Do you love Thai food? Then whip up these incredible Vegan Drunken Noodles in under 30 minutes! This recipe is bursting with authentic Thai flavours and is way cheaper (and tastier!) than a Thai restaurant. For more Asian-inspired dishes, check out my other recipes here!
😋 Why You’ll love this recipe!
Super Speedy: This stir fry is ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for those evenings when you’re short on time but still want a proper tasty and fairly healthy meal.
Better Than a Takeaway: Forget those pricey takeaways! This recipe is the best way to Thai cuisine at home! Unless you’re talking about my pad Thai that is…
🍜 Why are they called drunken noodles?
In Thai, “Pad Kee Mao” translates to “Drunken Noodles.” “Pad” means stir-fry, and “Kee Mao” refers to a drunkard. Don’t worry, there’s no actual alcohol in these noodles!
The name comes from the idea that these noodles are so spicy, they’ll help sober you up after a night out. Or, some say it’s because the cook might have had a few too many while whipping up this fiery dish.
Either way, this vegan Thai drunken noodles pack a punch of flavour!
📝 Ingredient notes
Maggi Seasoning (2 tbsp): This savoury seasoning sauce is a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine. Used in loads of Thai recipes it adds a unique depth of flavour that’s hard to replicate with other ingredients.
Sugar (2.5 tbsp): Balances the saltiness and spiciness of the dish with a touch of sweetness. You can use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even some maple syrup if you prefer.
Vegan Oyster Sauce (1 tbsp): A vegetarian oyster sauce adds a rich, umami flavour that builds the base of our sauce.
Dark Soy Sauce (1 tbsp) & Soy Sauce (2 tbsp): These soy sauces provide the base of our savoury sauce.
Firm Tofu (500g): Tofu is a great source of protein and soaks up the flavours of the sauce beautifully. I use a firm tofu, an extra firm tofu would also work. But I wouldn’t go softer than that.
Rice Noodles (200g): Wide rice noodles are traditionally used in Drunken Noodles. I’m just using some dried, but use fresh rice noodles if you have them available.
Baby Corn (150g), Carrots (150g), & Tenderstem Broccoli (150g): These veggies add colour, texture, and nutrients to the dish. Feel free to mix this up and use whatever you have on hand. Red pepper and bok choy both work really well here but you could even add in some spring onions or bean sprouts too. It’s a super flexible recipe.
Red Chillies (3): These bring the heat! Adjust the amount to your liking, depending on your spice preference. I’m a little weak, so I took most of the seeds out, but this dish is supposed to be spicy. So add as much heat as you can enjoy. Traditionally you would use some super spicy Thai chilis
Garlic (6 cloves): It’s garlic, it’s amazing. Yes, you need this much.
Basil (60g): While you might think that Thai basil is best for this, but actually it’s not the most authentic choice for Drunken Noodles… Thai Holy basil is the ideal variety, but if you can’t find it, Italian basil, or just regular basil is actually a better choice than Thai basil. In this video, Pai explains this in her recipe.
🥣 How to make Vegan Drunken Noodles
- Cook the Tofu: First things first, let’s get that tofu going. Chop it up into whatever size you like best, pop it in a bowl, and add some salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder if you have any lying around. Give it a good mix and stick it in the air fryer for 17 minutes at 205°C (400°F). There’s no need to press it, or use oil. It will crisp up perfectly without. If you don’t have an air fryer, spread it out evenly on a baking tray and cook it for about 20-25 minutes at the same temperature, or until crispy. If using an oven, I give it a little spray of oil. You could also sub this for some super crispy tofu, or spicy goughugang tofu!
- Prep the Noodles: Now’s a good time to get your noodles ready. I’m using dried rice noodles. The one thing I’d say is make sure they’re not overdone. I tend to boil water and then just put mine in there and let them steep for 5-7 minutes. I check on them periodically until they’re nearly done, then I run them under cold water and let them sit until I’m ready. They’ll finish cooking in the sauce at the end. But cook yours according to the package instructions.
- Chop the Veg: Let’s get the veg chopped up! I like to slice everything nice and finely. Cut the baby corn and the carrot on a bias, and then for your tenderstem broccoli, chop the stems up on a bias so you get little chunks that cook really quickly. For the florets at the top, just break them up into small bits. We also need to finely slice the basil, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Prep the Garlic Chilli Base: You can take the seeds out of the chilies if you’re weak like I am, otherwise leave them in! You want this dish to be fairly spicy but obviously still needs to be edible, so that’s kind of up to you how much chilli you use. I tend to use three chilies and I take the seeds out of two of them. Add the chilies to a pestle and mortar and start crushing—you want them to be pulverised. Once the chilli is pulverised, add the garlic cloves and mash them up so the garlic is a little bit less mashed than the chilli. Set this aside until we’re ready to start cooking.
- Make the sauce: This bit couldn’t really be simpler. Just take all your sauce ingredients and combine them well in a bowl.
- Stir-Fry: As long as your tofu is about 5 minutes away, you can start getting on with the rest of it. Now, it’s time to put it all together. It’s super easy. Get your wok up to a nice high temperature, whack in the oil, and then put in your chilli garlic paste. Give that a good stir-fry for a couple of minutes until it’s nice and fragrant, but do not let the garlic burn.
- Add the Veggies: Add all your veggies except the tenderstem broccoli heads—we’ll add those in a little later. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the veg is starting to soften. It doesn’t need long as we’ve sliced everything super thinly. Once it’s tender, you can add in the broccoli florets.
- Add the Tofu and Noodles: Now add in the tofu and give it a stir-fry. Add the noodles, give that a mix, and then add in the sauce. Combine everything well to make sure it’s all nicely coated. If you need to add a little water to stop anything sticking or to make it coat everything more evenly, then go for it, just don’t add too much.
- Add the sauce: Pour in the sauce, and combine it into the noodles well.
- Add the Basil: Finally, it’s time to add in the fresh basil. Add about 80% of the basil now, and save the other 20% to garnish the top along with maybe some lime wedges. Give it a good mix through and you’re done! Super quick, super tasty, super easy Thai favourite. You’ve got some amazing Vegan Pad Kee Mao! Serve with some summer rolls, if it’s warm enough…
🤔 Frequently asked questions
What are drunken noodles?
Drunken noodles, or “Pad Kee Mao” in Thai, are a dish popular in Thai cuisine made with wide noodles, vegetables, and a spicy rich sauce. “Pad” means stir-fry, and “Kee Mao” refers to a drunkard.
What kind of tofu should I use?
I used firm tofu in this recipe, but you can also use extra-firm tofu if you prefer. I just wouldn’t use anything softer than that. There’s no need to press it.
Can I use a different type of noodle?
Fresh wide rice noodles are traditionally used in a thai drunken noodles recipe, but you can experiment with other types of noodles if you like.
What if I don’t have a pestle and mortar?
No problem! If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can finely chop the chilies and garlic with a knife.
How do I store leftover drunken noodles?
Leftover noodles can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think!
Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture @theseveggiedelights on Instagram!
Easy Vegan Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Maggi seasoning
- 2.5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 500 g Firm Tofu
- 200 g Rice Noodles
- 150 g Baby Corn
- 150 g Carrots
- 150 g Tenderstem Broccoli
- 3 Red Chillies
- 6 Cloves Garlic
- 60 g Basil
Instructions
- Cook Tofu: Chop tofu, toss with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and air fry for 17 minutes at 205°C (400°F) or bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Prep Noodles: Soak rice noodles in boiled water for 5-7 minutes until nearly done, then rinse with cold water.
- Prep Veg: Chop baby corn and carrot stems on a bias. Break broccoli florets into small pieces. Finely slice basil.
- Prep Chilli Garlic Base: Crush chilies and garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar.
- Make Sauce: Combine Maggi seasoning, sugar, vegan oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and soy sauce in a bowl.
- Stir-Fry: Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add chili garlic paste and stir-fry until fragrant. Add baby corn, carrot, and broccoli stems. Stir. fry until softened, then add broccoli florets.
- Add Tofu and Noodles: Add crispy tofu, noodles, and sauce to the wok. Stir-fry until well combined.
- Add Basil: Stir in most of the basil, reserving some for garnish.
Notes
- If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook the tofu in a preheated oven at 205°C (400°F) for about 20-25 minutes, or until crispy.
- Be careful not to overcook the noodles. They should be slightly undercooked, as they will finish cooking in the sauce.
- If you can’t find holy basil, Standard Italian basil is a good substitute.