I am a Pad Thai fanatic. If a restaurant offers it on the menu, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm ordering it. I've tried many traditional Thai restaurants and some not so traditional options — don't judge Jack Astor's Pad Thai until you've tried it, it is bomb.
Although convenient, ordering take out is costly and time consuming — the exact opposite of what a university student needs. One night, my fellow Pad Thai loving friend and I decided to make some for ourselves after finding a pre-made Pad Thai sauce at our local grocery store. The result? Delish.
Zoodle Pad Thai
- Prep Time:10 mins
- Cook Time:20 mins
- Total Time:30 mins
- Servings:2
- Medium
- 3 Zucchinis
- 2 Chicken Breast or tofu shrimp etc.
- 1/2 cup Peanuts
- 2 cups Bean Sprouts
- Store bought Pad Thai Sauce - I used VH brand
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Ingredients
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Step 1
Wash and spiralize zucchini. Grab a towel and wrap the zucchini noodles (or zoodles) to absorb the excess water.
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Step 2
Cut chicken into strips. You can use any protein you want, like shrimp or tofu, or completely omit it from the recipe (if you do, skip to step 4).
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Step 3
Pour the oil into the bottom of a HOT large pan (I used a wok) and place the chicken in the pot carefully, so the oil doesn't splatter. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. I added about a tablespoon of the VH sauce, as well.
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Step 4
Add the zoodles, bean sprouts, and any other vegetables (suggestions: carrots, peppers, onions) to the chicken. Then, sauce time! Add about half the package (or a cup or so from the bottle) of sauce. I ended up adding a few tablespoons of ketchup to the dish to make the sauce less spicy (note to self: always check the spiciness label before leaving the store).
Fun Fact: this sauce is peanut and nut free!
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Step 5
Toss everything together and cover for 5-10 minutes (or until veggies are your desired tenderness).
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Step 6
Take your anger out on the peanuts and smash away. I placed the peanuts in a ziplock bag and used a hammer for dramatic effect but a knife would get the job done too. The peanuts add a nice crunch to the zoodles.
If you're going for a peanut free option, omit these.
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Step 7
Plate your noodles and garnish with LOTS of peanuts.
Feeling fancy? Top with some fresh lime juice (and wedges on the side of the plate for strictly aesthetic purposes) and some cilantro.
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Step 8
Now time for the dishes ...