I am so excited to share today's Raw Vegan Pad Thai recipe with you guys! This recipe has been my recent obsession. I've been making it weekly (not exaggerating). It's super easy to make and pack full of nutritious ingredients.
Raw vegan food is one of my favorite ways to eat healthy. I definitely do not eat a 100% raw vegan diet, or think that you have to eat a raw vegan diet to be healthy. However I do think that if you are eating a whole foods plant based diet, that you will naturally start eating more raw fruits and vegetables.
For example, I created this Raw Vegan Pad Thai recipe using simple ingredients that I have grown to love over the past couple years of eating a plant based vegan diet. Therefore it was easy to enjoy this dish!
One of those benefits is that it helps hydrate your body. This is because the foods maintain more of their water than they would if they were cooked. This is fantastic if weight loss, or weight management is your goal.
The higher the water content of a food, the lower the calorie content is. The lower the calories content is, the more you can eat without gaining weight! Recipes like this raw vegan pad Thai are a perfect way to easily incorporate more raw vegan produce into your diet.
What Is A Raw Vegan Diet?
A raw vegan diet is pretty simple. Raw means uncooked, obviously. Therefore a raw vegan diet just implies eating a diet that is 100% uncooked/unprocessed food. This means no ingredients like beans, bread, grains, etc.
I do believe that there are tons of benefits to eating a raw vegan diet. However, personally I do not think it is the healthiest. In today's society you will probably find it too restrictive. However it is a great way to eat healthier meals such as this raw vegan pad Thai at home!
With that said, if you are eating a fully raw vegan diet, go you! There are plenty of healthy and happy raw vegans out there. For example, Fully Raw Krisitina is one of my favorite raw vegan influencers.
I don't think that I personally will ever go fully raw (I'll stick to being a whole foods plant based vegan), however I will continue to create raw vegan recipes just like this raw vegan pad Thai! Here are some of my favorites:
Raw Vegan Pad Thai For Everyone:
This Raw Vegan Pad Thai is one of those vegan recipes that you can serve to your non-vegan friends and family, and they will all love it! If you're new to healthy eating and don't know where to start, this is a great recipe for you to try!
I know how difficult it can be navigating the early stages of your health journey. Trying to figure out what is healthy vs. what is just marketed as healthy is hard. This raw vegan pad Thai recipe is easy to identify as healthy, because just look at it! It is packed full of brightly colored vegetables. I always look for ways to make my food filled naturally bright colors (food coloring doesn't count), because I know that each color has a nutrient associated with it.
Can I Make This Recipe Using Noodles?
Yes! You can actually make this raw vegan Pad Thai two different ways using noodles. The first way is using rice noodles. If vegetables really aren't your thing, but you're still trying to eat healthier, try adding rice noodles. This will bulk up the recipe a bit while still remaining healthy. This will make the recipe no longer raw vegan, so keep that in mind.
If you want to add noodles to this recipe, but still want to keep it raw then you can try the second option: kelp noodles! I recently discovered kelp noodles and I am absolutely hooked! They are made with just kelp and taste just like regular noodles (no fishy taste I promise!). They're hardly any calories. If you're a volume eater like me, then they're a game changer!
Ingredients for this Raw Vegan Pad Thai:
Vegetables:
- Yellow squash
- Zucchini
- Purple cabbage
- Carrots
- Mung bean sprouts
- Bell pepper
- Edamame
- Water chestnuts
- Cilantro
For The Pad Thai Sauce:
- Peanut butter - Make sure to pick a peanut butter that is raw and just peanuts (salt is okay too!).
- Limes
- Miso paste
- Peanuts
- Sesame seeds
How To Make This Raw Vegan Pad Thai:
Making this Raw Vegan Pad Thai Recipe is very simple. The only equipment you will need is a chefs knife and a Veggie Spiralizer.
Begin by spiralizing the zucchini, and yellow squash and add to a large bowl. Next, thinly slice the purple cabbage and bell pepper. Add to a bowl along with the bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and edamame. Cut the cilantro into small pieces and add to the bowl along with the peanuts.
Make the Pad Thai Sauce by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl with ⅓-1/2 cup water (or until desired consistency is reached). Pour over the vegetables and toss.
Serve with fresh lime juice and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Vegan Pad Thai Variations:
There are a handful of easy and fun ways to mix this recipe up. Here are some of my favorite variations to try.
- Spicy - You can add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to give this raw vegan pad Thai the perfect spicy kick.
- Cooked - If you prefer a cooked pad, Thai, you can make this delicious Easy Vegan Pad Thai.
- Kelp Noodles - You can add kelp noodles to this recipe for the perfect authentic Pad Thai flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I Make This A Low Fat Raw Vegan Pad Thai?
Since this Raw Vegan Pad Thai recipe is already vegetable based, and does not contain grains, or processed ingredients, it is naturally lower in fat than a traditional Pad Thai. However the sauce is peanut butter based and therefore the recipe is not low fat.
If you're strictly following a low fat diet, you can make this recipe low fat. All you will need is coconut aminos and peanut butter powder. Make sure you choose a peanut butter powder that is just peanuts! Simply sub out the peanut butter and miso paste for ½ cup peanut butter powder, and 3 tablespoons coconut aminos. You may need to add a bit of water to get the consistency right, but other than that is will turn out very similar!
What Makes This Raw Vegan Pad Thai Recipe Healthy?
This recipe is healthy for more reasons than just because it is raw vegan. Raw Vegan recipes are naturally healthier, because they are free of processed foods. However there are still raw vegan recipes that contain some foods that I am not a huge fan of. This recipe is super healthy because it is:
- RAW VEGAN
- OIL-FREE
- GLUTEN-FREE
GRAIN-FREE - DAIRY-FREE
- EGG-FREE
- REFINED SUGAR-FREE
- WHOLE FOODS PLANT BASED (WFPB)
Not only is this recipe free of all those ingredients, but it is loaded with health promoting ingredients. The vegetables used in this recipe are rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Ho Do You Store Leftover Raw Vegan Food?
Raw vegan food can be one of the biggest pains when it comes to storing the leftovers. They either go bad immediately, or lose a lot of their flavor. Over the years I have found what works and what doesn't work.
If you are meal prepping I would suggest to keep the Pad Thai dressing on the side, and add it each day. Store your vegetables in air tight containers with a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid.
If you end up with leftovers after making this recipe and you are planning to store is I suggest storing it in air tight containers. When you are ready to eat it again, add 1-2 tablespoons of water and mix it up. This will help the sauce be more saucy.
Related Raw Vegan Recipes:
- 2-Ingredient Vegan Caramel
- Green Goddess Bowl
- Red Curry Peanut Noodle Salad
- Peanut Ginger Crunch Salad
Raw Vegan Pad Thai
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 yellow squash
- 1 zucchini
- 1 cup purple cabbage
- 2 carrots
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 cups edamame
- 1 can water chestnuts
- ½ cup cilantro
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 limes
- 2 teaspoon miso paste
- ⅓ cup peanuts
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Begin by spiralizing your zucchini and yellow squash and adding to a large bowl.
- Shred your cabbage and carrots and add to the bowl.
- Chop the bell pepper and cilantro and add to the bowl along with the edamame, bean sprouts, and peanuts.
- To make the sauce combine the peanut butter with water(slowly add water to your desired consistency. I think I added about ⅓-1/2 cup. This helps to make a dressing.) Add the lime juice.
- Top with sesame seeds, extra peanuts and limes, enjoy!
Tavo
I loved this version of Pad Thai. It was delicious! I was looking for a similar version since I tried it in the Riviera Maya… it was spot on! Thanks for the recipe!
Crystal
Healthy Pad Thai? Count me in! This looks amazing!
Giangi Townsend
I love Pad Thai, but this recipe is out of this world. I love the healthy side you made here. Thank you
Melanie
I love the textures, colors, and flavors in this dish! A true delight!
Nancy
I really enjoyed this lighter version of zoodle
Gina Abernathy
What a great way to use all of my garden veggies. Such a nice and healthy dish!
Cindy
What a delicious variation of Pad Thai! So flavorful and tasty!
Jeannie
Pad thai is my comfort food I like how easy to make this raw version with all my fave veggies.
Cherice
Hi, what is the nutritional value for this recipe? I’m counting my macros. Thanks!
Katie
Hey Cherice, the nutritional information has been added!