Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

SPAGHETTI SQUASH PAD THAI😍

True life: I have an absurd addiction to Pad Thai, seriously I could eat it every single day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner but I also don’t want to spend my whole paycheck on Postmates and probs shouldn’t rely on a diet that’s 90% noodles.. 🤷🏽‍♀️Perfect solution: Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai 🤤. This recipe is adapted from @marionskitchen traditional Pad Thai recipe - she’s the bomb.com when it comes to authentic Thai recipes, I could seriously watch her videos all day. Make this recipe for insanely delicious meal prepped lunches for the week or for a Friday Night in with the girls😍

A good amount of these ingredients are going to be ones that will be a bit trickier to find in regular grocery stores. Most can be found on Amazon, or at any Asian grocery store like Ranch 99. I tried to include as many substitutions as I could to make this a bit easier if you don’t have access to an Asian grocery store, but keep in mind you may not get that authentic Pad Thai taste without some of the key ingredients.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

For the Pad Thai Sauce:

• ¼ cup tamarind concentrate

• ¼ cup fish sauce

• ⅓ cup shaved palm sugar (can also sub for ½ white sugar and ½ brown sugar)

• ¼ tsp dark soy sauce (optional)

For the Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai:

• 1 medium-large spaghetti squash

• 3 chicken thighs, sliced thinly

• 16 oz extra firm tofu

• 2-3 tbsps cornstarch (optional)

• 1 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil

• 2 eggs, whisked

• 1 tbsp dried shrimp (optional, but most traditional)

• 2 tbsps chopped pickled radish (optional, but also most traditional)

• 6 green onions, cut into 1” pieces

• ¼ cup garlic chives or Chinese chives (can also sub for more green onions)

• Crushed peanuts, for serving

• Lime wedges, for serving

• Sriracha or chili flakes, for an optional kick to sprinkle on at the end

Directions:

For the Pad Thai Spaghetti Squash:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.

• Drizzle with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and lay cut side down on a sheetpan.

• Roast for 25-35 minutes depending on the size of the squash. You want to bake it until just tender, not mushy as it will bake again. Use a fork to separate the squash into strands.

• To shave the palm sugar for the sauce, slice thinly with a knife. This allows for it to dissolve faster in the sauce.

• Make your sauce by combining the tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, and soy sauce. Microwave for 30 seconds or until the sugar has dissolved.

• **TIP: some Pad Thai sauce recipes ask for lime juice. I’ve found when you cook lime juice it can get too tart, and tamarind already has a sour taste to it. To avoid this, just squeeze lime juice over the Pad Thai at the end.

• A key to wok cooking is to prep all your ingredients ahead of time since everything cooks so quickly.

• Slice chicken into thin strips.

• Cut tofu into 1” pieces and place into a Ziploc bag with cornstarch and shake until covered. This allows for the tofu to get crispy

• Whisk 2 eggs in a bowl and set aside.

• Re-hydrate the dried shrimp in some water for about 15 minutes until slightly soft.

• Chop chives, green onions, and pickled radish.

• Start cooking! Get a wok or wide sided pan nice and hot before adding oil.

• Add chicken and let sear on one side for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes and remove from pan.

• Add in a bit more oil and the tofu and sear one side for 3-4 minutes before stirring. Cook on the other side for another 2 minutes before adding in the shrimp and pickled radish. Stir fry 1 minute before adding back in your chicken.

• Move all your ingredients to the side of the pan, and whisk in the eggs. Once the egg is almost cooked, mix in with the rest of the ingredients in the pan.

• Add in the spaghetti squash, breaking it up and incorporating it well with the other ingredients.

• Add in the green onions, and chives. Pour in the pad thai sauce a little at a time. Depending on the size of your squash, you may not need all of it.

• Stir fry for 1-2 more minutes without stirring to help get a firmer texture on the squash.

• Serve with chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and chili flakes or sriracha and enjoy!