You know you’ve made a good dish when you just want to shout it from the mountain tops…victory! Inspired by the Rainbow Nori Wraps, I wanted to keep the colorful veggie party going. So, this Vegetable Pad Thai with Seared Tofu seemed like an obvious choice. Boy was I right! It’s the perfect blend of spicy and sweet, and it’s filled with generous amounts of antioxidant-rich veggies and protein-rich tofu.
VEGETABLE PAD THAI WITH SEARED TOFU
Adapted from Thug Kitchen’s Pad Thai with Fried Tofu
dairy free, gluten free
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tbsp tamari
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1-2 tsp Sriracha
Noodles and Tofu:
- 1 (14 oz) block super-firm tofu (Wildwood brand is a personal fave)
- pinch of pink Himalayan salt
- 14 oz brown rice noodles (Star Anise Foods is great)
- 1/2 cup diced shallots or sweet onion
- 2 cups brocoli florets
- 1/2 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 carrots thinly sliced (matchstick style)
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup sliced green onion
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 2 tsp avocado or olive oil
Toppings:
- 2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- dry roasted unsalted peanuts, crumbled
- lime wedges
Directions:
- Whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Boil water and cook noodles according to the package directions. Rinse with cold water and set aside
- Remove tofu from package, press between hands to draw out moisture. Cut into small, even-sized cubes.
- Sprinkle tofu with a pinch of salt and add tofu (in a single layer) to a large pan over medium heat.
- Cook until underside of tofu is golden brown and easily releases from the pan (it may stick unless you’re using a nonstick skillet). Continue cooking until all sides are evenly browned and crisp.
- Once cooked, set aside.
- With the pan still hot, add shallots/onions and cook over medium heat until edges are browned.
- Add broccoli and cook until it becomes tender and appears bright green (~ 2 min).
- Add carrots and bell peppers, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook for another minute, until aromatic.
- Fold in noodles and 1/3 cup sauce mixture, stir to evenly coat all ingredients.
- Fold in tofu, allow sauce to absorb.
- Continue to add remaining sauce while gently stirring ingredients.
- Remove from heat and stir in green onions and cilantro.
- Top with cabbage, bean sprouts, peanuts, and garnish with lime wedges.
- Dig in!
Have a lovely Saturday!
Coach Jentry