, get the extra firm one.
Oil - Use neutral oil like canola, sesame, or peanut over olive oil if you want to give these spicy Pad Thai an authentic flavor.
How to make it 🔪
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- Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the pack. Add salt and cook them al dente. Chef Tip - Drain and run under cold water. This will stop the noodles from cooking further. Drizzle olive oil over the noodles, toss and set it aside. This will prevent them from drying.
- Now prepare the sauce by whisking red curry paste, ginger and garlic paste, and sriracha sauce together. Keep it aside for now.
- Soak the meatless crumbles in water for 10 minutes.
- Cut the tofu into one-inch cubes.
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry the meatless crumbles along with the sliced Thai red chillies. Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium flame. The crumbles will brown a bit.
- Then add the prepared sauce mixture. Cook for a minute.
- Cut Tofu into cubes and add them to the wok. Toss them in the sauce. Cook for another minute.
- Finally, add the cooked noodles along with cilantro. Stir until everything is well combined and the sauce is evaporated. Taste and add salt as needed.
Serving suggestions 🍽
These Thai-flavored noodles are lip-smacking! You can also sprinkle some crushed peanuts or toasted sesame seeds on top. Some lemon wedges can also be served with it. We also like to drizzle some hot chili oil on top for that extra kick. It can be served as a stand-alone main dish. Pair it with Air Fried Green Beans and Rose Lemonade.
It's quick and easy and full of flavor! Serve Thai spaghetti hot or cold. Enjoy it for lunch, dinners, weekday meals, weeknights, in a lunchbox, or for brunch. These spicy vegan Thai noodles can be served for parties, potlucks, special occasions, date nights, festive days, holidays, or on any other occasion.
Top recipe tips 💭
Be sure to use latex gloves when handling those Thai chilies. Add regular mushrooms instead of meatless crumbles. Adjust the spices to control the heat. Do not overcook the noodles. Always cook them al dente. They should be firm and not become mushy or lumpy. After adding the tofu, toss it carefully so that they don't break.
If you prefer a saucy or soupy texture, add half a cup of coconut milk before adding the cooked noodles. You can also add some sweet chili sauce or double up the sauce mixture if you feel the noodles are a bit dry. But be mindful of the heat.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Use any variety of noodles like linguine, rice noodles, Pad Thai, Udon, Soba noodles, vermicelli rice noodles, fettuccini, angel hair, or spaghetti. You can also use gluten-free, millet, or whole-wheat noodles. If you want to make them healthy and low-carb, use zoodles instead!
I have used ready-to-eat tofu here to save cooking time. If using uncooked tofu, get the extra firm one. It's better to use this because it tends to hold up quite well. Press it using a Tofu Press. Refrigerate it for 1-2 hours or you can leave it overnight in the Tofu Press. Once pressed, remove the tofu and pat dry. Drain out the water that's collected below and the tofu is ready for use.
To make the sauce more flavorful, add peanut butter sauce, sweet seasoning, soy sauce, ponzu sauce, or coconut aminos, sesame oil, and vinegar. Add more veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, snap peas, cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, edamame, greens, zucchini, steamed Bok choy, or/and green peas to make it heartier. Instead of tofu or meatless crumbles, you can also add tempeh. Thai basil can be used in place of cilantro.
This Thai spaghetti stays well in the fridge for 4-5 days. The noodles and sauce will dry out quite a bit after the dish has rested for a couple of hours. To loosen them up, add a cup of water, or coconut milk, or if you have saved some of the pasta water after cooking the noodles. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You can also enjoy this spicy Pad Thai cold from the fridge.
More noodle recipes
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Recipe 📖
Spicy Thai Noodles | Vegan Pad Thai
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz noodles
- 3 tablespoon vegan red Thai curry paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 Thai red chillies
- ½ cup meatless crumbles
- 7 oz tofu
- Salt
- ¼ cup cilantro
Instructions
Prep steps
- Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the pack.
- Now prepare the sauce by whisking red curry paste, ginger and garlic paste, and sriracha sauce together. Keep it aside for now.
- Soak the meatless crumbles in water for 10 minutes.
- Cut the tofu into one inch cubes.
To make the noodles
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry the meatless crumbles along with the sliced Thai red chillies. Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium flame. The crumbles will brown a bit.
- Then add the prepared sauce mixture. Cook for a minute.
- Cut Tofu in cubes and add them to the wok. Toss them in the sauce. Cook for another minute.
- Finally add the cooked noodles along with cilantro. Stir until everything is well combined and the sauce is evaporated. Taste and add salt as needed.
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Muffy says
Is this uncomfortably spicy, or just spicy enough? Is the curry paste spicy? I have never cooked with it before.
If cooking for someone who enjoys slightly spicy food, how should I adjust?
Thank you
Priya says
It's not very spicy. But if you are in doubt, add just a tablespoon of sriracha sauce first, taste, and then add another tablespoon. Hope this helps.
Charu says
I tried this recipe with some variation- added bell pepper instead of mushrooms, Substituted green onions instead of parsley and I must say my kids and I loved it. I think I cooked or washed the Thai noodles too many times hence it broke but the taste was spot on. Thanks for your quick b easy recipe look forward to making and enjoying more.
Priya says
I am so happy to hear that you and the kids loved it! 🙂 Thank you so much.
Jigna says
Would love to try this, along with many of your recipes I'm seeing!
What size (ounces?) is the packet of Linguine noodles?
Also, how many this dish serve? I don't see such information on this and many of your other recipes that I've noted to try. I find recipes that list number of servings very helpful so I know whether it's the right amount or if I should double the recipe.
Priya says
I used 1 lb of noodles. My recipes normally serve 4 people. Hope this information helps. Let me know if you need something more.
Tiffany Bacon says
I love Thai food! Thank you for the recipe. This looks delicious! I will try this for dinner next week!
Jess says
Wow...this sounds amazing!
Thanks for joining cooking and crafting with J & J!
Tara SIudy (Little Miss Dexterous) says
These look SO amazing!
Shopgirl Anonymous says
You're making me hungry with those gorgeous shots!
Revella says
MMmm YUM, I too would love to be that host lol, what great article.
Lavanya says
Which brand red curry paste is good to use
Priya says
The one I have used here is good for us. You can give it a try. Link in the post.