If you love pad thai, also try our autumn sweet potato pad thai or summer peach and grilled chicken pad thai. Carrot noodles are really easy to make, too. All you need is a handy ol’ vegetable peeler. Since pad thai noodles are typically wider, using a vegetable peeler helps mimic their width. It’s a versatile recipe so you can add more vegetables like finely sliced bell pepper or cabbage, serve it with grilled chicken breasts, or make it vegetarian and swap the shrimp for tofu. It comes together quickly and since it’s all made in one pan, clean-up is a breeze! The takeout version of pad thai can have unwanted ingredients, and be high in calories, sugar, and sodium. That’s why we like to make it ourselves! This carrot noodle version has all the familiar pad thai flavors we love, but with only clean ingredients and an extra nutritional boost.
Tamarind paste – look for tamarind paste in a jar at your grocery store. If you can’t find it, it also comes in a block which you can soak in a little hot water before you remove the seeds and pulp. Palm sugar (or coconut sugar) – brown sugar also works well. Fish sauce – adds an intensely rich flavor to dishes. Soy sauce – use gluten-free if needed. Tamari or coconut aminos also work well. Carrots – large carrots tend to work best. If they’re older winter carrots, we peel them first. If we’re buying them fresh from the farmer’s market in the summer, we don’t. Oil – any neutral cooking oil works well here like olive, coconut, or avocado oil. Prawns – if your prawns are unshelled, make sure to remove the shell and devein them before cooking. Eggs – eggs are a classic pad thai ingredient and add protein to this delicious vegetable-based dish. Veggies: onion, garlic, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, and lime Toppings: Sriracha, chopped red chili, extra scallions, cilantro, and whole peanuts – you could swap the peanuts for cashews, add Thai basil, or sprinkle on red pepper flakes for a little added heat.
Rotate the carrot every few peels to get noodles of the same width. Pull the vegetable peeler towards you so the noodles are slightly thicker. When the carrot is too small to hold, set it down on a cutting board at the edge of your counter. The blade can have contact with the carrot until it is very thin this way, so you can get the most from them. Count on 2-3 carrots per person.
We make this veggie noodle pad thai on nights when we’re craving something light and nourishing.
To turn it into a heartier family dinner, serve it with some juicy baked chicken thighs, lemongrass grilled chicken with sriracha mayo, or thai chicken skewers with peanut satay sauce.
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