Easy Tofu Pad Thai

January 31, 2024 · Published: August 26, 2019 By: Asian Inspired Eats 42 Comments

Easy Tofu Pad Thai is a winner "fake-out" dish bursting with texture and flavor, and on the dinner table in under 30 minutes!

tofu pad thai in a black bowl garnished with a lime wedge with a napkin on the side

I'm a Miami girl, born and bred. Cuban food was, and still is, the predominant cuisine in South Florida. But that's not to say there weren't some great Asian restaurants there. It was at this now-shuttered Thai restaurant in Miami that inspired this easy, vegetarian Tofu Pad Thai dish!

This particular Pad Thai dish has stuck with me for 20-plus years! I can't seem to forget how incredibly tasty it was (can't even remember the name of the restaurant anymore!). To recreate it, I needed to use ingredients to transform it into a lighter Pad Thai. No need to feel guilty with this version! Enjoy!

Tofu cubes on a wooden cutting board with a chef's knife on the side

HOW TO PREP THE TOFU:

Make sure to use extra firm tofu for this recipe so the tofu doesn’t fall apart. They will brown up nicely (low fat too!).
You can purchase extra firm tofu at just about any grocery store. I get mine at Trader Joe’s because I like the consistency of their tofu. And it’s always in stock! For this recipe, cut the tofu into one-inch cubes.
Before you cube the tofu, wrap the tofu block with a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. You may need to let it sit in the towel for 30 minutes to absorb all the liquid.
Cut the tofu into one-inch cubes.

Asian rice noodles in a blue package on top of a wooden board

Good news! You can find rice noodles just about anywhere these days! For this recipe you can use a wider vermicelli or a thinner rice noodle. Makes no difference! You can also get these rice noodles on Amazon.

Steps to make the perfect Tofu Pad Thai:

Prepare the tofu! Use extra firm or the tofu will fall apart while stir-frying. Make sure to dry the tofu to soak up the liquid by wrapping the tofu block in kitchen towels or paper towels for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the rice noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes. These cook up quickly and you don't want them overcooked. Remove, drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
Whisk up the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside (tamari or coconut aminos, sambal oelek, brown sugar, lime juice, water, fish sauce, and grated ginger).
Whisk together the egg whites and egg and set aside.
Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a large non-stick wok over medium heat. Add tofu cubes and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Remove tofu from wok and set aside. Heat 2 more teaspoons of oil and add garlic, yellow pepper, jalapeño pepper, and sauté for 1 minute. Add egg mixture and cook for 30 seconds until soft-scrambled. To the wok, add the green onions, sauce mixture and noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tofu, bean sprouts, and ¼ cup cilantro until well-combined.
Garnish with remaining fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts over each plate. Serve each plate with a lime wedge.

Fresh Asian bean sprouts in a round black bowl on top of a wooden board

You can buy bean sprouts in most grocery stores. Make sure to check the package date because they go bad very quickly!

Tofu Pad Thai is a winner “fake-out” dish bursting with texture and flavor, and on the dinner table in under 30 minutes!

TIPS & TRICKS:

Use extra firm or the tofu will fall apart while stir-frying. Make sure to dry the tofu to soak up the liquid by wrapping the tofu block in kitchen towels or paper towels for at least 30 minutes.
Gorgeous bean sprouts should always be bright and crispy looking. If they are off-color, limp and slimy do not buy them! They have a short shelf life so use them up quickly.
If you like a lot of heat, just add more sambal oelek!
Leftovers will keep the fridge for approximately 3 to 4 days.

WANT MORE?

If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Healthy Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Tofu, a healthier version of this classic Chinese dish, Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Tofu is the perfect balance of heat, sweet, and acid!

crispy tofu cubes in a white bowl tossed in a sweet and sour sauce with black chopsticks

Update Notes: This post was originally published on July 5, 2016, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like step by step instructions and tips in August 2019.