Healthy Pad Thai | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (2024)

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Healthy Pad Thai is my simplified approach to a takeout favorite, using ingredients you can easily find at any grocery store. Whole grains, lean protein, and added veggies make this recipe half the calories and points of the takeout version!

Healthy Pad Thai | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (1)

If you’ve read through a lot of my blog, then you know that one of my favorite approaches to creating recipes is trying to lighten up my favorite take out and fast food items. I have copycat recipes for El Pollo Loco’s chicken, Panda Express style Chow Mein, Kung Pao Chicken, and many more.

Pad Thai has always been one of my absolute favorites, but it seemed too complicated to make at home. After reading through tons of recipes and doing some research on ingredients alternatives for the harder-to-find items, I found that it can be pretty easy to make at home. And it’s much healthier this way!

what kind of ingredients do i need to make healthy pad thai?

Let me be very clear–this is not a completely authentic Pad Thai recipe. A key ingredient in traditional Pad Thai is tamarind paste, which is made from a fruit pulp that is sour and sweet. You can usually find it in the Asian section of your grocery store, but I try to avoid buying a rather expensive ingredient to make just one dish.

secret ingredient

I looked for alternatives, finding that you really just want to mimic the sweet/tangy/sour flavors of tamarind. A combination of lime juice and, hear me out–ketchup!–did the trick. I know it sounds weird, but if Mark Bittman’s Pad Thai recipe in How to Cook Everything includes ketchup, too, then I feel validated. 🙂 And I always like when recipes include ingredients that I already have around.

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Pad Thai Noodles

The only ingredient that I wasn’t really used to working with is the rice noodles. You can use any kind of rice noodles that are labelled for Pad Thai. The shape is important because they are flat and wider than rice vermicelli noodles.

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Try using brown rice noodles if you can find them. I bought mine at Sprouts, but I’ve also seen them at Von’s. The brown rice is a little sturdier than the white rice noodles, so they don’t break up as much when you saute them. They also keep me fuller longer than the white rice versions. Best of all? If you’re on the purple plan, like I am, then they are ZERO points!

One more tip: the package says to soak these in boiling water for 8-10 minutes before stir frying them. I find that soaking for just 5 minutes is better. The noodles keep their shape and soak up the sauce better this way. But do whatever works for you.

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the protein

My favorite for Healthy Pad Thai is tofu. It soaks up the flavors of the sauce and is super quick and easy to saute up. I just drain the tofu and press it between two kitchen towels while the noodles soak and I prep the rest of the ingredients. Then, I cut it into small rectangles and sear in a hot skillet with cooking spray.

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If tofu isn’t your thing, shrimp or chicken breast work just as well. Just sear up a pound of either.

The vegetables

Traditional Pad Thai usually includes bean sprouts, but I’m not a huge fan of those. I wanted to bulk this up with some veggies, so I decided on a combo of carrots and zucchini. To make them the same basic size as the noodles, I spiralized them. But you could just cut them into thin matchstick shapes. Feel free to use whatever veggies combo you like.

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That about covers it! In just around 30 minutes, you’ll have yourself some fantastic Pad Thai that is healthier than anything you could get from a take-out place and half of the points!

I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! It makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there!

Healthy Pad Thai | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (7)

Healthy Pad Thai | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (8)

Print Recipe

5 from 18 votes

Healthy Pad Thai

Healthy Pad Thai is my simplified approach to a takeout favorite, using ingredients you can easily find at any grocery store. Whole grains, lean protein, and added veggies make this recipe half the calories and points of the takeout version!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 6

Calories: 257kcal

Author: Geri

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Pad Thai rice noodles (I use brown rice noodles)
  • 14 ounces tofu, drained and diced (or sub 1 lb of chicken or shrimp)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups spiralized carrots*
  • 2 cups spiralized zucchini*
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

FOR THE SAUCE

  • 2 tbsp reduced-sugar ketchup
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari to keep it gluten free)
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
  • 3 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar or honey)
  • 1 tbsp sriracha (optional)

OPTIONAL GARNISHES

  • limes wedges, extra cilantro, peanuts (additional points), bean sprouts, chili flakes

Instructions

  • Prepare your noodles. Gently place the dried noodles in a large bowl, then cover completely with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

  • Prepare your protein. In a very large skillet, sear your protein until just cooked through. For the tofu, I cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes a side. Use about the same time for shrimp, or a little longer for chicken. You can season your protein with about 1/4 tsp of salt and some cracked pepper if you like, but the sauce is pretty salty on its own.

  • Set the protein aside. In the same skillet, quickly scramble the eggs. Set aside with the other protein.

  • Saute garlic and carrots until slightly soft, about 5-7 minutes While that is cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

  • Once the carrots are soft, add the zucchini and cook until just soft. This should only take about 2-4 minutes.

  • Push veggies to the side of the skillet and spray the middle with cooking spray. Add in your noodles and half of the sauce. Stir fry until the noodles have soaked up the sauce, about 3-4 minutes.

  • Add the protein and eggs back into the skillet, along with the other half of the sauce. Mix everything together until it is all coated, just a minute or two. Add in a couple splashes of water if the mixture is too dry, but keep in mind that the rice noodles and protein should soak up most of the sauce.

  • To reheat leftovers, add in about 1 tsp water before microwaving to help separate the noodles again.

Notes

WW Points: 6 for 1 2/3 cups

Click hereto log the recipe on the WW App. Recipe calculated using brown rice noodles, not including garnishes.

Green WW SmartPoints: 7 SP for 1 2/3 cups

Blue WW SmartPoints: 6 SP for 1 2/3 cup

Purple WW SmartPoints: 2 SP for 1 2/3 cup; if using white rice noodles, then points are the same as on Blue

Points on Green and Blue will be the same whether you use brown rice or white rice noodles.

*If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can chop the veggies into matchstick shapes.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g

Healthy Pad Thai | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is Pad Thai healthy for weight loss? ›

Best: Pad Thai

This dish is a menu staple of Thai restaurants. It's made from rice noodles sauteed with spices, peanuts, egg, and bean sprouts. Get it with shrimp, chicken, or tofu for lean protein, and extra veggies for fiber and vitamins. Just watch your portion: Pad thai clocks in at 300 to 400 calories a cup.

Can you make a healthy Pad Thai? ›

This chicken pad Thai recipe calls for simple, healthy ingredients you can buy at your local grocery store: brown rice noodles, red bell pepper, green onion, tamari (gluten-free soy sauce), chicken breasts, garlic, and a few others. The best part is that you don't need to go to a special Asian food store.

What is the healthiest Thai food to eat? ›

10 of Our Favorite Healthy Thai Dishes, According to a Dietitian
  • Papaya salad.
  • Pomelo salad.
  • Spring rolls.
  • Clear spicy Thai soup.
  • Hainanese chicken with rice.
  • Steamed fish.
  • Coconut lemongrass clams.
  • Garlic stir-fried vegetables.
Aug 19, 2022

What is the lowest calorie Thai dish? ›

Thai Food Calories List
Healthiest Thai Food (calories)Approximate Calories per Serving
Goong Pad Pak (Stir-Fried Shrimp with Vegetables)150-250 calories
Khao Man Gai (Thai Chicken and Rice)250-350 calories
Yum Hed (Mushroom Salad)80-120 calories
Guay Tiew Tom Yum (Spicy Thai Noodle Soup)250-350 calories
16 more rows

Why is Pad Thai so high in calories? ›

While the dish isn't usually the highest calorie option on a Thai menu, it does provide significant calories because it is stir-fried using oil, and because the dish includes peanuts. Pad Thai nutrition is sometimes called into question because of the sugar in the dish.

What is the best Thai food to eat when dieting? ›

Healthy Thai dishes
  • Spring rolls: fresh veggies wrapped in rice paper.
  • Papaya salad: shredded papaya mixed with chilies, green beans, peanuts, and a fish sauce dressing.
  • Tom yum soup (hot and sour soup): shrimp, broth, lemongrass, galangal, chilies, and other ingredients.
Jul 17, 2020

What can I use instead of Pad Thai? ›

Pad See Eiw

The dish consists of wide rice noodles which are stir-fried in dark soy sauce with chicken, pork, or beef as well as either Chinese broccoli or cabbage. A flavorful but safe choice, it's an excellent option for those who can't handle spicier Thai dishes but want to branch out from pad thai.

What is the best protein for Pad Thai? ›

Pad Thai is a Thai noodle stir fry with a sweet-savoury-sour sauce scattered with crushed peanuts. It's made with thin, flat rice noodles, and almost always has bean sprouts, garlic chives, scrambled egg, firm tofu and a protein – the most popular being chicken or prawns/shrimp.

Are Pad Thai noodles healthier than pasta? ›

Pasta and rice noodles are just about tied when it comes to calories, fat and fiber, as well as on the carb front (if you're on a low-carb diet like keto, stick to zoodles). Regular pasta has about 2 grams of sugar per serving while rice noodles are virtually sugar-free. Both are also free of cholesterol.

Are drunken noodles healthier than Pad Thai? ›

Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles both have a moderate calorie count, making them a good choice at a restaurant. On top of that, they're packed with veggies and protein. Pad Thai has roughly 357 calories in one cup. Drunk Noodles contain about 323 calories per cup.

Which is healthier Thai or Chinese food? ›

Thai food is often healthier than Chinese food. Thai food puts a focus on balance and variety. They are often light and the aromas are just as important as the taste of the food. Thai food uses less heavy sauces and oils than Chinese food uses that are healthier for you, if any oil at all.

What Thai food is anti-inflammatory? ›

Turmeric is what gives yellow curry its color and is used in many Thai dishes. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful antioxidant. It's great for heart health, protects the body from bacterial infections, and aids digestion. It has even been known to help fight skin and breast cancer.

Can I eat Thai food and lose weight? ›

By speeding up our metabolism for 2 to 3 hours between dinner and sleeping, Thai food can help with weight control. We eat less – research has shown that when people are served spicy food, they tend to eat about 200 calories less per meal than when served bland food as the body feels satisfied more quickly.

Is Pad Thai or Pad See Ew healthier? ›

While both these recipes are carb happy, Pad See Ew has fewer calories than Pad Thai. As it's also the less sweet of the two, Pad See Ew is considered slightly healthier.

Is Thai food good for Weight Watchers? ›

Some of the healthiest dishes of Thai cuisine are soups and salads. “It gets some protein, like shrimp, in your belly and leaves you less room to continue on,” says Sheth. Focus on broth-based soups with vegetables or seafood for the leanest options. Watch out for coconut.

Which is healthier, drunken noodles or Pad Thai? ›

Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles both have a moderate calorie count, making them a good choice at a restaurant. On top of that, they're packed with veggies and protein. Pad Thai has roughly 357 calories in one cup. Drunk Noodles contain about 323 calories per cup.

Is Pad Thai a fatty food? ›

Pad Thai with meat contains 318 calories per 200 g serving. This serving contains 16 g of fat, 16 g of protein and 29 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 8.4 g sugar and 2.4 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Pad Thai with meat contains 3.2 g of saturated fat and 80 mg of cholesterol per serving.

How healthy is chicken Pad Thai? ›

Pad thai is a nutrient-dense dish offering many nutrients and health benefits, primarily from: Flat rice noodles: They are rich in carbs, which serve as an energy source to fuel our bodies, and selenium, an essential mineral that supports the immune system.

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