Keto Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

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It’s much easier to make keto Thai food (or just healthier Thai food) than you might think! This easy spaghetti squash Pad Thai recipe (a.k.a. keto pad Thai) is packed with all the same flavors you’d expect from the restaurant version — but without the high-carb rice noodles or sugar in the sauce.

The spaghetti squash noodles are just as delicious, and the flavors are the same. If you’re looking for other ways to use spaghetti squash, try my spaghetti squash casserole or stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna boats.

What Is Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai?

Regular Pad Thai is a common street food stir fry in Thailand, but it’s also probably the most popular Thai food in the US. This version is essentially the same dish, but it’s made with spaghetti squash instead of rice noodles! (Sometimes other veggies, like bean sprouts, cilantro, ginger, or bell peppers, are also added.) It’s naturally low carb, keto friendly, and gluten-free. If you skip the peanut butter and peanuts, it’s also paleo and whole30 approved.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for pad Thai spaghetti squash, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Spaghetti Squash:

• Spaghetti Squash – Choose a medium spaghetti squash for this recipe (about 4-6 pounds).
• Avocado Oil – For roasting and browning the spaghetti squash. You can use any neutral cooking oil you prefer, both for the squash and for stir frying later.
• Sea Salt

Keto Pad Thai Sauce:

• Coconut Aminos – You can have soy sauce on keto and can substitute it here, but coconut aminos makes a good soy sauce substitute that also offers a bit of sweetness — helpful since we’re skipping the sugar seen in conventional pad Thai recipes.
• White Wine Vinegar – If you tolerate grains, you can use the more traditional rice vinegar instead.
• Fish Sauce – A classic ingredient in Pad Thai sauce! Just make sure to use a sugar-free variety — we’re using just 2 tablespoons fish sauce, but it adds so much flavor.
• Tamarind Concentrate – Tamarind gives many low carb Thai food recipes their distinctive flavor. Find a brand without added sugar. If you can’t find tamarind concentrate, you can use tamarind paste instead, but would need to triple the amount. (Use 1 tablespoon paste instead of 1 teaspoon concentrate.)
• Peanut Butter – Use a sugar-free one. For the smoothest sauce, you’ll need to use a blender to incorporate it with the other ingredients. Skip it (along with the peanuts below) if you want paleo Pad Thai or whole30 Pad Thai, since peanuts are legumes and not allowed on these diet plans.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – For just a hint of spice.

Stir Fry:

• Avocado Oil – Or use whichever oil you used for cooking the squash (if different).
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic tastes best, but you can also use jarred minced garlic to save time.
• Chicken Breast – You can also use chicken thighs, or even make low carb pad Thai with shrimp, though cooking time will be faster.
• Eggs – Use whole, large eggs. Egg substitutes won’t work for this recipe.

Optional Garnishes:

• Roasted Peanuts – Whether chopped or whole, they make a classic garnish for pad Thai.
• Green Onions – Slice scallions thinly for a burst of bright flavor.
• Lime Wedges – A squeeze of fresh lime juice gives a refreshing finish to this noodle dish.

How To Make Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

This section shows how to make easy keto pad Thai with spaghetti squash, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Cook squash. Make baked spaghetti squash first. Use a fork to release the strands when done cooking, then cover to keep warm and set aside.
2. Make sauce. Whisk together all sauce ingredients, using a blender if you’re including the optional peanut butter. Set aside.
3. Cook garlic. Heat oil in a large wok or large skillet over medium high heat and add garlic, sauteing until fragrant.

4. Add chicken. Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken pieces to the hot pan. Cook until golden and just barely done.
5. Cook eggs. Push chicken to the side of the pan and add egg to the open side. Scramble, then mix with chicken.

6. Add noodles. Transfer cooked spaghetti squash and the sauce to the pan. Mix to coat everything in sauce.
7. Garnish. Remove from heat and garnish your keto Thai food with limes (or fresh lime juice), green onions, or peanuts, if desired.

Noodle Variations

To keep carbs in pad Thai low, you can also try these noodle options instead of spaghetti squash!

• Shirataki noodles – Also known as miracle noodles! Follow this shirataki noodles recipe through the stir frying step, then set aside until you can add them to the pad Thai sauce in this recipe.
• Kelp noodles – The fastest noodle option! No cooking needed, just rinse thoroughly and add them in at the end of the recipe with the sauce, tossing to coat.
• Spiralized daikon radish – Their flavor is perfect for keto Thai food! Spiralize 2-3 daikon radishes (peeling first, if desired). Add radish noodles to the pan between cooking the chicken and the eggs, sauteing until softened to your liking.
• Zucchini noodles – Cook zucchini noodles like this. Set aside until chicken and eggs are cooked, then add to the pan before finishing.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep low carb Thai food tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days
• Meal prep: Make squash and sauce ahead of time, storing separately until you’re ready to cook. You can also make the entire meal ahead and portion into containers.
• Reheat: Warm on the stove top or in the microwave at low power.
• Freeze: Low carb pad Thai noodles don’t freeze well when mixed together. However, you can freeze spaghetti squash, cooked chicken, and sauce separately, and thaw each one overnight before using them in this recipe.

More Low Carb Asian Recipes

After mastering this noodle dish, try these Asian-inspired keto recipes next!

Egg Roll In A Bowl

Hunan Beef

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Almond Chicken

4.87 from 36 votes

Keto Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

Make keto Thai food easy with this spaghetti squash Pad Thai! It's simple to make, with a flavorful sauce, juicy chicken, and tender noodles.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 32 minutes

Total: 42 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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Spaghetti Squash:

• 1 medium Spaghetti squash (4-6 lb) ▢
• 2 tsp Avocado oil ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢

Pad Thai Sauce:

• 3 tbsp Coconut aminos ▢
• 2 tbsp White wine vinegar (or rice vinegar if not grain-free) ▢
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce ▢
• 1 tsp Tamarind concentrate ▢
• 1 tbsp Peanut butter (optional; unsweetened) ▢
• 1/4 tsp Crushed red pepper ▢

Stir Fry:

• 2 tbsp Avocado oil ▢
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 12 oz Boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into 1 inch pieces) ▢
• 3 large Eggs ▢

Optional Garnishes:

• 1/2 cup Roasted peanuts (halved or chopped) ▢
• 1/4 cup Green onions (chopped) ▢
• 1 medium Lime (cut into wedges) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Cook spaghetti squash according to instructions here. You can use avocado oil instead of olive oil to reduce the number of different ingredients.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together all the keto Pad Thai sauce ingredients. (If you're including the optional peanut butter and yours is thick, and if you have trouble getting it smooth enough, you can give it a quick blend in a blender until smooth.) Set aside.

3. When the spaghetti squash is done cooking, use a fork to release the strands. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a large wok over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and saute for about 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.

5. Increase heat to medium high and immediately add the chicken pieces. Cook for about 90 seconds on each side, until golden brown and just cooked through.

6. Push the chicken to the side of the pan. Add the egg to the other side and scramble to cook, about 1 to 2 minutes, then mix with the chicken.

7. Add the spaghetti squash noodles and sauce to the pan. Mix well to coat in sauce.

8. Remove from heat. If desired, top with roasted peanuts and chopped green onions, and garnish with lime wedges.

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  Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 220

Fat 10.9g

Protein 16.7g

Total Carbs 14.5g

Net Carbs 11.9g

Fiber 2.6g

Sugar 6.7g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Keywords: keto pad thai, keto Thai food, spaghetti squash pad thai

Calories: 220 kcal

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