The Best 15 Minute Vegan Thai Drunken Noodles

Anyone else wondering how fall is going by so fast? Feel like you had all these ambitious plans to get back on track when September hits and now you’re like “AHHHHHHHH where did the time go?”. I feel ya on this one. I’ve been all over the place lately trying to get you guys the best recipes, along with travelling, and of course, everything else. That’s why I love this recipe because it’s so quick (yet healthy). This Thai drunken noodles recipe is perfect for meal prep or a quick dinner when you’re on-the-go but still want to eat a healthy, nutritious vegan meal.

Why do they call them drunken noodles?

Good question. First off, you’ll find that every Thai restaurant and person/family will have their own way of making this dish. No two are the same, and this is my variation for a vegan/vegetarian version that’s quick and easy. It also has some fancier name variations like pad kee mao or less frequently, pad ki mao or pad kimao. Essentially a drunken noodle gets its name because in Thai, “khi mao” means drunkard. Rumour has it, they also can be super spicy so they leave the eater feeling dizzy aka drunk. However, don’t worry, you can make these as spicy or non-spicy as you wish!

Try my Thai Green Coconut Curry for another Thai inspired meal full of flavour.

There are some key ingredients that go into this drunken noodle recipe. The key ingredients are:

• broad rice noodles
• soy sauce
• fish sauce
• oyster sauce
• garlic
• meat or seafood
• chilli
• holy basil.

However, that doesn’t sound very vegan, does it? So I’ve adapted this drunken noodles recipe to be vegan and vegetarian-friendly. Instead of meat or seafood, you can add tofu or your favourite vegan protein substitute. You’ll notice that I substituted the fish and oyster sauces with sesame oil to give it the flavour, and of course, loaded it with vegetables to make it a well rounded filling meal that’s nutrient-dense and perfect for a perfect meal when you’re in a hurry.

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Make this drunken noodles recipe your own

The best part of this recipe is that it’s fully adaptable and you can throw whatever you have leftover for veggies in your fridge into the recipe. I find the veggies really absorb the sauce and make it so delicious. On top of that, you can make it in 15 minutes, and it’ll last in your fridge for 3-4 days. That makes it perfect for meal prep, or for you to eat it for every meal! Not to mention, these drunken noodles will fill your home with such amazing smells it’ll make everyone’s mouth water. Okay, I’m drooling already, let’s get to the recipe, but before that, I wanted to share a couple more of my fav Thai recipes:

• Spicy Thai Sunflower Noodle Salad
• Easy & Healthy Sesame Soy Grilled Eggplant
• One-Pot Coconut Curry Noodle Bowl

Or for something not Thai but totally delicious, try my easy and creamy Vegan Ramen. 

Vegan Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe

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This super easy vegan/vegetarian drunken noodles recipe is great for meal prep or when you're in a hurry. They'll last for days in the fridge & are so yummy!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Vegan

Servings 2 -3

Ingredients

  

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• 8-10 oz thick or wide rice noodles
• 3 tbsp. cup liquid soy seasoning
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vegan fish sauce
• 2 tbsp hot sauce
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 medium-sized shallots finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic pressed
• 1- inch bulb of ginger grated
• 1/4 cup green onion
• 2 red bell peppers julienned
• handful fresh Thai basil regular basil is fine too1 large carrot, peeled into ribbons
• lime wedges for serving
• red Thai chili finely sliced, seeds removed (optional)

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Instructions

 

• Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain.
• Into a medium-sized bowl combine your liquid soy seaning, dark soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, hot sauce and maple syrup.  Stir till well combine and set aside.
• Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or pan over medium-low heat. When the sesame oil glistens, the shallots, garlic, ginger and green onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots are soft and the garlic is fragrant. Add the pepper, cook 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sauce coats all the veg.
• Stir in the noodles, carrots, basil and red chili. Toss with chopsticks to combine and cook for 2 or so more minutes to heat throughout.  Serve warm with more basil and top with lime!

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