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Every bite of these Thai Drunken Noodles, or Pad Kee Mao, is filled with savory vegetables and hints of fresh basil over saucy noodles and shrimp. You are going to love this dish – and it’s ready in just 40 minutes!
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What are Drunken Noodles?
Drunken Noodles, or phat khi mao (also known as pad kimao, pad ki mao, pad kee mao or pad kee mow), is a popular Thai rice noodle dish comprised of wide rice noodles, a protein, bean sprouts, and a sauce that generally includes soy, garlic, and fish sauce, or a similar blend.
Despite what the name might suggest, Drunken Noodles contain no alcohol; the name instead refers to the spice level of the dish.
Pad Kee Mao
One of my favorite go-to cuisines for a good, spicy stir-fry is Thai, and of all the spicy stir-fry recipes I have tried, Pad Kee Mao has to be my favorite.
Also known as Thai Drunken Noodles, this simple stir fry noodle dish is popular Thai cuisine for a reason. It is the perfect combination of savory and spicy flavors you can add your favorite protein to!
My drunken noodles recipe is complete with freshly cooked rice noodles, a savory-spicy sauce, sautéed golden shrimp, and the fragrance of fresh basil. It’s easy to control the spice level of the sauce, so you can cut it out completely for kids to enjoy!
You will be surprised at how fast and easy this drunken noodles recipe is to make at home. It makes for the perfect weeknight dinner option!
Thai Drunken Noodles Ingredients
- rice noodles
- shrimp
- olive oil
- onion
- red bell pepper
- roma tomato
- carrots
- green onion
- fresh basil
- garlic
- ginger paste
- soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- red pepper flakes
How to Make Thai Drunken Noodles
- Begin by cooking the rice noodles to your liking, then rinse them under cold water and drain well. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add in the onions and peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.Â
- Add in the shrimp, and sauté until the shrimp are cooked through.Â
- Stir in the tomatoes, carrots, and green onions, and sauté another minute or two longer.Â
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce.Â
- Place the rice noodles into the skillet, and stir to combine.Â
- Pour the sauce into the skillet, and toss to coat the ingredients well.Â
- Stir in the basil, and serve immediately.Â
Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe Tips
- We used fresh traditional basil in this recipe, but you can substitute it for Thai basil or Thai holy basil.
- I prefer to use extra wide rice noodles for this recipe, but if you can’t find rice noodles, you can use linguini noodles.
- Swap out the protein: you could add chicken, beef, tofu, or pork.
FAQs
The main difference between Thai drunken noodles and Pad Thai is that you will find that Pad Kee Mow (Thai drunken noodles) is spicy and savory, whereas Pad Thai is more nutty and sweet.
Drunken noodles contain no actual alcohol. Instead, these noodles get their name from the spice level of the dish. Traditional versions of drunken noodles can be intensely spicy!
Chicken Thai Drunken Noodles
This recipe is so versatile, and I love that! Instead of using shrimp, you can easily substitute it for roasted chicken or grilled chicken! If you aren’t feeling chicken you could add in steak bites, grilled pork, salmon, or tofu.
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Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!
📋 Recipe
Thai Drunken Noodles
Equipment
- Skillet
- Mixing Bowl for sauce
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 12 ounces shrimp peeled and deveined with tails off
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
- 1 medium roma tomato chopped
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
The Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Begin by cooking the rice noodles to your liking, then rinse them under cold water and drain well. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Once hot, add in the onions and peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.8 ounces rice noodles, ½ cup onion, 1 medium red bell pepper, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Add in the shrimp, and sauté until the shrimp are cooked through.12 ounces shrimp
- Stir in the tomatoes, carrots, and green onions, and sauté another minute or two longer.1 medium roma tomato, ½ cup matchstick carrots, ¼ cup green onions
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce.2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ¼ cup soy sauce, pinch red pepper flakes
- Place the rice noodles into the skillet, and stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet, and toss to coat the ingredients well.
- Stir in the basil, and serve immediately.½ cup fresh basil
Notes
- We used fresh traditional basil in this recipe, but you can substitute it for Thai basil or Thai holy basil.
- I prefer to use extra wide rice noodles for this recipe, but if you can’t find rice noodles you can use linguini noodles.
- Swap out the protein: you could add chicken, beef, tofu, or pork.
Let us know what you think or ask a question about the recipe!