This tofu pad see ew is a vegetarian Thai noodle stir fry made with wide flat rice noodles, extra firm tofu, bok choy, mushrooms and a salty-sweet soy sauce. It works well as a quick weeknight dinner and can be meal prepped for a few days if you reheat the noodles properly (dw, I've given you those tips!).
Pad see ew was the first Thai dish I chose from a menu. I liked the sound of the Asian greens, the mix of sauces, and the photo with the caramelisation on the flat rice noodles was next level! Since then, I have learnt to make it myself, but if you know my cooking style, I'm a little bit lazy and like to find short-cuts where possible (and it doesn't overly compromise on taste).
This is not an authentic Pad see ew as I use ingredients you can actually find in most Australian supermarkets, rather than specialty Asian stores. Despite the tradeoffs, it's still a solid fakeaway option for when you want noodles without paying $25 per dish or having to run to three different groceries stores spending $50 on ingredients.
TL;DR
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes
- Meal prep and storing: best for 2-3 days if using rice noodles, or 4-5 days if using long-life wheat-based noodles
- Freezer storage: not recommended because rice noodles and bok choy soften too much
- Reheating: microwave in 1 minute intervals with a splash of water, and do not stir the noodles while cold or reheat on a super-hot pan, moving it around quickly.
- Customise: swap bok choy for gai lan, broccolini, cabbage, capsicum or carrots, and use vegetarian oyster sauce if needed
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Why you'll love this recipe
Fakeaway. For when you're in the mood for takeaway but do not want to spend the $25 per dish, might I add.
Vegetarian. If you are looking to decrease your meat intake, this tofu pad see ew is an easy one to add to the rotation.
Asian. If you know me, you know I love a good Asian meal prep, especially with noodles like my teriyaki chicken noodles.
Mix-and-match. Serve it with chicken pad thai, beef pad see ew or other my Asian meal prep ideas!
Ingredients
Wide flat rice noodles. Pad see ew is traditionally made with Sen Yai, which are very wide rice noodles, but I usually use pad thai noodles because they are easier to find in Australian supermarkets.
Eggs. Eggs add richness and extra protein, but you can leave them out if you need a vegan version.
Extra firm tofu. Extra firm tofu holds its shape better in a tofu noodle stir fry, especially once it has been pressed and coated.
Cornflour. Cornflour helps the tofu brown and gives it a slightly firmer outside so it does not crumble through the noodles.
Dark soy sauce (aka kecap manis) and oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster). I recommend these in addition to your all-purpose soy sauce as they add to the intensity of the flavour and provide a slightly darker colour which is typical of a pad see ew in comparison to a tofu pad thai
Brown sugar. Brown sugar helps with the caramelisation on the noodles, but this version uses less than many takeaway-style recipes so it works better as a meal prep option.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
What are the best noodles for pad see ew?
The best noodles for pad see ew are fresh wide rice noodles called Sen Yai, but they can be hard to find unless you have a good Asian grocer nearby. I usually use dried pad thai noodles because they are still flat rice noodles and are much easier to buy from the supermarket.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip: If you want to meal prep tofu pad see ew for longer than 2?3 days, use long-life wheat-based noodles like I recommend in my satay chicken noodles instead of rice noodles. They are not traditional, but they hold their texture better in the fridge and do not break as easily when reheated.
Substitutions and variations
Other vegetables. I use bok choy and mushrooms, but you could use other Asian greens, cabbage, capsicum, baby corn, snow peas, or even a frozen stir-fry veg mix.
White vinegar. For other white vinegars like white wine vinegar or even Chinese cooking wine. They'll be ever so slightly different in flavours but I've used both before and both work well as the main purpose of the vinegar is to balance out the rest of the flavours.
How to make tofu pad see ew
Step 1: Press the tofu by wrapping it in paper towel and placing it between 2 heavy objects for at least 15 minutes. This draws out excess liquid so the tofu can brown instead of steaming.
Step 2: Mix together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, white vinegar and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Step 3: Cube or break the pressed tofu into bite-sized pieces, then coat with cornflour and soy sauce. The tofu should look lightly coated, not clumpy.
Step 4: Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook for about 2 minutes, or until golden on the outside and firm enough to hold its shape when moved around the pan.
Step 5: Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they shrink, darken and release some of their liquid.
Step 6: Add the bok choy and push everything to one side of the pan.
Step 7: Add the eggs to the empty side of the pan. Let them sit for about 30 seconds, then gently scramble until mostly set, about 2 minutes. While the eggs cook, rehydrate or cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, minus 1 minute. They should be flexible but not completely soft because they will keep cooking in the sauce.
Step 8: Add the noodles and sauce to the pan. Toss gently until the noodles are coated and slightly caramelised, about 2 minutes. The noodles should look glossy, darker in colour and move through the pan without clumping.
Step 9: Serve with some spring onions and sesame seeds (optional)
Lauren's Top Tips
Be prepared. Have all your veggies chopped, sauce mixed and eggs mixed before you've even begun cooking. Stir fry recipes can move pretty fast and you don't want it to burn or go mushy by not being prepared.
Use a big pan. A crowded pan steams the noodles and vegetables, which means less caramelisation and more sog.
Meal prepping tofu pad see ew
This tofu pad see ew is a good short-term meal prep option because it has protein from tofu and egg, carbs from the noodles, and vegetables from bok choy and mushrooms. It is best eaten within 2-3 days if you are using rice noodles because the texture changes in the fridge, but the flavour still holds up well.
Storing
Store in an airtight container (preferably glass) 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.
Let the noodles cool before sealing the containers. If you trap too much steam inside, the bok choy softens faster and the noodles can get stickier.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
If you are making this for work lunches later in the week, use long-life wheat-based noodles instead of rice noodles. It is less traditional, but much better for avoiding broken, soggy noodles by day 4.
Reheating
To reheat, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of water over the noodles before microwaving. Do not stir the noodles while they are still cold because rice noodles cling together and break apart.
Microwave in 1 minute intervals, then gently stir after the first minute once the noodles have started to loosen. Most portions will take about 2 minutes, depending on your microwave and container size. The noodles are ready when they move around freely and the tofu is hot through the centre.
You can also reheat tofu pad see ew in a pan over high heat with a splash of oil. Stir gently (and constantly) but only once the noodles have started to loosen.
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. Plus, it doesn't take that long to make so it's a good quick weeknight option.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
It can be vegetarian if you use vegetarian oyster sauce or mushroom sauce. Regular oyster sauce is not vegetarian, so check the label before using it.
Rice noodles usually break when they are overcooked, stirred while cold, or tossed too aggressively. Cook them slightly under, use a big pan and let leftovers warm before stirring.
Pad see ew sauce usually tastes flat when it is missing balance. The soy sauce and oyster sauce bring saltiness, brown sugar adds sweetness and caramelisation, while the vinegar cuts through the richness so the tofu pad see ew does not taste heavy or one-note. Depending on what you feel is missing, add a little bit extra after tasting.
Other vegetarian recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my vegetarian meal prep recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Tofu Pad See Ew
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Equipment
- Large wok, or large pan
Ingredients
- 350 g (12 ⅓ oz) extra firm tofu, see note 2
- 300 g (10 ½ oz) wide flat rice noodles, see note 1
- 3 bulbs bok choy, or Asian greens
- 2 cups mushrooms
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoon cornflour / corn starch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, all purpose
Sauce (or ½ cup store bought)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce, all purpose
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, or kecap manis
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, or mushroom sauce for vegetarian
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar, substitutions note 3
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions
Preparing
- Press 350 g (12 ⅓ oz) extra firm tofu by wrapping it in paper towel and placing it between 2 heavy objects for at least 15 minutes. This helps draw out excess liquid so the tofu browns instead of steaming.
- Mince 2 cloves garlic and then mix together with 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar. Set aside.
- Prepare 300 g (10 ½ oz) wide flat rice noodles according to packet instructions, minus 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water. They should be flexible but not completely soft as they'll finish cooking in the sauce.
- Chop 3 bulbs bok choy and 2 cups mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.
- Cube or break the pressed 350 g (12 ⅓ oz) extra firm tofu into bite-sized pieces, then coat with 2 tbsp cornflour / corn starch and 1 tbsp soy sauce, all purpose. The tofu should look lightly coated, not clumpy.
- Lightly whisk 4 eggs in a small bowl so they're ready to add to the pan.
Cooking
- Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook for about 2 minutes, turning as needed, until golden on the outside.
- Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they shrink, darken and release some of their liquid.
- Add the bok choy then push everything to one side of the pan.
- Add the eggs to the empty side and let them sit for about 30 seconds, then gently scramble until mostly set, about 2 minutes. Mix back in with the tofu and vegetables.
- Add the noodles and sauce to the pan. Toss gently until the noodles are coated in sauce and slightly caramelised, about 2 minutes. The noodles should look glossy, darker in colour and move through the pan without clumping.
- Serve with some spring onion, sesame seeds or chilli oil.
Kathy
This was very tasty!!