Author: These Vegan Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) are bold, saucy, and just the right amount of spicy. Chewy wide rice noodles, golden tofu, and fresh Thai basil come together in a garlicky, tangy sauce that's better than takeout. And despite the name, there's no alcohol here, it's just famously devoured late at night. The best part? It's ready in under 30 minutes, making it a perfect easy weeknight dinner.
Drunken noodles are a Thai takeout favorite, but they're surprisingly simple to make at home. Instead of heavy, greasy noodles, this vegan version is lighter, packed with veggies, and made with pantry-friendly sauces you probably already have. Plus, you can customize the heat level of these Vegan Drunken Noodles to be as fiery (or mild) as you like.
Why These Vegan Drunken Noodles Are Better Than Takeout
- Completely plant-based: No fish sauce, no oyster sauce, no sneaky ingredients, just big flavor.
- Go spicy or mild: You can add as much or as little sriracha or chili garlic sauce as you like to get the heat level just right for your palate.
- Lighter and healthier: No deep frying, less oil, more veggies, but still bold, saucy, and satisfying.
- Quick & easy to make: Dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients for Vegan Drunken Noodles
- Wide rice noodles: Drunken noodles are traditionally made with wide rice noodles, but any rice noodles work in a pinch.
- Tofu: firm or extra-firm. No need to press for this recipe, just drain and pat dry. Learn more about tofu in my Tofu 101 guide.
- Gai lan (Chinese broccoli): One of my favorite dark leafy greens! if you don't have access to it, try broccolini, regular broccoli, bok choy, kale, or spinach.
- Thai basil leaves: Thai basil is more pungent than the variety more commonly sold at grocery stores, but you can use regular basil if in a pinch.
- Veggies: Red bell pepper, shallot, and garlic add sweetness, crunch, and aroma.
- Soy sauce, dark soy, & hoisin sauce: For salty-sweet depth. Use gluten-free options if needed; see notes for a dark-soy swap.
- Brown sugar & lime juice: to balance flavors
- Sriracha or chili garlic sauce: For heat and extra garlicky vibes.
How to Make Vegan Drunken Noodles
- Make the sauce: Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Cook the noodles: Follow the instructions on the package, then drain and rinse under cool water to prevent sticking.
- Cook the tofu: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet or wok, then add the tofu and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the skillet and add the gai lan stems, red pepper, shallot, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the gai lan leaves: Stir-fry another 1 to 2 minutes, until the greens wilt.
- Bring it together: Return the tofu to the pan with the drained noodles and pour in the sauce. Toss to coat and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in the basil, then serve.
Tips and Variations
- Make sure the pan is hot: This is the key to perfect pan-fried tofu. If the pan isn't sufficiently hot, the tofu will soak up the oil, and can stick to the pan instead of getting crispy. The oil should be glistening in the pan when it's hot.
- Try another protein: Tempeh or Vegan Chicken can be swapped in for the tofu if you'd like.
- Make it oil-free: You can use vegetable broth instead of oil for an oil-free version of these vegan drunken noodles.
- Try different veg: Add sturdy greens like bok choy stems ir kale early so they have time to soften. Medium-cooking veggies such as carrots, napa cabbage, or mushrooms (shiitake or cremini) can go in with the bell pepper and shallot. Tender greens like spinach or bok choy leaves should be stirred in at the very end just until wilted, while quick-cooking veggies such as snow peas, baby corn, or bean sprouts are best added last so they stay crisp.
What to Serve With Drunken Noodles
While these vegan drunken noodles are a meal on their own, if you want to add a little something more, try one of these recipes:
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover vegan drunken noodles to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing this recipe, as the noodles are likely to turn mushy.
- To reheat: Warm the noodles in the microwave or in a skillet set over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen them up a bit if you reheat on the stovetop.
If you try this vegan drunken noodles recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram. You can also pin this recipe on Pinterest to save it for later!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
These Vegan Drunken Noodles are bold, saucy, and spicy, with chewy wide rice noodles, golden tofu, and loads of fresh Thai basil. Despite the name, there's no alcohol involved. These noodles are famously devoured after a night out, but honestly, they're just as good for a weeknight dinner. Ready in under 30 minutes and better than takeout!
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, (see notes for sub)
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice or rice vinegar
- 1 - 2 tablespoons sriracha or chili garlic sauce
For the Noodles:
- 16 oz wide rice noodles
- 2 tablespoon light oil, divided (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 block (12 oz / 350 g) firm or extra firm tofu, cubed
- 16 oz gai lan (Chinese broccoli), chopped into 2-inch pieces (separate stems and leaves, see notes for subs)
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced (or ½ yellow onion)
- 8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves, (or sub regular basil)
- Lime wedges and extra hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, lime juice, and chili sauce. Set aside.
- Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cool water and drain well to prevent sticking.
- Cook the tofu: In a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the tofu and pan-fry for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the gai lan stems, red pepper, shallot, and garlic. Stir-fry for 2-5 minutes until just tender. Add the gai lan leaves and stir-fry another 1-2 minutes until wilted.
- Bring it together: Return the tofu to the pan. Add the drained noodles and pour the sauce over everything. Toss well to coat and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until everything is evenly coated and heated through.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil. Serve hot with lime wedges and extra hot sauce on the side.
Notes
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Gently reheat in the microwave or a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
No dark soy sauce? Use 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce + ½ teaspoon molasses, or sub with mushroom soy.
Gluten-Free: Use tamari and gluten-free hoisin.
Oil-Free: Use broth for stir-frying instead of oil.
Gai Lan Substitutes: If you can’t find gai lan (Chinese broccoli), try broccolini, regular broccoli, bok choy, kale, or spinach.
- For broccoli or broccolini: Chop into bite-sized pieces and add with the bell pepper and garlic.
- For bok choy: Separate the stems and leaves. Add stems early and leaves near the end.
- For kale: Remove tough stems, chop, and add early so it softens.
- For spinach: Add at the very end and stir just until wilted.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 114g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 1721mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4232IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 4mg
Sarah Gilligan says
Oh my! Been on my plant based journey for over a week and yum yum yum xx
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thanks Sarah! So happy you enjoyed it, and welcome to your plant based journey 😊
Carol says
Thought this was delicious. Great taste. I will make again but I’m going to try using 12 oz of noodles. I used regular broccoli and regular basil. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Glad you enjoyed it, Carol! 😊 Thanks for sharing!
Ann says
This is SO good! I had bok choy, broccoli, and regular basil so that's what I used (thanks for all the substitution options!). The taste is outstanding! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!!! So thrilled you enjoyed it Ann, thank you for the review 🙂
Annette says
DELICIOUS. Will definitely make these drunken noodles again.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy to hear that Annette! Thank you for being the first to leave a review 🙂