Feature Recipe | One-Skillet Vegan Pad Thai  

This dish is best described as a tangy sweet and sour sauce with a notable (and welcomed) kick of heat tossed with rice noodles, sautéed broccoli florets and pan-fried crispy tofu nuggets. Fresh bean sprouts, cilantro and lime wedges embellish this classic Thai-inspired dish and tease the senses.

This dish can be made using just one skillet (apart from the bowl used to soak your rice noodles). For a hassle-free cooking experience with minimal fuss and cleaning I recommend you pan-fry the tofu first, saute the broccoli, and prepare your sauce last.

Since my kids are big fans of “oodles of noodles” I’m not surprised by the abundance of noodle-based dishes we’ve amassed in our recipe collection. Here’s a few of our favourite recipes for the noodle fan in you (or someone you know): 

Almond Butter Sauce with Crispy Tofu & Ramen Noodles
Thai-Style Peanut Sauce with Pan Fried Tofu & Noodles
Roasted Pineapple Sauce with Crispy Tofu 

Enjoy~

Ingredients

Noodles:

• 8-10oz pad thai rice noodles (see Recipe Notes)

Crispy Tofu:

• 2 pkgs 350g extra firm/firm tofu rinsed and pressed, cut into cubes 
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt 
• Olive oil (for pan-frying)

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup tomato paste (see Recipe Notes)
• 1/4 cup white miso
• 2/3 cup tamari sauce
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tsp crushed red chili flakes

This & That: 

• Olive oil
• 1 large broccoli head, florets & thinly sliced stems
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Himalayan pink salt
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• ½ cup lose fresh cilantro 
• ½ cup  bean sprouts

Garnish (optional):

• Lime wedges
• Roasted peanuts
• Fresh cilantro
• Bean sprouts

Method

Prep It

1/Prepare crispy tofu: 
-Add flour, cornstarch, dried rosemary and salt to a large plastic/Ziploc bag.
-Toss half the cubed tofu in the bag. Seal the bag and shake until tofu is evenly coated. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining cubed tofu.
-Add a few glugs of olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (not smoking) transfer the first batch of coated tofu cubes to the skillet. Pan-fry until golden brown and crispy. Transfer fried cubes to a paper towel-lined plate to soak up excess grease. Repeat with second batch of flour-coated tofu.
Tip: Pan fry the tofu in two batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet. The end result will be crispier tofu!

2/Add a few glugs of olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the broccoli florets and sauté until well cooked – char is just fine😊 Set aside.
3/Add the sauce ingredients to a small prep bowl. Mix well; set aside.
4/Cook rice noodles as directed; set aside.

Make It  

1/Add a few glugs of olive oil to a skillet on medium-low heat. Toss in the minced garlic and cook briefly – just enough to soften it. 
2/Add half the sliced scallions and fresh cilantro to the skillet – sauté briefly, just until they start to wilt.
3/Add reserved sauce mixture to skillet. Gently stir until the mixture starts to bubble. 

Serve It

1/Pour sauce over plated rice noodles. Top with sautéed broccoli florets, bean sprouts and reserved scallions & cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges (optional). 

Recipe Notes

(1)This recipe was tested using  organic brown rice noodles. Simple ingredients, great taste. Avoid cheaper rice flour-based varieties if you can!

(2)Don’t substitute tomato paste for tomato sauce or purée. Did you know:
Tomato Paste is made by simmering tomatoes slowly for several hours. The result is a rich, thick sauce with intense tomato flavor. 
Tomato Purée is made by cooking tomatoes briefly to soften. The tomatoes are then processed until a thin sauce-like consistency is reached.