Craving the comfort of a noodle stir-fry? Dive into Tofu Pad See Ew! The caramelisation of the flat rice noodles mix into the flavourful marinated tofu and Asian-style vegetables. This Thai stir fry noodles recipe classic is easy to make and delivers big on satisfaction.
Pad See Ew was the first Thai dish I chose from the menu. I liked the sound of the asian greens and the mix of the sauces, plus the photo on the menu with the caramelisation of the flat rice noodles was next level! I have since learnt to make it myself and while I don't use the authentic Pad See Ew REALLY thick noodles, I can guarantee this is still a tasty dish!
This vegetarian pad see ew recipe is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, or even a meal prep recipe (I've given some tips lower down in the post). Just like other Thai noodle dishes, pad see ew with tofu can be made in the time it takes you to get through a TV show.
As it involves stir fried flat noodles that you can purchase at the supermarket (I've also given some recommendations for this in the FAQs), it takes next to no time to have these ready in a vegetarian rice noodle stir fry and added in with the pad see ew sauce.
If you're after other Fakeaway recipes, then check out my Best Asian Fakeaway Recipes.
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Pad See Ew Ingredients
Protein. I've used tofu and egg in this recipe. But you can use any other protein you wish. I have included substitutions below.
Noodles. Pad see ew is traditionally made with noodles called 'Sen Yai'. But they're not easy to get. I've been able to find them once in one Asian store, but other than that, I have had no luck finding them.
I normally opt to use Pad Thai noodles for this recipe as they are a similar, less wide, flat rice noodle. These can be found in most supermarkets in Australia.
Vegetables. Asian greens are a classic in a vegetable pad see ew recipe, such as Chinese broccoli and bok choy. But, sometimes these are difficult to get hold of, so you can use any combination of Asian greens. I also like the texture of mushrooms in my pad see ew which is why I have added them to my recipe.
Pad See Ew Sauce
Soy sauce. It wouldn't be an Asian recipe without soy sauce.
Dark soy sauce or kecap manis. This adds an extra dimension of flavour on top of the traditional soy sauce.
Oyster sauce. This is the ingredients that brings pad see ew to life!
Brown sugar. For sweetness and it assists in adding a nice caramelisation to the noodles.
White vinegar. This adds a bit of sour between the saltiness and sweetness.
How to make Pad See Ew
- Press and cub tofu
You can press your tofu in a couple different ways. You can use a tofu press if you have one on hand, but it's not necessary. I roll my tofu up in a paper towel and place it on a chopping board with a heavy and large pan on top. I'll then place heavy objects in the pan to weigh it down (e.g. cooking books, tins).
- Prepare vegetables, egg and sauce
Using a sharp knife and chopping board, slice Asian greens and mushrooms.
Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk together until the yolk and whites are combined.
Mix all of sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. - Coat tofu
Add tofu to a large bowl and coat in cornflour and soy sauce.
- Cook rice noodles
Cook rice noodles per package instructions. This is normally by rehydrating them in boiling water.
- Cook vegetables and eggs
Reheat olive oil on pan or large wok and add mushrooms, cook. Then add Asian greens.
Push contents to one side of the pan and pour the whisked egg on to the other side.
Scramble using a spatula or wooden spoon then mix in with the rest veggies. - Add rest of ingredients to the pan
Add tofu, noodles and sauce to the pan. Toss gently until sauce coats the noodles and serve immediately.
See below if you want to meal prep this recipe.
Top Tip
If you're going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
Use a LARGE WOK!
- It allows the noodles to spread out evenly, which prevents them from sticking together.
- It allows the heat to distribute evenly which prevents ingredients from over, or undercooking.
- A large wok helps you add all the ingredients at once. Pad see ew is a stir fry dish, which means all the ingredients are cooked together in a single pan. A large wok gives you enough space to add all the ingredients at once.
Substitutions and variations
Protein. I've used tofu and egg for my pad see ew recipe, but you can substitute any protein for the tofu such as chicken or beef. Egg is in authentic pad see ew recipes, but if you're not a fan of eggs, you can always omit this.
Vegan. To make this a vegan pad see ew, substitute the oyster sauce for a vegan oyster sauce. You could go with more soy sauce, but you won't get the same depth of flavour. Also, omit the eggs.
Noodles. There's no hard and fast rule for the noodles you use for this recipe. Traditionally, Sen Yai noodles are used, but they're hard to find in Australian supermarkets (and even in Asian grocers). This is why I use Pad Thai noodles which can be readily found in Woolworths and Coles. If you have some leftover noodles in the house that aren't wide flat rice noodles, you can definitely use these - it might just change the taste slightly.
Equipment
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Large knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowls
- Large and deep pan or wok (recommended)
- Tofu press (optional)
Pad See Ew meal prep
Pad see ew is a fantastic meal prep because it tastes even better the next day. I mean, have you ever had leftover Thai food?! It's delish!
Storage
This Thai stir fried noodle dish should be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days. After about 2-3 days, I find the rice flat noodles can get soggy and the veg loses its crispy texture. You can definitely eat it up until the 5 day mark (provided it's stored and reheated properly), but you might find the texture slightly unpleasant.
Reheating
To reheat a rice flat noodles recipe, sprinkle a tablespoon of water over the top of the dish before beginning to reheat. DON'T STIR THE NOODLES YET. If you stir the thai wide rice noodles while it's still cold, they will cling together and break apart. Once reheated, moving them around is a lot easier.
Add the dish to the microwave on 1 minute intervals, stirring the Asian noodles carefully each time. The reheating should take about 2 minutes - the rice noodles should move around freely.
Freezing
Flat rice noodles and Asian greens don't tend to freeze well as they have a high water content and can get quite soggy. I wouldn't recommend freezing this dish.
FAQs
Both Pad See Ew and Pad Thai are incredibly flavourful and I love using my recipes to replicate the takeaway dish at home.
There are some key differences between the two dishes:
Noodles. Pad See Ew is typically made with wide, flat rice noodles, while pad thai is made from thinner, flat rice noodles.
Sauce. Pad see ew sauce is made with soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar, while pad thai sauce is made with tamarind, fish sauce, and sugar.
Vegetables. A pad see ew recipe typically includes broccoli and asian greens, pork or beef, while pad thai is typically made with prawns or tofu. But, I've obviously made this pad see ew with tofu.
Taste. Pad see ew noodles is typically more savoury and salty, while pad thai is more sweet and sour. Pad see ew also has a chewier texture due to the wider flat noodles, while pad thai has a softer texture due to the thinner noodles.
Check out my Pad Thai recipe!
Pad See Ew noodles are hard to find in Australian supermarkets like Coles or Woolworths. The largest noodles you'll be able to find there are the Pad Thai variety (which is actually what I used for my recipe).
If you're after a thicker noodle to make authentic Pad See Ew, I would recommend checking out Asian supermarkets or specific Thai supermarkets. They have specific noodles for this dish.
Not traditionally. Pad See Ew includes oyster sauce and egg which are not vegan. You can replace the oyster sauce with a vegan oyster sauce or more soy sauce (however, you'll lose the depth of flavour). You can also omit the egg.
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Recipe
Easy Pad See Ew Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g wide flat rice noodles See Note 1
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch bok choy or other Asian greens sliced (See Note 2)
- 1 ½ cups mushrooms sliced
- 2 large eggs lightly whisked
Tofu (see Note 3)
- 350 g extra firm tofu pressed and cubed
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce or kecap manis
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 clove garlic crushed
Garnish
- ¼ cup spring onions sliced
Instructions
- Add cornflour and soy sauce to tofu and toss to coat.
- Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil to a large pan then add tofu. Allow the tofu to brown, flip every minute or so (for 5 minutes or until golden brown). Remove from the pan.
- In the meantime, cook rice noodles per package instructions (this is normally rehydrating the flat rice noodles in hot water) and mix all the sauce ingredients together.
- Heat up the rest of the olive oil and add mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes then add asian greens and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Push the contents to one side of the pan and pour the egg on the other side. Scramble using a spatula or wooden spoon then mix in with the rest veggies.
- Add tofu, sauce and noodles into the pan. Toss gently until the sauce coats the noodles.
- Serve immediately.
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