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This healthy pad thai recipe is made with cabbage noodles instead of regular noodles. It’s a 15-minute meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Gluten-free + low-carb.
If you’re a fan of pad thai, but are looking for something a bit lighter this healthy pad thai recipe is for you!
The recipe comes from my friend Andie Mitchell’s cookbook, Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook and it’s definitely a must-try! It comes together in 15 minutes (yes, you heard that correctly) and has all the delicious flavor of pad thai flavor, we’re just using cabbage noodles instead of regular pad thai noodles for a lighter option. Added bonus: you can still twirl the cabbage noodles with your fork!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple – With minimal prep and cooking time, this dish is on your table faster than takeout.
- Adaptable – Easily modify it to include your favorite protein or use what you have on hand for a custom twist.
- Dietary-friendly – With options for gluten-free and other dietary preferences, it’s a versatile dish everyone can appreciate.
Healthy Pad Thai Ingredients
- soy sauce or tamari – the recipe called for soy sauce, but I used low-sodium tamari for a gluten-free option. You can also use coconut aminos if you prefer.
- fish sauce – adds the essential tangy-savory flavor unique to pad thai.
- low-sodium chicken broth – provides moisture without overpowering the sauce. Feel free to use vegetable broth instead.
- sugar – just a touch to balance the tanginess and spice. If you don’t want to use white sugar, you can use coconut sugar, maple syrup or honey instead.
- cornstarch or arrowroot powder – helps to thicken the sauce. Either cornstarch or arrowroot powder will work.
- large eggs – adds protein to this dish.
- olive oil – used for sautéing, though any neutral oil will do.
- jalapeño pepper – brings a mild heat; adjust according to your spice preference.
- small onion – for sweetness and texture.
- green bell pepper – adds crunch and a pop of color.
- garlic cloves – for that aromatic kick essential in pad thai.
- green cabbage – shredded finely, it’s the nutritious base of this noodle-free version.
- fresh cilantro or thai basil – brings freshness and a burst of flavor.
- dry-roasted unsalted peanuts – offers a crunchy finish and nutty flavor.
- flaky sea salt – a final sprinkle enhances all the flavors.
How to Make Healthy Pad Thai
Step 1: Make sauce by adding the soy sauce (or tamari), fish sauce, broth, sugar and cornstarch to a bowl. Whisk to fully combine.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk.
Step 3: Add oil to a skillet and saute the jalapeño, onion and green pepper until crisp-tender, then add garlic briefly. Move veggies to a plate.
Step 4: In the same skillet, add more oil, then add the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, stir into the cabbage, and cook, stirring constantly, until just set, about 2 minutes.
Step 5: Pour the sauce over the cabbage, heating until it thickens. Mix in the cooked veggies.
Step 6: Off heat, stir in cilantro or Thai basil, then top with peanuts.
Dietary Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce to keep the dish gluten-free. Also, verify that the fish sauce and chicken broth are gluten-free.
- Vegetarian: Omit the fish sauce and substitute it with a vegan fish sauce alternative or add extra tamari. Also, swap the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Vegan: In addition to the above substitutions, replace the eggs with scrambled tofu to mimic the texture and protein content.
- Nut-free: If you have a peanut allergy or just don’t like them, then try swapping them for something like slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds to keep this recipe nut-free.
How to Store Leftover Healthy Pad Thai
- In the refrigerator: Cool the pad thai to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: To reheat, warm the dish in a skillet over medium heat on the stove top, stirring frequently, until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave it stirring occasionally, until warm.
More Cabbage Recipes
More Quick & Easy Recipes to Try
Be sure to check out all of the cabbage recipes as well as the full collection of dinner recipes on EBF!
Healthy Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch , or arrowroot powder
- 4 large eggs
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups finely shredded green cabbage, about half a medium head
- ½ cup packed roughly chopped fresh cilantro or Thai basil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, broth, sugar, and cornstarch.
- In another small bowl, beat the eggs.
- In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the jalapeño, onion, and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, stir into the cabbage, and cook, stirring constantly, until just set, about 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce mixture, stir well, and bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the cabbage is coated in a thick, glossy sauce. Stir in the onions and peppers. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro. Sprinkle the the peanuts over the top and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks so amazing, I love how quick and easy it is!
I will definitely check out Andie’s cookbook. Awesome idea to use shredded cabbage for noodles. Looks great.
This sounds delicious! Alex loves Thai food and so do I (but I’m always looking for a healthier option haha) I’m going to give this a try!
Sounds like a healthy alternative. Great post! For more recipes and weight loss ideas, stop by my blog. I hope everyone has a great week. Happy Spring!
Brittany thanks for an inspiration! Pad Thai is one of my favourite foods but since it is quite heavy I eat it probably no more often than twice a year! What a brilliant idea with cabbage noodles. I am glad it is also easy to convert into fully vegetarian version. To get kind of fish sauce without fish I heat up soy sauce with nori and strain it through the sieve and then exchanging chicken broth to vegetable one is the only thing you need to do.
THANK YOU so, so, so much, my sweet friend!! I have so loved getting to know you over the years through blogging, and getting the chance to meet you last year at Fresh Fest was even better than I could have expected. I’m so glad Isaac loved the recipe!!!
Love you! xoxoxo
Andie
Of course. Happy to help spread the word about Eating in the Middle! Can’t wait to see you this weekend. <3
I just made this and it is delicious! My husband helped me cook it too and he loves it just as much as I do. Settles the Pad Thai craving all while being guilt free with all of the veggies!
Thank you for sharing! I was looking for a new recipe to use the cabbage I had in the fridge! Just made it and it is so good!
Woot woot! So glad you liked it. 🙂
I like the cabbage noodle idea, but I thought it needed some acid, like lime juice or rice vinegar, I used both. Or tamarind juice is often used, but I don’t keep that on hand.
This sounds really good, do you think powdered peanut butter would work in place of some of the peanuts/corn starch to give that extra peanuty flavour without compromising calorie?
Hey Jennifer – I haven’t tried using pb powder in this recipe, so I am not sure if it’ll turn out exactly the same. But, it’s worth trying so definitely let me know if you try it and how it turns out for you. 🙂
Can you make this recipe using red cabbage instead of green cabbage?
Definitely!
Delicious. So quick and easy. Easy way to use up left over cabbage. Loved the egg in it
YAY! This makes me so happy to hear, Lisa! Glad you gave this one a try and it was a hit. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
Recipe is tasty, and I don’t mind a lot of work for a payoff… BUT when I’m planning a meal and am making other items to go with it, I think timing is important. 7 minute cook time and 7 minute prep time is what I saw at first glance and planned accordingly. The first two steps of cooking alone, are “cook first set of ingredients for 5 minutes, set aside. Cook second set of ingredients for 5 minutes”, then, proceed to the next 4 steps? I’m not a mathematician, but I feel like that adds up to more than seven minutes of cook time. This is after I got out and measured and prepped 14 ingredients, 7 of which required chopping, slicing, or mincing. Which I can’t imagine, completing in seven minutes of prep time even if I had sous chefs. Overall, this recipe took me probably closer to an hour from start to finish at the end of an already very long day. Will I make this again? yeah probably cause it actually is good however, I would choose to make it on a weekend when I had the time to do so.
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Amber. I will have to test this recipe again and make sure I double-check the prep time. I am glad you did enjoy the flavors though!