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    Home » Recipes » Seafood » Pad Thai Recipe

    Pad Thai Recipe

    Published: Apr 20, 2023 Modified: Jun 1, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    Jump to Recipe

    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!

    pad thai noodles on a plate with shrimp, tofu, and chopsticks to the side
    Jump to:
    • Pad Thai
    • What is Pad Thai?
    • Shrimp Pad Thai Ingredients
    • Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients
    • How to Make Pad Thai
    • Homemade Pad Thai Tips
    • Pad Thai Variations
    • Pad Thai Recipes FAQs
    • Asian Dinner Ideas
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    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!)

    shrimp pad thai on a plate up close with red pepper flakes to the side

    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.

    ingredients to make pad thai with labels

    How to Make Pad Thai

    Pad Thai Noodles

    1. Bring a pot filled with water to a boil. Once boiling, cook rice noodles for the time indicated on the noodle packaging.
      rice noodles cooking in water next to cutting board with other pad thai ingredients
    2. Drain the noodles and set aside.
      draining rice noodles

    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

    1. 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.
      pad thai sauce ingredients in bowls and measuring spoons
    2. 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.
      cooked shrimp in a wok
    3. Add tofu to the wok. Cook until it turns golden-brown on every side.
      browned tofu in a wok
    4. Once tofu is browned, add garlic and chopped garlic chives, and toss for 20-30 seconds.
      tofu browned in a wok with seasoning
    5. 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.
      adding sauce to wok with rice noodles and tofu
    6. Pour the eggs on the opposite side of the wok to the noodles. Scramble using a wooden spoon or chopsticks.
      adding eggs to wok with noodles and shrimp
    7. 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.
      pad thai mixed in a wok ready to serve
    8. Serve with remaining peanuts, lime wedges, and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Enjoy!
      using chopsticks to lift shrimp from pad thai on a plate

    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 noodles on a plate with shrimp, garlic chives, lime, peanuts, and red pepper flakes

    Pad Thai Recipes FAQs

    What kind of meat is best in Pad Thai?

    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.

    What does pad thai sauce taste like?

    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.

    How to store pad thai?

    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

    📋 Recipe

    shrimp pad thai up close with tofu

    Pad Thai Recipe

    Isabel Laessig
    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!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Thai
    Servings 3 servings
    Calories 499 kcal

    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
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    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
      rice noodles cooking in water next to cutting board with other pad thai ingredients
    • Drain the noodles and set aside.
      draining rice noodles

    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
      pad thai sauce ingredients in bowls and measuring spoons
    • 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
      cooked shrimp in a wok
    • Add tofu to the wok. Cook until it turns golden-brown on every side.
      ½ cup firm tofu
      browned tofu in a wok
    • Once tofu is browned, add garlic and chopped garlic chives, and toss for 20-30 seconds.
      2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup garlic chives
      tofu browned in a wok with seasoning
    • 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.
      adding sauce to wok with rice noodles and tofu
    • Pour the eggs on the opposite side of the wok to the noodles. Scramble using a wooden spoon or chopsticks.
      2 eggs
      adding eggs to wok with noodles and shrimp
    • 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
      pad thai mixed in a wok ready to serve
    • Serve with remaining peanuts, lime wedges, and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Enjoy!
      2 wedges lime, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
      using chopsticks to lift shrimp from pad thai on a plate

    Notes

    Substitutes:
    • 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.
    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.
    • I prefer using red chili flakes to powder for this recipe – even better if you can find Thai ground chili (prik pon).

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 17gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 2233mgPotassium: 505mgFiber: 5gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 583IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 143mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword pad thai, pad thai recipe, pad thai sauce, pad thai sauce recipe
    Did you try this recipe?Tag #SundaySupper on social and leave a comment below!
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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patricia Downing says

      February 23, 2023 at 1:16 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Em Beitel says

        February 24, 2023 at 3:20 pm

        That’s perfect, Patricia! We’re so glad you and your son enjoy the recipe! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply

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