15 Jan Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai (Paleo + Whole30)
This Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai is a simple rendition of a very classic, traditional recipe, swapping rice noodles out for fresh zucchini noodles. Choose whatever protein you’d like, shrimp, chicken or tofu and definitely don’t skip on the tamarind – if you want the full experience!
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 medium zucchini
- 1 to 4 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce*
- 3 tablespoon honey or other sweetener (LEAVE OUT FOR WHOLE 30)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped scallions
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pasture-raised eggs
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- ½ pound peeled and deveined wild caught shrimp*
For Serving:
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 2 limes, quartered (optional)
- red pepper flakes or thinly sliced hot peppers (optional)
Instructions
- Using your spiralizer, mandoline slicer, julienne peeler or other veggie noodle maker, cut your zucchini into noodles. Place into a colander or strainer and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to sit, sweat and drain while you make your sauce and start the cooking.
- Make the Pad Thai Sauce: in a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to barely a simmer. Taste and add more tamarind paste, as needed, if desired. It should have a sharp, pungent flavor, but not unpleasantly sour. You can also adjust the sweetness level, as desired. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside.
- Remove the zucchini noodles from the colander or strainer and with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, gently squeeze as much of the moisture from the noodles, as you can. Set aside.
- Place the ghee or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when oil shimmers, add the scallions and garlic and cook for about one minute. Add the eggs to pan; once they begin to set, scramble them until just done. Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add shrimp.
- When shrimp begin to turn pink add the zucchini noodles to pan along with sauce. Toss everything together to coat with tamarind sauce and combine well. When noodles are warmed through, just about 1-3 minutes remove from the heat and serve, sprinkling each dish with peanuts and garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges and additional red pepper flakes.
NOTES
- You can also use cut up boneless chicken breast, but you will want to use already cooked chicken or note that it will take longer than the shrimp to cook
- Leave out the eggs and shrimp, opt for tofu, if you are looking for vegetarian/vegan.
- Swap tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos for the fish sauce to be vegetarian/vegan.
- Leave out the honey/sweetener for Whole30
Recipe from tasty-yummies.com
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