This tasty pad pak recipe is a 15-minute weeknight easy meal. Served over white rice or by itself, this delicious dinner is healthy, gluten-free, and family-friendly! Best part? Options for vegan stir fry sauce & using frozen stir fry vegetables are included!

a close up of a black cast iron skillet with stir fried veggies sautéed in stir fry sauce.

What Makes This Recipe Great

It’s not always easy to get dinner prepped, ready, and on the table during those busy weeknights. I’m all about quick, easy, and healthy weeknight meals that require little prep and even less cleanup! Enter, this delicious Pad Pak thai recipe! Pad Pak simply means Thai “stir-fried vegetables”, which means you’re getting a veggie-packed meal that even the kids will love! You can serve it as a side dish alongside a protein like chicken for a complete meal, or as a vegetarian main dish on its own. Pad Pak is one of my favorite dishes to order at Thai restaurants, along with pad thai & green curry! I am sure you’re going to love this delicious stir-fried vegetable dish.

Complete with homemade pad pak sauce (Thai version of stir fry sauce) and endless serving options, this healthy dish will be a recipe rotation staple in no time!

Pad Pak Ingredient Notes

various ingredients for this pad pak recipe labeled by name

Vegetables: I get this pre-cut veggie mix at Trader Joe’s in the produce section! You can also buy a pack of frozen stir fry vegetables – just check the labels to make sure that they haven’t included any additives or pre-made sauce ingredients. We just need the veggies! And of course you can chop up your own. This Thai vegetable stir fry will be delicious with any kind of vegetables. It’s an easy way to use up what you have in the fridge or whatever seasonal vegetables are on sale!

Coconut Aminos: You can find these at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, and other local grocery stores.

Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar is super easy to find at any local grocery store.

Minced Garlic: You can use a jar of minced garlic or mince your own from fresh garlic cloves.

Olive Oil: You can also substitute coconut oil, avocado oil, or cooking oil of choice.

Powdered Ginger: You can also use fresh ginger if you prefer.

Fish Sauce: If you are vegan, eliminate this ingredient to make vegan stir fry sauce and simply add in 1/2 tsp sea (or more to taste)!

Sesame Oil: You can find this in the Asian foods section at your local grocery store, or in the oils section. Try both!

a white bowl with stir fry sauce being whisked by hand

How To Make Pad Pak

four quadrants with each step showing how to make this stir fry recipe

  1. Make the sauce: Mix up the coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. If you want a sweet sauce, feel free to add in a bit of maple syrup.
  2. Get your skillet ready: Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add in the vegetables.
  3. Saute: Add the minced garlic and ginger and saute for 4-5 minutes until the veggies have crisp textures. 
  4. Combine: Pour the sauce over the vegetables and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit. Top with green onions. 

How to Serve Pad Pak

Serve the stir-fried veggies over Instant Pot Coconut Rice, cauliflower rice, jasmine rice, rice noodles, or on its own. Eat your pad pak with a fork or chopsticks- your choice! Enjoy!

Mary’s Tips & Tricks

Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables: If you can’t find a fresh vegetable mix that you want, frozen stir fry vegetables work just as well! Be aware that when using frozen stir fry vegetables, there will be more water in the pan as they defrost. Drain this excess water so your sauce isn’t too thin.

Fresh Vegetables: If you do not have the pre-cut veggie mix from Trader Joe’s and want to use fresh veggies, you can use: 1/2 cup cut-up green pepper, 1/2 cup broccoli florets, 1/2 cup cut red bell peppers, 1/2 cup snow peas or snap peas, 1/4 cup sliced white onions, 1/4 cup sliced red onion, 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, 1/4 cup sliced carrots, 8 baby corn, and 1/2 cup water chestnut. Green beans would be a great addition, too. I love including 1/4 cup bok choy. Here is a great post that explains How to Cut Bok Choy!

Vegan Stir Fry Sauce: If you’re vegan and would like to make a vegan stir fry sauce, simply eliminate the fish sauce ingredient. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and a little more coconut aminos to make up for the lack of fish sauce!

Double Batch: If you’re feeding a larger group or family, increase the number of servings on the printable recipe and it will automatically adjust the ingredient amounts!

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.

two blue bowls filled with white rice and topped with stir fried vegetables

FAQs

Is Pad Pak gluten-free?

Yes! This pad pak recipe uses all gluten-free ingredients. Traditional pad pak uses soy sauce, which is NOT gluten free. In this version, we use coconut aminos which is gluten free. Always check your ingredient labels to make sure what you’re using is gluten-free.

Is this Pad Pak vegan?

No. In this recipe, I use fish sauce in this recipe, so it is not vegan. If you need yours to be vegan, simply eliminate the fish sauce to make a vegan stir fry sauce and it will be 100% vegan.

What does Pad Pak mean?

Pad actually means “stir-fried and pak means “vegetables” so pad pak simply means “stir-fried vegetables”.

Is this Pad Pak recipe healthy?

Yes, this recipe is packed with veggies, and one serving is just 127 calories. Be sure to account for your sides if counting calories, as white rice will increase the calorie count. If you’re eating low carb, serve over cauliflower rice to keep the carbs and calories low.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes! If you’d like to freeze your dish or leftovers, put your pad pak into an airtight, freezer-safe container (with the sauce) and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen.

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Pad Pak Vegetable Stir Fry in a cast iron skillet
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Pad Pak (Vegetable Stir Fry)

Yield: 4 people
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
This tasty pad pak recipe is an easy 15-minute meal. Served over white rice or by itself, this delicious dinner is healthy, gluten-free, and family-friendly!
5 from 4 votes
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

  • 1 18 oz Package Asian Style Vegetable Stir Fry , I get this pre-cut veggie mix at Trader Joe's in the produce section!
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp powdered or fresh ginger
  • â…“ cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • pinch salt

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • First, mix up the coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Next, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or wok over medium heat. Add in the vegetables.
  • Add the minced garlic and ginger and saute for 4-5 minutes.
  • Pour the sauce over the vegetables and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened a bit.
  • Serve the Pad Pak over rice or on its own. Enjoy!

Notes

Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables: If you can’t find a fresh vegetable mix that you want, frozen stir fry vegetables work just as well! Be aware that when using frozen vegetables, there will be more water in the pan as they defrost. Drain this excess water so your sauce isn’t too thin.
Fresh Vegetables: If you do not have the pre-cut veggie mix from Trader Joe’s and want to use fresh veggies, you can use: 1/2 cup cut-up green pepper, 1/2 cup broccoli florets, 1/2 cup cut red peppers, 1/2 cup snap peas, 1/4 cup sliced white onions, 1/4 cup sliced red onion, 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, 1/4 cup sliced carrots, 1/4 cup bok choy, 8 baby corns
Vegan Stir Fry Sauce: If you’re vegan, simply eliminate the fish sauce ingredient. Feel free to increase coconut aminos to make up for the omitted fish sauce.
Double Batch: If you’re feeding a larger group or family, increase the number of servings on the printable recipe and it will automatically adjust the ingredient amounts!
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 127kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 571mg, Potassium: 23mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 127
Author: Mary Smith

This page may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using my links, I may receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting Mary’s Whole Life! This post was originally published on April 8, 2022 and updated with new content on October 29, 2023.