Zucchini noodle pad that is lower in carbs but packed full of flavor! With shrimp, eggs, zucchini and bell pepper noodles tossed in a sweet and tangy pad thai sauce, it’s delicious and easy to make!
This zucchini noodle pad thai is full of those familiar Thai flavors, but skips the rice noodles and uses veggie noodles instead!
When it comes to Thai food, pad thai is one of my faves…tom kha gai and a good green curry are pretty much all tied for my faves!
With stir fried noodles and a truly Thai sauce (sweet, savory, sour and even spicy if you’d like!), pad thai is pure comfort food.
This veggie-heavy zucchini pad thai recipe tastes just like take out, but is lower in carbs but still has a TON of flavor!
This zucchini noodle pad thai
- swaps rice noodles for zucchini and bell pepper noodles
- is ready in 30 minutes
- has a sauce made from easy pantry staples
How to make pad thai sauce
Let’s get one thing straight here: 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*
Want to make more of an authentic Thai version of Pad Thai? Skip the ketchup and use tamarind paste instead.
Ingredients in pad thai sauce
- fish sauce– I use this brand
- maple syrup– or honey- or brown sugar, or palm sugar (for the most authentic sauce)
- soy sauce– I used reduced sodium
- ketchup– swap for tamarind paste for a truly authentic pad thai sauce
for a truly authentic pad thai sauce
Let’s talk veggies
This is where you can get creative with this zucchini noodle pad thai. Want to swap for sweet potato? I bet that would be great! Have some carrots to use up? Shred and throw them in!
What kind of veggies can you use in pad thai?
- zucchini– spiralized on the small 1/8 inch blade
- bell pepper– spiralized on the ribbon blade
- sweet potato– spirazlied on the large 1/4 inch blade
- carrots– sprialized on the small 1/8 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.
Pad thai proteins
For this recipe, I used shrimp, but you can pick your favorite protein and use it. I have seen pad thai made with everything from shrimp to chicken to tofu.
Protein ideas for pad thai
- shrimp– l lb
- 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– I like adding egg to all pad thai recipes as it really absorbs the sauce and adds extra flavor
- crab or other seafood
How to cook zucchini noodle pad thai
This recipe cooks quickly, so I recommend preparing all ingredients so they are on hand once you start cooking.
- cook shrimp– about 2 min per side, until cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
- cook eggs– just scramble them up and transfer to the plate with the shrimp
- cook veggie noodles– tossing them up with tongs so they cook evenly
- cook garlic– make a space in the veggie noodles; add the garlic and cook for 1 min
- add sauce, shrimp, eggs and bean sprouts, toss everything up
- garnish with peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges
Can I meal prep zucchini noodle pad thai?
Unfortunately, after cooking, this recipe is best served immediately.
With that being said, you can prep components of this zucchini noodle pad thai ahead to make cooking day even easier:
- shake together the sauce up to a week ahead
- spiralize zucchini noodles up 4 days ahead (store in a paper towel-lined container)
- spiralize bell pepper 1-2 days ahead (store in a paper towel-lined container)
Tips & equipment for zucchini noodle pad thai
- I love my Paderno spiralizer, but have also heard great things about the Inspiralizer
- I cooked my zucchini noodle pad thai in a teflon-free pan similar to this GreenPan
- Looking for more zucchini noodle recipes? Check out these Spicy Tofu Noodle Meal Prep Bowls, these Spicy Instant Pot Peanut Noodles and How to Cook Zucchini Noodles
Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai
Video
Ingredients
Pad Thai Sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (honey or brown sugar may be subbed)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I recommend reduced sodium)
- 1 tablespoon ketchup (swap for tamarind paste for a more authentic recipe)
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
- Shake together pad thai sauce and set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the shrimp, eggs, bean sprouts and pour the sauce over everything. Toss up to coat.
- Serve with cilantro leaves, peanuts and lime wedges.
Storage
- This recipe does not keep well after cooking, but you can shake up the sauce and spiralize the veggies 2-4 days in advance.
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