Almond butter is the star ingredients in this healthy twist on classic Asian Pad Thai. This oil-free, vegan recipe adds green beans and sweet onion for simple, delicious flavor. A quick and satisfying plant-based dinner! So much better than typical takeout!
If you love this, you’ll also love: Oil-Free Vietnamese Orange Ginger Tofu Stir-fry, 5 Minute Asian Soba Noodle Bowl, and Asian Adzuki Bean Salad.
- Medium
- Servings: 6
- Ready In: 35 minutes
- Yield: about 8 cups stir-fry + 2 cups sauce
Chef’ Katie’s Plant-Based, Oil-Free Pad Thai Tips
Gluten-Free Brown Rice Noodles
Be sure to use gluten-free tamari (instead of soy sauce) for the Almond Butter Pad Thai Sauce. Use gluten-free brown rice Pad Thai noodles or another gluten-free noodle (like chickpea, lentil, or black chia seed).
Gluten-Free: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari (instead of soy sauce) for the Almond Butter Pad Thai Sauce. Use gluten-free brown rice pad thai noodles or another gluten-free noodle (like chickpea, lentil, or black chia seed) 
Brown rice noodles cook fast (under 5 minutes) for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner 
Quicker Stir-Fry with Frozen Green Beans
For a quicker version of this recipe, use frozen green beans or haricot verts. Thaw first, then add to the stir-fry once the onions begin to soften. Continue to follow the recipe above. No trimming or cleaning the green beans needed!
Always Make Extra Oil-Free, Plant-Based Sauces
Make a double-batch of this oil-free, plant-based sauce and freeze extras for future meals. In addition to this stir-fry, use it on grilled vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, or as a dip for Rainbow Nori Wraps.
Oil-Free Mission: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, and oil is the most calorie-dense food. For this recipe, roasted almond butter adds rich, nutty flavor, while also bringing healthy fiber and key nutrients. You can substitute with other roasted nut or seed butter. For a less calorie-dense option, swap out the almond butter for 1 cup of chickpeas.
Roasted tofu adds healthy plant-based protein, calcium, and fiber 
A creamy pad thai sauce combines almond butter with chili paste, dates, and tamari 
For this recipe, roasted almond butter adds rich, nutty flavor, while also bringing healthy fiber and key nutrients.
Tamari vs. Soy Sauce: Tamari is similar to soy sauce, but it is gluten-free. If gluten isn’t a concern for you, you can use them interchangeably in recipes.
Soy-Free: If you’re avoiding soy, use Coconut Aminos instead of the tamari. Replace the tofu with frozen green peas, canned black beans, or cooked chickpeas.
Almond Butter Green Bean Pad Thai with Tofu – Gluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan Recipe
Ingredients
For the Green Bean Stir-Fry:
- 1 16-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cubed
- 4 servings 8 ounces brown rice Pad Thai noodles
- 1 sweet onion thinly sliced3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 4 cups green beans trimmed (about 1 pound)
For the Almond Butter Pad Thai Sauce:
- ½ cup 100g pitted dates
- 1 tablespoon 18g tamari
- ¼ cup 64g roasted almond butter
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 4 teaspoons 40g red chili sauce (like Sriracha)
- ½ cup water from boiling the noodles
- Yield: 2 cups sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper on a nonstick silicon baking mat.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
To Roast the Tofu:
- Dice the tofu into bite-sized cubes and spread into a single layer on the pre-lined baking sheet. Roast 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Tofu should be golden around the edges. Let cool slightly.
To cook the Brown Rice Noodles:
- Cook noodles in the pot of boiling water, according to package directions. You want the noodles to be “al dente” (with a little bite), so cook about 2 minutes shy of done. When the noodles are ready, portion out 1 cup of the cooking water. You’ll use this for the sauce. Drain the noodles well and set aside. While the noodles boil, prepare the sauce and vegetables for the stir-fry.
To make the Almond Butter Pad Thai Sauce:
- In a blender, combine all of the ingredients for the Almond Butter Pad Thai Sauce. Start with ½ cup of water from boiling the noodles. Puree until creamy. You may need more water to reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning and spice level, add more red chili sauce if you prefer.
To make the Almond Butter Green Bean Pad Thai:
- Preheat a wide sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown around the edges, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the green beans and ½ cup water. Sauté until the green beans are bright green and tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the cooked noodles, the roasted tofu, and Almond Butter Pad Thai Sauce. Stir everything to combine and continue cooking over medium-high heat until everything is warm and well-incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Ready In: 35 minutes
Yield: about 8 cups stir-fry + 2 cups sauce
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 335 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 10 g | 15 % |
| Saturated Fat 1 g | 6 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 385 mg | 16 % |
| Potassium 411 mg | 12 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 52 g | 17 % |
| Dietary Fiber 9 g | 36 % |
| Sugars 15 g | |
| Protein 13 g | 27 % |
| Vitamin A | 1 % |
| Vitamin C | 21 % |
| Calcium | 22 % |
| Iron | 11 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. |
Shopping and Gear List
- Zinke Orchards Creamy Almond Butter
- Thai Kitchen Gluten Free Brown Rice Noodles
- Huy Fong Sriracha Chili Hot Sauce, 28 Ounce Bottle (Pack of 2) (1 Pack)
- SAN-J -TAMARI-REDUCED SODIUM [Gluten Free] (Organic) 10OZ[1PACK]
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Can you use raw almond butter instead of roasted or will it be too bland?
Yes, you can use raw almond butter. I like the deeper flavor of roasted almond butter. However, with the spicy flavor from the red chili paste and the umamami from the tamari, you’ll still have a flavor-packed dish.
Thank you. Love your recipes!
Omg! This was so good! I did a double batch one for me and took a meal to my grandparents. Everyone loved it! I added mushrooms but followed everything else as is. This will definitely be a regular meal for us.
So glad you enjoyed! This is one of my favorite dishes too. Love the idea of adding mushrooms — I could eat mushrooms on anything!