Instant Pot Pad Thai

This Instant Pot Pad Thai is a healthy dinner idea with zucchini, carrots, snow peas, bean sprouts and more! Just 20 minutes from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a flavorful and healthy weeknight dinner in a pinch, this easy 20 minute Pad Thai recipe is it! Filled with good for you veggies and irresistible noodles, this filling Instant Pot recipe is always a hit with the family.

What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a traditional Thai stir fry made with noodles, vegetables, egg and often an added protein like chicken, shrimp or tofu. The dish is usually topped with crushed peanuts and tossed with a savory-sweet pad thai sauce.

Why this Recipe Works

What I love about this vegetarian pad thai is that it uses ingredients that you likely have on hand or can easily pick up at the supermarket.

Traditional pad thai is made with ingredients like tamarind paste and coconut sugar that are not always readily available – or if they are, they’re the ingredients you have to run out and buy for just this one recipe.

By contrast, my recipe uses ingredients like soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil to recreate the flavor without buying special ingredients.

If pad thai is your go-to takeout dish, I think you’ll love this easy version!

What You’ll Need

• Vegetable Stock – You can also use water if you don’t have vegetable stock.
• Soy Sauce – Tamari or Coconut Aminos is a gluten-free substitute.
• Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds the sweet element to the pad thai sauce. You can substitute with honey.
• Sesame Oil – Sesame oil is used in this recipe for flavor, as it is in many Asian recipes.
• Lime – One lime juiced will give you about 1 tablespoon, just enough for this recipe.
• Garlic – You’ll want to use minced garlic for flavor.
• Ginger – Ginger is another ingredient found in many Asian dishes. Grated ginger works best in this recipe.
• Green Onions – Green onions are mixed in for flavor and color. Slice them thinly.
• Carrots – Two carrots are the perfect amount to add crunch and color.
• Zucchini – One zucchini is enough when cut thinly or in matchsticks.
• Pad Thai Rice Noodles – White rice noodles are the most traditional and the best in this recipe. Brown rice noodles take longer to soften, so you may end up overcooking the other ingredients or have not-quite-done noodles. Avoid regular pasta noodles.
• Bean Sprouts – Bean sprouts are a traditional ingredient of pad thai and add lots of nutrients.
• Snow Peas – Add the snow peas last so they keep their crunch!
• Chopped Radish – Chopped radish is used for garnish when this dish is served.
• Peanuts – Crushed peanuts are the final touch!

How To Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Pad Thai

1. Press Saute on the Instant Pot and add in the vegetable stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, and ginger.
2. Whisk the sauce and allow it to cook until the brown sugar dissolves– about 2 minutes.
3. Add the green onions, carrots, zucchini and pad thai noodles. Turn the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook-Manual for 3 minutes. Make sure the valve is in the sealing position. When the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually by switching the valve to the venting position– be careful, it will steam.
4. Remove the lid and add in the bean sprouts and snow peas. Attach the lid and allow the vegetables to warm for 5 minutes using the steam in the pot– the Instant Pot can either be off or on the Keep Warm function.
5. Once finished, garnish with chopped radish and peanuts and enjoy.

Pad Thai Variations

• Add cubed chicken breast to make chicken pad Thai. Increase the cooking time to 7 minutes to thoroughly cook the chicken. You can also use frozen shrimp.
• Garnish with fresh lime, cilantro, and green onions instead of radish.
• Add a splash of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce to your bowl for a bit of spice. You can also add red pepper flakes when cooking.
• Cook scrambled eggs on the stove and stir them in at the end.

How To Store and Reheat Leftovers

You can store pad thai leftovers in the fridge for up to two days in an airtight container.

I’ve found the easiest way to reheat pad thai is in the microwave. You only need to heat it for about two minutes and it’s ready to eat. If it appears dry before popping it in the microwave, add a tablespoon or so of water prior to reheating.

You can also reheat pad thai on the stove, again adding a tablespoon or two of water if the noodles have dried out in the fridge.

More Instant Pot Recipes

• Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Thighs
• Sesame Salmon
• Orecchiette Pasta with Kale and Ricotta
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice