Pad Thai
If there’s one thing my family often orders, it’s Thai food! They love it, especially how they’re always provided with a surplus of food that can be purposed into leftovers for the week. I set out to make something from this comforting cuisine, and to have the house smelling heavenly for at least one night. This gluten-free pad thai is certainly one for the books, and loaded with aromatic veggies and a 5-ingredient peanut sauce that is such a glossy dream. I don’t know who was the first bold soul to have paired peanuts and pasta, but I am so grateful because I can confidently say it blends sweet and savory flavors beautifully! Don’t be fooled by the lengthier list of ingredients, and set aside just 20-30 minutes to make this meal!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves (about 1 tbsp) garlic, minced
1/3 cup onion, diced
1/3 cup carrots, peeled + diced
1/2 pound organic ground chicken/turkey
1/2 cup (red) cabbage, finely chopped
4 oz uncooked pad thai noodles (I used half of this pack!)
1/2 tsp ginger
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/4 cup (salted) peanuts, halved
Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp (manuka) honey
Optional Toppings:
3 tbsp scallions, diced
2 tbsp red pepper flakes
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp lime zest
Directions:
Place a skillet on your stovetop’s burner, and turn the heat onto low-medium. Drizzle on the oil, and let this heat up for just 1 minute.
Meanwhile, cut the garlic, onions, and carrots as instructed below. Once prepped, add the garlic and onions to the warm skillet and sauté them until the onions start to turn translucent. At this point, add the carrots and sauté them as well for about 2 minutes.
Stir in the uncooked meat of your choosing, and turn the heat up to medium. Continue stirring occasionally. Once it is all nearly done cooking, after 3-5 minutes, mix in the cabbage, and turn the heat down to low. Let the flavors mix and everything cook together for about 2 more minutes, while continuing to stir everything every so often.
Prep your pad thai noodles as instructed. While they cook, go back to the skillet and add the ginger and lime zest. Stir well and mix in the pad thai noodles once they finish cooking.
Make the peanut sauce: in a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk all 5 ingredients together well. Pour this into the skillet, add the peanuts, and stir once more. Let it all sit for about 2 minutes so the sauce can heat up.
Transfer everything to a serving dish, and add any toppings you’re craving! Enjoy!
Store leftovers, if any, in an airtight container for up to 5 days for best results.
Notes:
Pro tip: If you have any leftovers, I highly recommend drizzling them with extra-virgin olive oil after reheating them if the noodles are sticking together to help separate them.
