You’re going to love this dish full of vibrant colorful vegetables with a variety of textures and tastes that dance on your palate. It’s an easy versatile recipe you can make in 30 minutes. Get ready for an amazing nutritious dinner. Naturally gluten free with a vegetarian option.
Eat The Rainbow
Everyday I think about eating the rainbow. What does that mean? It means eating an assortment of different colored vegetables and fruits every day. Look for vegetables and fruits that are red, orange, yellow, green, white, blue and purple. Each color provides unique nutrients for your body. Eating a variety of colors gives your body an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to benefit your health. Read more about the healthy benefits of each color here.
This dish contains, purple cabbage, green zucchini, white onions and orange carrots. Change it up to include any color vegetables you love. My family likes it with red and yellow peppers too, but I personally don’t like peppers.
Why I Love This Dish
- vibrant taste and textures
- a simple 5 ingredient homemade Thai sauce
- versatile, can be made with any vegetables you like
- full of nutrition from a rainbow of vegetables
- gluten free, made with rice noodles and gluten free tamari
- easy to make in 30 minutes
- vegetarian except for the fish sauce (see substitutions)
Ingredients and Substitutions
There are only 5 ingredients in the Thai sauce you can easily find in you supermarket or health food store. The pad Thai noodles are readily available and simple to prepare. Follow the recipe or just use any vegetables in your refrigerator. This is what you need:
Noodles and Vegetables
- Noodles – Pad Thai rice noodles or Pad Thai brown rice noodles. If you prefer thinner noodles can be used.
- Vegetables – zucchini, red cabbage, yellow onion, carrots. These are the vegetables I use, choose any vegetables you like (red and yellow peppers, mushrooms, snow peas).
- Oil – a neutral flavored oil like, avocado oil or coconut oil
- Pastured Egg – essential for making the sauce stick to the noodles
- Peanuts – give the Pad Thai an authentic taste. If you don’t like peanuts, roasted cashews can be substituted.
- Fresh cilantro and/or Basil
- Limes and Scallions for serving
Thai Sauce
- Fish sauce or vegan fish sauce substitute or extra tamari or coconut aminos
- Coconut Sugar or maple syrup
- Vegetable Broth or chicken broth
- White Vinegar
- Gluten Free Tamari or coconut aminos
- Sambal Oelek or red pepper flakes
Origins of Pad Thai
Pad Thai was created in Thailand around 1938 by Plaek Phibunsongkhram, the Prime Minister of Thailand. During the time of World War II Thailand suffered a shortage of rice because of the military action and floods. At this point, Phibun encouraged the people to eat rice noodles instead.
Phibun had noodles stir-fried in the Chinese style with Thai spices and ingredients like peanuts, tamarind, and palm sugar. From there it became a common Thai street food sold at many markets and small restaurants.
At the end of WWII, Pad Thai was a solidly established part of Thailand’s national identity. When Thai immigrants came to the US (and to other countries), they brought this dish with them. People all around the world began to enjoy Pad Thai, and Thai immigrants were happy to share this part of their culture.
How To Make Rainbow Pad Thai
Have all your ingredients ready before you begin to cook since the stir fry comes together fast. The Thai sauce is super easy to prepare. Here are general guidelines, the full directions are in the recipe card below.
- Start by making the noodles – simply soak them in warm water (not cold water, not hot water) for 10-15 minutes, or until they are soft. Separate the noodles as much as possible. Make sure they are in a container where the noodles are totally submerged. I put them in a pyrex loaf pan.
- Make the Thai Sauce – Mix all the sauce ingredients in a mason jar and shake.
- Stir fry the Vegetables – Using a large heavy pan or wok stir fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes. Since the carrots are julienned add them for the last minute. Don’t overcook the vegetables, you want them crisp. Transfer to a dish.
- Saute the Noodles and Sauce – This is where the magic happens. Add noodles to the pan, stir fry 1 minute, add the sauce, stir fry for another minute, push the noodles aside to make a little room for the egg – pour the beaten egg into the pan and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Toss everything around with the tongs. The egg mixture mixed with the sauce gets creamy and sticks to the noodles.
Tip: Don’t let the noodles get too thick, once it starts to come together, remove from heat right away and toss with the veggies.
- Add the vegetables. Stir in the peanuts and herbs and serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pastured egg, it’s an integral part of the sauce so it’s not a vegan dish. The only non-vegetarian ingredient is the fish sauce, you can use vegan fish sauce substitute or extra tamari or coconut aminos.
For additional protein top with crispy tofu. If not vegetarian add cooked chicken or shrimp.
If you don’t want to use rice noodle, make the dish with additional spiralized vegetables or kelp noodles. The sauce won’t be as thick but it will still taste great.
The sambal olek is spicy, add more to the sauce if you want it hot spicy. You can also sprinkle in red chili flakes when you saute the vegetables.
Storage
The Rainbow Pad Thai is best eaten right away. If you have any leftover, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to three days. When reheating, gently warm it on the stove adding a little water or stock if necessary.
I don’t recommend freezing, it gets a bit mushy.
You may also enjoy these other gluten free noodle and vegetable dishes:
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Rainbow Pad Thai
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
An easy dish full of vibrant colorful vegetables and a variety of textures and tastes that dance on your palate.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Pad Thai rice noodles or Pad Thai brown rice noodles
- 2 cups spiralized zucchini
- 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups carrots, julienned or spiralized
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil, coconut oil or any neutral oil
- 1 pastured egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and/or basil chopped
For the Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce or vegan fish sauce substitute or additional tamari or coconut aminos
- 3 Tablespoons coconut sugar
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon gluten free tamari, or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon sambal oelek
Instructions
- Soak the noodles in room temperature water (not cold water, not hot water) for 10-15 minutes, or until they are soft. Separate the noodles as much as possible. Make sure they are in a container where the noodles are totally submerged. I put them in a pyrex loaf pan.
- Spiralize the zucchini. Thinly slice the onion, and red cabbage.
- Julienne the carrots using a julienne peeler. You can spiralize them but I found that to be too difficult.
- Heat one tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the vegetables, except the carrots, stir fry turning with tongs for 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Add the carrots for the last minute since they will cook fast. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables. Transfer to a dish and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Drain the noodles, they should be soft by now. Add the noodles to the hot pan and stir fry for a minute, using tongs to toss.
- Add the sauce and stir fry for another minute until the sauce is starting to thicken and stick to the noodles.
- Push the noodles aside to make a little room for the egg, pour the beaten egg into the pan and let it sit for 30 seconds or so. Toss everything around with the tongs. The egg mixture will mix with the sauce and stick to the noodles.*
- Remove from the heat. Add in the vegetables, toss together. Stir in the peanuts and herbs and serve immediately with lime wedges and scallions if desired.
Notes
Don’t let the sauce and noodles get too thick. Once it starts to come together, remove from the heat right away and toss with the veggies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Vegetables, Noodles
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian
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