Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai

This recipe was a wild ride from start to finish, and I had Alex running back and forth between the fridge and pantry to grab things I’d forgotten to set out before heating up the wok. It was like a real-life comedy sketch, and I kind of wish someone had been filming the whole thing! Between setting off the fire alarm (again), shelling half a cup of peanuts by hand in a time crunch, and almost breaking the glass bottle of fish sauce, this tofu pad Thai was probably the most chaotic–but absolutely worth it–dish we’ve made in a while. I can now check off another homemade version of my favorite take-out meals (alongside my general tso’s tofu and lemon tofu) and mark it a rousing success!

This recipe makes six servings.

Ingredients:

• 12oz (about 1 package) flat rice noodles
• 14oz (about 1 block) firm tofu
• 15-20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3-4 eggs
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 1 large carrot
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 tbsp light oil (I used coconut)
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp gochujang/sriracha
• 2 tsp dried Thai basil
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder

Directions:

1. Wrap tofu in a dish towel or paper towels and press for 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, replacing saturated towels as necessary.
2. Prepare rice noodles according to package directions and drain when slightly underdone (boil about 1 minute shorter than the recommended time). Toss in 1 tbsp sesame oil and set aside.
3. Slice bell peppers and snow peas into strips (if desired), and slice tofu into bite-sized 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine light brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, peanut butter, gochujang/sriracha, Thai basil, lime zest, garlic powder, white pepper, salt, and coriander powder. Stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
5. In a small bowl, crack eggs and whisk thoroughly to scramble. Set aside.
6. Heat 1 tbsp of light oil, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and 1 tbsp of minced ginger in a large nonstick wok or high-walled pan on medium-high/high. When the garlic and ginger begins to sizzle, add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until the edges have browned and the shrimp is pink all the way through.
7. Remove shrimp and set aside.
8. Immediately add remaining 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger to the still-hot wok or pan. After about 30 seconds or until garlic and ginger begin to sizzle, add tofu. Cook for 3-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until the tofu has become browned and crispy.
9. Remove tofu and set aside.
10. Add bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, and bean sprouts to still-hot wok or pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until the vegetables have brightened and most liquid has dissipated.
11. Move all vegetables in a doughnut shape along the edge of your pan or wok so that there is an empty space in the center. Add whisked eggs to the well in the center of your pan, and immediately begin stirring JUST the eggs. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
12. When the eggs have mostly cooked through, stir together with the vegetables, and add cilantro, chopped peanuts, sauce mixture, tofu, shrimp, and noodles to the pan.
13. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are coated with the sauce and everything is completely heated through. Serve topped with additional cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime juice. Enjoy!

Given the sheer quantity of food this recipe makes, we definitely had a ton of leftovers to eat over the next few days. Every reheat tasted just as wonderful as the day we made it, so I count it a rousing success in the can-I-meal-prep-it department! I will definitely be making this again!

Print Recipe

Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai

Prep Time1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time2 hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 oz flat rice noodles about 1 package
• 14 oz firm tofu about 1 block
• 15-20 shrimp peeled and deveined
• 3-4 eggs
• 2 red bell peppers sliced
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1 carrot large
• ½ cup unsalted peanuts roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup cilantro
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 2 tbsp light oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp lime juice about 2 limes
• 2 tbsp garlic minced
• 2 tbsp ginger minced
• 1 ½ tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp gochujang/sriracha
• 2 tsp dried Thai basil
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp coriander powder

Instructions

• Wrap tofu in a dish towel or paper towels and press for 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours, replacing saturated towels as necessary.
• Prepare rice noodles according to package directions and drain when slightly underdone (boil about 1 minute shorter than the recommended time). Toss in 1 tbsp sesame oil and set aside.
• Slice bell peppers, carrots, and snow peas into strips (if desired), and slice tofu into bite-sized 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine light brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, peanut butter, gochujang/sriracha, Thai basil, lime zest, garlic powder, white pepper, salt, and coriander powder. Stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, crack eggs and whisk thoroughly to scramble. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp of light oil, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and 1 tbsp of minced ginger in a large nonstick wok or high-walled pan on medium-high/high. When the garlic and ginger begins to sizzle, add shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes, or until the edges have browned and the shrimp is pink all the way through.
• Remove shrimp and set aside.
• Immediately add remaining 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp minced ginger to the still-hot wok or pan. After about 30 seconds or until garlic and ginger begin to sizzle, add tofu. Cook for 3-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until the tofu has become browned and crispy.
• Remove tofu and set aside.
• Add bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, and bean sprouts to still-hot wok or pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, tossing occasionally, or until the vegetables have brightened and most liquid has dissipated.
• Move all vegetables in a doughnut shape along the edge of your pan or wok so that there is an empty space in the center. Add whisked eggs to the well in the center of your pan, and immediately begin stirring JUST the eggs. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• When the eggs have mostly cooked through, stir together with the vegetables, and add cilantro, chopped peanuts, sauce mixture, tofu, shrimp, and noodles to the pan.
• Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles are coated with the sauce and everything is completely heated through. Serve topped with additional cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime juice. Enjoy!