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It takes just 30 minutes to make this easy Pad Thai Recipe! Complete with a homemade sauce, this is a flavorful restaurant-quality dish your family will love. Pair it with shrimp, chicken, tofu, or vegetables!
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Pad Thai
Whenever my family and I go out to our favorite Thai restaurant, I find myself gravitating toward the Pad Thai on the menu. That rich, peanut-y sauce is just irresistible to me!
Even though we're lucky enough to live close to a restaurant with Pad Thai, it's hard to find the time to go out to eat outside of a special treat now and then. So, I knew I had to learn how to make it myself!
You'll be surprised by how simple it is to make your own homemade Pad Thai, including the sauce. Once you know how, I guarantee you will want to make it all of the time, too! (My family certainly does!)
What is Pad Thai?
Pad Thai, also known as phat thai or phad thai, is a popular recipe from Thailand using rice noodles and a peanut sauce stir-fried in a wok with ingredients like bean sprouts, egg, vegetables, and shrimp. In Thailand, it is commonly served in markets as street food and is one of the country's national dishes.
Shrimp Pad Thai Ingredients
- Rice noodles
- Shrimp
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Firm tofu
- Coconut oil
- Bean sprouts
- Garlic chives*
- Lime
- Peanuts
- Chili flakes or ground chili
*If you can't find garlic chives, don't substitute them for regular chives. Instead, use thinly sliced green onions, shallots, or leeks.
Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients
- Fish sauce
- Soy sauce
- Tamarind puree*
- Brown sugar
*Tamarind puree is a tangy and sour paste with a uniquely delicious flavor. If you can't find it or would rather substitute it, you can replace it with lime juice and a little extra brown sugar.
How to Make Pad Thai
Pad Thai Noodles
- Bring a pot filled with water to a boil. Once boiling, cook rice noodles for the time indicated on the noodle packaging.
- Drain the noodles and set aside.
The noodles should not sit for more than 5-10 minutes or they will stick together. To avoid this, start cooking them at the same time as you prepare the sauce.
How to Make Pad Thai Sauce
- In a mixing bowl, add tamarind puree, fish sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Mix together until the brown sugar fully dissolves, then set aside.
- While cooking the noodles, set a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add coconut oil and shrimp once hot, and pan-fry until the shrimp are opaque pink and cooked through. Set aside.
- Add tofu to the wok. Cook until it turns golden-brown on every side.
- Once tofu is browned, add garlic and chopped garlic chives, and toss for 20-30 seconds.
- Add the noodles and sauce to the wok. Mix until the noodles are lightly browned, then push the noodles to the side of the wok.
- Pour the eggs on the opposite side of the wok to the noodles. Scramble using a wooden spoon or chopsticks.
- Add the shrimp back to the wok along with bean sprouts, more fresh garlic chives, and peanuts. Continue stirring until all combined with the noodles.
- Serve with remaining peanuts, lime wedges, and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Enjoy!
Homemade Pad Thai Tips
- It's important you don't freeze the pad thai again if you use frozen shrimp to make it.
- Don't let the rice noodles sit for too long after cooking them, or they clump together. I like to start them when I've already started cooking the sauce because they don't take long to cook.
- If you can't find tamarind paste for the sauce, use lime juice and a little extra brown sugar.
- I prefer using red chili flakes to powder for this recipe - even better if you can find Thai ground chili (prik pon).
- If you can't find garlic chives, replace them with shallots or green onions. You can also use a little additional garlic instead, if you prefer, to taste.
Pad Thai Variations
- Chicken Pad Thai: Instead of shrimp, use chicken! You can use already-cooked chicken, like a rotisserie, or leftover grilled chicken breast from another meal.
- Pork Pad Thai: Pork Pad Thai is a great alternative to chicken or shrimp. You can use just about any type of pork meat - just slice it into strips.
- Beef Pad Thai: You can even use beef to make this recipe! I recommend a quick-cooking stir-fry steak, like thinly-sliced sirloin.
Pad Thai Recipes FAQs
Shrimp is a classic choice of protein for Pad Thai, but you can also use chicken, beef, or pork. Use thin slices of stir-fried meat in Pad Thai for the best results.
Pad Thai is a blend of nutty, salty, and slightly sweet and sour, with a very slight spice from ground chili. If you use lime instead of tamarind paste, it will be more tangy than sour.
Store leftover cooked Pad Thai for 3-4 days in an airtight container or a bowl covered with tight plastic wrap. You can also freeze Pad Thai for up to 3 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. Reheat gently on the stove. If your pad thai includes shrimp that was previously frozen, do not freeze it again.
Asian Dinner Ideas
- Korean Braised Short Ribs (Galbi Jjim)
- Korean Beef Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef Bowls)
- Asian Beef Stir Fry Recipe with Green Beans
- Chinese Prawns Recipe
- Spicy Chinese Chicken
Try more of my Shrimp Recipes for Dinner, too!
Pad Thai Recipe
Equipment
- Wok for stir-frying
- Small bowl for mixing sauce
- Pot to cook noodles
Ingredients
Pad Thai Noodles
- 4 oz. rice noodles
- 8 shrimp - 8 to 9, fresh or frozen; if using fresh, peel and devein
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup firm tofu - cut into cubes
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1.5 cups bean sprouts
- ¼ cup garlic chives - divided - use half to cook with, half to garnish; see notes for substitutes
- 2 wedges lime
- ¼ cup peanuts
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes - 3 teaspoons for more spice
Pad Thai Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 Tablespoons tamarind paste - see notes for substitutes
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
Pad Thai Noodles
- Bring a pot filled with water to a boil. Once boiling, cook rice noodles for the time indicated on the noodle packaging.4 oz. rice noodles
- Drain the noodles and set aside.
Pad Thai Sauce
- In a mixing bowl, add tamarind puree, fish sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Mix together until the brown sugar fully dissolves, then set aside.3 Tablespoons fish sauce,2 Tablespoons soy sauce,4 Tablespoons tamarind paste,3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- While cooking the noodles, set a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add coconut oil and shrimp once hot, and pan-fry until the shrimp are opaque pink and cooked through. Set aside.8 shrimp,2 Tablespoons coconut oil
- Add tofu to the wok. Cook until it turns golden-brown on every side.½ cup firm tofu
- Once tofu is browned, add garlic and chopped garlic chives, and toss for 20-30 seconds.2 cloves garlic,¼ cup garlic chives
- Add the noodles and sauce to the wok. Mix until the noodles are lightly browned, then push the noodles to the side of the wok.
- Pour the eggs on the opposite side of the wok to the noodles. Scramble using a wooden spoon or chopsticks.2 eggs
- Add the shrimp back to the wok along with bean sprouts, more fresh garlic chives, and peanuts. Continue stirring until all combined with the noodles.1.5 cups bean sprouts,¼ cup peanuts
- Serve with remaining peanuts, lime wedges, and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Enjoy!2 wedges lime,2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Notes
- If you can't find tamarind paste for the sauce, use lime juice and a little extra brown sugar.
- If you can't find garlic chives, replace them with shallots or green onions. You can also use a little additional garlic instead, if you prefer, to taste.
- It's important you don't freeze the pad thai again if you use frozen shrimp to make it.
- Don't let the rice noodles sit for too long after cooking them, or they clump together. I like to start them when I've already started cooking the sauce, because they don't take long to cook.
- I prefer using red chili flakes to powder for this recipe - even better if you can find Thai ground chili (prik pon).
Patricia Downing says
My son loves this recipe. I substituted Lea And Perrins Worcertershire sauce for half the sauce. It contains anchovy paste as well as tamarind paste. I also added about 1/3 C creamy peanut butter. Delish!
Em Beitel says
That's perfect, Patricia! We're so glad you and your son enjoy the recipe! Thank you for sharing!