Let’s be real – pad thai is DELICIOUS. So peanutty and rich and full of that umami flavor. Delightful. Most pad thai out there, though, is super high in carbs and overprocessed oils. Less delightful. So, because I enjoy eating things that taste good, I thought I’d whip up my own healthy version of pad thai – a low carb pad thai. A (mostly) raw, vegan, gluten free pad thai that tastes amazing (no, really).

Now, I realize the words “raw vegan” don’t tend to lend themselves to the most appetizing of dishes at times. I, too, have been force fed some truly terrible things in the name of raw foods, but I promise you – this is actually good. The “raw” aspect is more because it’s sweltering in my apartment and I just do not feel like turning on the stove and sweating through my shirt. You can totally cook this recipe if you want, and in fact, if you use shiritaki noodles in place of kelp, I’d definitely recommend it.

Now, I’m newly obsessed with kelp noodles, because my local Whole Foods just started carrying them. Let me tell you – they’re worth the trouble of finding. These noodles are crunchy, absorbed the sauce nicely, and are completely allergen free, and yes, I’m just going to cover them with allergens…but still! I also love kelp noodles, as they’re a great source of iodine, which can be tricky to obtain without consuming iodized salt (especially as Himalayan salt doesn’t really have any iodine). Anyway, if you really aren’t into kelp noodles, you could just use zucchini noodles instead!

Notes on Making Raw Vegan Low Carb Pad Thai

• I used this brand of kelp noodle (and am now realizing that Amazon’s price is better than Whole Foods!), and would definitely recommend them. Thrive Market also has them, for even less than Amazon!
• To soften the kelp noodles, soak them for 20-30 minutes in water with either 1 tbsp of lemon juice, or 1 tsp of baking soda. Be sure to rinse them very thoroughly after soaking to ensure that they don’t taste super lemony or soda-y.
• To prep the noodles – soak them in water for about 5 minutes, and drain. Really.
• If you aren’t a fan of kelp noodles, zucchini noodles are another raw option!
• You could also use shiritaki noodles instead, but I would recommend simmering them in the sauce for a few minutes.
• To make these nut free, just use sunflower butter in place of peanut butter.
• I like to eat these with shredded carrots and sunflower seeds, but you could also garnish with scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds.
• While I strive to provide accurate nutrition information, certain brands and varieties of ingredients may have differing nutritional values, so your calculations may vary!

Raw Vegan Low Carb Pad Thai

Print Recipe

This raw vegan Pad Thai is nutrient dense, delicious and super simple to make!

Course entree

Cuisine raw vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 231

Ingredients

• 1 bag of kelp noodles
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 medium sized white onion
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce/tamari/liquid aminos
• Juice from one lime
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• optional shredded carrots, sesame seeds, chopped scallions, additional pepper flakes and/or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• Soak kelp noodles in water.
• In a blender or food processor, combine peanut butter, onion, tamari, lime juice, garlic and pepper flakes and process until smooth.
• Drain noodles well, and pour 1/4 of the sauce on top. Toss around and serve with garnishes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Fiber: 5g