Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) Pad Thai is a nourishing, flavorful twist on the traditional Thai dish, tailored for a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. This version eliminates refined sugars, oils, and animal products, using fresh vegetables, tofu or tempeh, and whole-grain rice noodles. The sauce is a creamy, tangy blend made from natural ingredients like tamarind, nut or seed butter, soy sauce, and a touch of maple syrup for sweetness, bringing out the authentic Pad Thai flavors without any processed additives. To prepare WFPB Pad Thai, rice noodles are quickly stir-fried with crunchy vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, and bean sprouts, and a protein-rich base of tofu or tempeh. Tossed in the homemade sauce, the noodles soak up the flavors beautifully. Topped with fresh cilantro, green onions, and crushed peanuts or sesame seeds, this dish is both nutritious and satisfying. It’s a perfect example of how a whole-food approach can make a classic dish healthy yet delicious.
This recipe was modified from Archana’s kitchen to make it WFPB compliant.

Ingredients
350 gms flat whole rice noodles
1 cup tofu, cut into pieces
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 bok choy heads, roughly chopped
1 carrot, sliced into wedges
1 green bell pepper, cut into wedges
10 broccoli florets
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup spring onion (greens and bulbs), sliced
1 small bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
A few red chillies, thinly sliced
Lemon wedges, for serving
ingredients for Sauce
1/2 cup tamarind water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp chili-garlic paste (adjust according to taste)
1/4 cup date paste
Method
Bring a pot of water to boil and remove from heat
Soak the rice noodles in the hot water for 15-20 minutes
Drain and rinse in cold water
Set aside
In a bowl, add the tamarind water and other sauce ingredients
Mix well
Set aside
Heat a wok on medium high heat
Add the onions and garlic
Saute for a minute to release the aroma
Add bok choy, broccoli, carrots and bell peppers
Stir fry for 2 minutes until the vegetables are soft, but crisp
Stir in the tofu and toss for a few seconds
Push the ingredients to a side of the wok and add the noodles and 1/3 of the pad thai sauce to the empty space
Stir fry everything together for 1 minute using 2 ladles and a tossing motion like tossing a salad
Add a little more sauce and continue stir frying in the same way for 1-2 minutes more
Add bean sprouts and the remaining sauce and stir fry for 1-3 minutes more or noodles are cooked
Remove from heat and taste
Adjust the sauce or soy sauce, if necessary
To serve scoop a little noodles to a plate
Sprinkle with spring onions, peanuts and coriander
Add wedges of lime on the side
Serve with a Thai soup
Enjoy!