Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai with Peanuts and Basil

Fast and easy? Adaptable? Simple? Delicious? That’s this vegetarian pad thai. Let’s talk about how to make this Pad Thai, because it’s so easy. More like I’ll show you with pictures because I talk too much, always.

One thing I should note real quick that the really fun thing about this recipe is spiralizing the veggies. You don’t need-need-need a spiralizer – you can use a peeler or just cut the veggies into thin strips – but man oh man, that thing is fun to use.

And with a swirl of the spiralizer, a shake of the sauce jar, and tong-toss of the noodles in the pan, you’ve got yourself one YUMMMMMY plate of Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces brown rice noodles (you can get stir-fry type noodles or Pad Thai noodles – and usually that’s half a box)
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red pepper
• half a yellow onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs like cilantro, green onions, and basil, chopped

For the sauce : 

1. 3 tablespoons fish sauce or vegan fish sauce substitute
2. 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or sub another sweetener)
3. 3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth
4. 2 tablespoons white vinegar
5. 1 tablespoon soy sauce
6. 1 teaspoon chili paste (sambal oelek)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the uncooked noodles in a bowl of cold water to soak.
2. Spiralize the zucchini, red pepper, and onion into noodle-like shapes. Cut the carrots into very small pieces (or spiralize them, too, if they’re big enough).
3. Shake up the sauce ingredients in a jar.
4. Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the veggies – stir fry with tongs for 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp (if they are not spiralized, they might need longer). Be careful not to overcook them – they’ll get soggy and heavy. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
5. Please visit Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai with Peanuts and Basil for full instructions.