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Home Method One Pot Meals
5
/5

Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Low Carb Low Carb
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise BustardLeave a Comment
Posted: 3/15/22 Updated: 3/15/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Zucchini noodle pad thai is a low carb, veggie-packed meal that comes together in just 30 minutes. With shrimp, eggs, bell pepper and topped with a delicious pad Thai sauce!

Adding spiralized veggies to Thai food is a great way to sneak in some extra veggies; from spiralized veggie thai noodle bowls, to lemongrass Thai ground pork meal prep, and this zucchini noodle pad Thai!

overhead view of Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai in grey bowl
Jump to... show
1 reasons you'll love this recipe
2 Recipe video
3 ingredient notes
4 Step by step directions
5 Variations
6 FAQ
7 Meal Prep
8 More Zucchini Noodle Recipes
9 Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

This zucchini noodle Pad Thai is full of those familiar Thai flavors, but skips the rice noodles and uses veggie noodles instead! With a sweet, savory, sour sauce, this Pad Thai is pure bliss in a bowl.

The flavors are just like take-out, but it is lower in carbs and packed with veggies and simple pantry staples. Best of all, you can customize it with whatever veggies or protein options you have on hand!

reasons you'll love this recipe

  • you get the familiar Pad Thai flavors, but with even more veggies
  • it's ready in 30 minutes
  • has a sauce made from easy pantry staples

Recipe video

Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this recipe. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.

ingredient notes

zucchini noodles and sliced red pepper on wood cutting board from overhead
  • fish sauce - adds delicious, briny flavor! We use this brand.
  • maple syrup - or honey; brown sugar, or palm sugar (for the most authentic sauce)
  • soy sauce - we used reduced sodium, but you can swap for bragg's liquid soy seasoning for a gluten-free alternative
  • zucchini noodles - are a great low-carb swap for rice noodles for pad thai. See how to cook and spiralize zucchini noodles here.
  • ketchup - I know. I KNOW! see note*

Note - this Pad Thai sauce is more similar to a North American Pad Thai recipe, not a traditional Thai recipe, and that's for one reason alone: ketchup. I KNOW! I fought the ketchup thing so, so hard. I ordered $20 of tamarind paste from Amazon. I experimented with ratios. But nothing tasted quite like my tastebuds are used to, except for ketchup. *trust me, you can't taste the ketchup, but you can taste when it's not there*


Step by step directions

pad thai sauce in jar

Sauce

Shake together pad thai sauce and set aside.

overhead view of shrimp in frying pan

Cook Shrimp

Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the shrimp. Cook 2-4 minutes, flipping halfway until shrimp are cooked through and no longer pink. Transfer to a clean plate.

Scramble Eggs

Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the beaten eggs. Cook, scrambling with a spatula until cooked through and scrambled. Transfer to the plate containing the shrimp. Clean the pan if necessary.

zucchini noodles and red peppers sautéing in pan from overhead

Sautée Veggies

Add the zucchini noodles and the bell pepper noodles, tossing with tongs and cooking for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened.

Make a space in the pan and add the garlic. Fry for 1 minute.

Favorite Spiralizer

This is the spiralizer that I have, and recommend!

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overhead view of Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai in frying pan

Combine

Add the shrimp, eggs, bean sprouts and pour the sauce over everything. Toss-up to coat.

close up view of Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai in frying pan

Serve

Serve with cilantro leaves, peanuts, and lime wedges.


Variations

Veggie Options

This is where you can get creative with this recipe. Want to swap for sweet potato? I bet that would be great! Have some carrots to use up? Shred and throw them in! Here are some variations and swaps to try:

  • zucchini - spiralized on the small ⅛ inch blade
  • bell pepper - spiralized on the ribbon blade
  • sweet potato - spirazlied on the large ¼ inch blade
  • carrots - sprialized on the small ⅛ inch blade or shredded
  • red onion - spralized on the ribbon blade

Do not skip the bean sprouts; there is just something about the flavor and crunch...pad thai is just not the same without them.

Protein Options

We used shrimp for this recipe, but you can pick your favorite protein and use it. Pad Thai is made with everything from shrimp to chicken to tofu. Here are some ideas:

  • chicken - thighs or breast; cut into small pieces
  • tofu - pressed and cut into small cubes. You can fry until crispy, then cook other ingredients.
  • egg - we like adding egg to all pad thai recipes as it really absorbs the sauce and adds extra flavor
  • crab - or other seafood

FAQ

Can I swap the zucchini noodles?

Sure! You can swap for brown rice noodles, or sub half the zucchini noodles for whole wheat spaghetti noodles - following package directions to cook. The recipe will no longer be low carb with these swaps.

Can this zucchini noodle pad thai be made vegetarian?

Yes - though you will need to swap the shrimp for tofu, and eliminate the fish sauce or a vegan fish sauce, and leave out the eggs.

Can this recipe be used for meal prep?

This zucchini noodle pad thai does not store well after cooking, however, you can prep the ingredients ahead to make assembling easier! See instructions below.

Meal Prep

Unfortunately, after cooking, this recipe is best served immediately and does not store well. With that being said, you can prep components of this zucchini noodle pad thai ahead to make the cooking day even easier:

  1. shake together the sauce up to a week ahead
  2. spiralize zucchini noodles up 4 days ahead (store in a paper towel-lined container)
  3. spiralize bell pepper 1-2 days ahead (store in a paper towel-lined container)
Spicy tofu noodle meal prep bowls

More Zucchini Noodle Recipes

  • Spicy tofu noodle meal prep bowls
  • Spicy Instant Pot peanut noodle
  • How to cook zucchini noodles
  • Turkey zucchini lasagna
  • Sesame ginger beef zucchini noodles

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

overhead shot of zucchini noodle pad thai in large white bowl

Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Print Rate
Zucchini noodle pad thai is a low carb veggie-packed meal that comes together in just 30 minutes. Made with shrimp, eggs, bell pepper and a sweet and tangy pad Thai sauce!
4 servings

Ingredients

Pad Thai Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup see note 1
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce see note 2
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup see note 3

Pad Thai

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb shrimp
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 2 medium zucchinis spiralized
  • 1 bell pepper spiralized
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups bean sprouts

To serve

  • cilantro
  • peanuts
  • lime wedges

Instructions 

  • Sauce - Shake together pad thai sauce and set aside.
  • Cook Shrimp - Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the shrimp. Cook 2-4 minutes, flipping halfway, until shrimp are cooked through and no longer pink. Transfer to a clean plate.
  • Scramble eggs - Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the beaten eggs. Cook, scrambling with a spatula, until cooked through and scrambled. Transfer to the plate containing the shrimp. Clean the pan if necessary.
  • Sautée Veggies - Add the zucchini noodles and the bell pepper noodles, tossing with tongs and cooking for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened. Make a space in the pan and add the garlic.
  • Combine - Fry for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, eggs, bean sprouts and pour the sauce over everything. Toss up to coat.
    overhead shot of zucchini noodle pad thai in large white bowl
  • Serve - Serve with cilantro leaves, peanuts and lime wedges.

Tips:

  1. use your favorite sweetener such as honey, brown sugar, or for the most authentic ingredient, palm sugar
  2. we use reduced sodium soy sauce as a general rule. For gluten-free, swap for tamari or coconut aminos.
  3. ketchup is not traditionally used in Pad Thai, but adds a lot of oomf to this particular recipe. For a more authentic recipe, swap for tamarind paste.
Storage
Unfortunately, after cooking, this recipe is best served immediately and does not store well. With that being said, you can prep components of this zucchini noodle pad thai ahead to make the cooking day even easier:
  1. shake together the sauce up to a week ahead
  2. spiralize zucchini noodles up 4 days ahead (store in a paper towel-lined container)
  3. spiralize bell pepper 1-2 days ahead (store in a paper towel-lined container)

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1g, Calories: 322kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 449mg, Sodium: 2200mg, Potassium: 627mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 1384IU, Vitamin C: 68mg, Calcium: 229mg, Iron: 4mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

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