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PAD THAI
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This homemade Pad Thai recipe is easy to make, tossed with a
fresh and sweet and tangy sauce, and customizable with
whatever protein, veggies, and spice level you prefer. (Chicken,
steak, pork, shrimp, tofu and veggie-only options included
below.)
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2. Raise your hand if you love pad Thai! ♡
This delicious noodle stir-fry that hails from the rich food
culture of Thailand has become one of the most iconic and
beloved dishes around the world in the past few decades…
and happens to be one of my all-time faves too! Made with
chewy al dente rice noodles, stir-fried veggies, usually at
3. least one type of protein, and an irresistibly fresh, sweet,
and tangy tamarind sauce, this national dish of Thailand is
everything I adore in a good bowl of noodles. And while it is
unquestionably the most popular item on the menu at most
Thai restaurants around the world, I was happy to learn
years ago that pad Thai is actually quite quick and easy to
make at home too!
Granted, I am definitely no expert on the topic of authentic
Thai cooking, and the recipe included below is completely
inspired by the restaurant version of pad Thai that I was
privileged to grow up with halfway around the world in the
Midwest. It includes a few ingredient substitutions that are
more easily available and popularly used in that part of the
world and thus by no means should be considered
authentic. (If you are looking for a more authentic version
of pad Thai made with traditional ingredients such as dried
shrimp, pickled veggies, and garlic chives, I would highly
recommend trying these recipes by Hot Thai Kitchen or
Thai Table.)
This recipe is still one of our family favorites, though, and is
absolutely bursting with layered, fresh, and tangy flavors.
It’s also easy to customize with your favorite protein,
veggies and spice level when making your own homemade
pad Thai. And when you’re moving quickly, the entire dish
can come together easily in just a little over a half hour,
making it great for busy weeknights. (Plus, the leftovers
taste amazing!)
4. So if you happen to be a fan of these noodles too, I say it’s
time to give homemade pad Thai a try!
PAD THAI RECIPE | 1-MINUTE VIDEO
5. THE HISTORY OF PAD THAI
Details about the exact origins of pad Thai seem to vary a
bit from source to source, based on what I’ve read.
But I was interested to learn that all sources agree that pad
Thai is actually a relatively new dish, invented in Thailand
less than 100 years ago. Some historians say that it
6. originated in the 1930s thanks to a competition held by
Plaek Phibunsongkhram, the prime minister at the time,
who was trying to promote nationalism by encouraging
chefs to create a new national dish with Thailand’s signature
blend of sweet, salty and sour flavors. Other historians
believe that the dish came about during a wartime shortage
of rice, when the prime minister was encouraging cooks to
create new dishes with rice noodles instead of the usual
larger quantities of rice.
Whatever the exact origins, the dish immediately became a
hit in Thailand and is now one of the most famous noodle
dishes in the world. (It actually ranked as the 5th most
popular dish in the world in this poll a decade ago!)
Different countries and different cooks have definitely put
their own spin on the dish in modern times, often subbing
in different proteins, seasonings and veggies used in their
recipes. But the base dish with its brilliant combo of stir-
fried rice noodles, eggs, bean sprouts, and a tangy pad Thai
sauce remains relatively consistent worldwide. And the
world seems to adore it!
Here’s a great video to watch if you would like to learn
more about the history of pad Thai.
7. PAD THAI INGREDIENTS
Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few notes
about the ingredients that you will need to the stir-fried
noodles for this pad Thai recipe:
• Rice noodles: Pad Thai is traditionally made with thin
rice noodles, such as these. But any width of rice noodles
8. that you have on hand will also work.
• Protein: I’ve written the recipe below for chicken pad
Thai, but feel free to instead use shrimp, beef, pork, tofu,
or whatever protein you may prefer.
• Veggies: From what I’ve read, the vegetables
traditionally included in pad Thai can vary between
regions in Thailand. But I have written this recipe with
the most common mix I’ve seen of fresh bean sprouts,
shredded (or matchstick) carrots, and sliced green
onions.
• Garlic: I also love to include lots of freshly minced garlic
in this stir-fry.
• Eggs: I’ve also included eggs in the recipe below, which
are briefly scrambled and mixed into the noodle stir-fry.
But if you are making this dish vegan, you are welcome
to omit the eggs.
• Toppings: And finally, when it comes to toppings, I vote
the more the merrier and love to sprinkle my noodles
with lots of chopped peanuts for crunch and an extra
squeeze of fresh lime juice for tang. Plus, you are of
course welcome to sprinkle on some extra crushed red
pepper flakes if you would like to amp up the heat in your
serving.
And here are the ingredients that you will need to make the
delicious pad Thai sauce:
9. • Tamarind concentrate: This is the starring ingredient in
pad Thai that gives the sauce its signature tangy, sweet,
and fruity flavor. Granted, some American Thai
restaurants have switched to using ketchup in its place,
which gives the dish a notably different and less-tangy
flavor. (And also makes the dish notably more
red/orange.) But I really, really recommend picking up a
jar of tamarind concentrate to make the sauce taste as
fresh and authentic as possible. You can purchase it
online or find it in the Thai section of the grocery store.
Just be sure to purchase a Thai brand of tamarind
concentrate for this recipe, since the Indian brands of
tamarind concentrate have a significantly different flavor
and potency. (I do not recommend using Tamicon
tamarind concentrate for this recipe.)
• Brown sugar: Traditionally, pad Thai is usually made with
palm sugar in Thailand. But since it can be difficult to
find in American grocery stores, I’ve written the recipe
below using light brown sugar (or you can use coconut
sugar).
• Fish sauce: You will also need some good-quality fish
sauce for this recipe. (This brand is my favorite!)
• Soy sauce: We will also add in a bit of soy sauce to give
the dish some extra salty-umami flavor.
• Lime juice: And of course, lots and lots of fresh lime
juice.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: And finally, you can add in
10. whatever type and amount of chili flakes you prefer to
give the dish a bit of heat.
HOW TO MAKE PAD THAI
Full instructions for how to make pad Thai are included in
the recipe below, but here is a brief overview of the
process…
11. 1. Make the sauce. First things first — go ahead and prep
the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together (or
shaking them in a jar) until combined.
2. Cook the noodles. Next, go ahead and heat your water
and cook the noodles al dente according to the package
instructions, then drain the excess water. If your
noodles finish earlier than your stir-fry, I recommend
rinsing them briefly with some lukewarm water and
tossing them with a drizzle of oil to prevent them from
sticking while they wait.
3. Cook the protein, veggies and eggs. Meanwhile, go
ahead and begin your stir-fry. First, sauté your protein
of choice until cooked through, then transfer it to a
clean plate and set it aside. Next, sauté the veggies until
crisp-tender. Then push them to one side of the pan
and briefly scramble the eggs in the other half of the
pan until cooked.
4. Put it all together. Then add everything back in with
the eggs and veggies — the cooked noodles, cooked
chicken, sauce and green onions — and give the mixture
a good toss until everything is evenly coated in the
sauce.
5. Serve. Then serve the noodles immediately while they
are nice and hot, garnished with lots of toppings and
fresh lime wedges for squeezing.
12. POSSIBLE RECIPE VARIATIONS
As with any noodle stir-fry, there are endless ways to
customize this dish to your liking when making it
homemade. For example, feel free to:
• Choose your favorite protein: I have included options in
the recipe box below for how to make this recipe using
13. beef, pork, shrimp or tofu in place of (or mixed with) the
chicken. Or feel free to use whatever other protein you
may love best.
• Choose your preferred sweetener: As mentioned above,
pad Thai is traditionally sweetened with palm sugar. But
feel free to use whatever type of sugar or sweetener you
prefer in the pad Thai sauce.
• Make it milder/spicier: Feel free to adjust the amount
of chili flakes to taste to make your noodles milder or
spicier.
• Make it vegetarian/vegan: To make this
vegetarian/vegan pad thai, use tofu as your protein and
vegan fish sauce or (extra lime juice, in place of the fish
sauce).
• Make it gluten-free: To make gluten-free pad thai, use
gluten-free tamari in place of the soy sauce.
• Use garlic chives: These are more commonly used in
Thailand instead of green onions. So if your local market
happens to carry them, just slice the garlic chives into 1-
inch pieces and add approximately 1 cup of garlic chives
to the dish in place of the green onions.
14. PAD THAI
- prep time: 20 MINUTES
- cook time: 25 MINUTES
- total time: 45 MINUTES
* yield: 4 -6 SERVINGS 1X
4.4 from 94 reviews
15. # PIN RECIPE
DESCRIPTION
This homemade Pad Thai recipe is easy to make,
tossed with a fresh and sweet and tangy sauce, and
customizable with whatever protein, veggies, and
spice level you prefer. (Chicken, steak, pork,
shrimp, tofu and veggie-only options included
below.)
INGREDIENTS
SCALE 1x 2x 3x
PAD THAI INGREDIENTS:
SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
10 ounces thin rice noodles
3 tablespoons oil, divided
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly
sliced and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup shredded carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs, whisked
3 green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces
toppings: lots of chopped peanuts, extra crushed
red pepper flakes, fresh lime wedges
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate (please see
16. INSTRUCTIONS
note below)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
juice of 1 fresh lime
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or
more/less to taste)
Make the sauce. Whisk all ingredients together
in a medium bowl (or shake together in a mason
jar) until completely combined. Set aside until
ready to use.
1
Cook the noodles. Cook the noodles al dente
according to package instructions. Drain the
noodles in a strainer, then rinse with cold water
briefly to halt their cooking. Toss briefly with
one tablespoon oil to prevent the noodles from
sticking.
2
Cook the chicken (or see other protein options
below). Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a
large sauté pan or wok over high heat. Add the
chicken and sauté for 3-5 minutes, tossing
occasionally, until the chicken is cooked
through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the
chicken to a clean plate and set aside.
3
Cook the veggies. Add the remaining 1
tablespoon oil to the sauté pan, along with the
bean sprouts, carrots, and garlic. Sauté for 2
minutes, stirring occasionally.
4
Cook the eggs. Push the veggies to one side of
5
17. NOTES
the pan and add the whisked eggs on the other
side. Cook the eggs until scrambled, stirring
often.
Put it all together. Now add everything back in
with the eggs and veggies — the cooked
noodles, cooked chicken, sauce and green
onions. Give the mixture a good toss until
everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
Remove pan from heat.
6
Serve. Serve immediately, sprinkled with lots of
crushed peanuts, extra crushed red pepper
flakes (if desired) and a good squeeze of fresh
lime juice. Enjoy!
7
Recipe update: This recipe has been updated in
2021 to call for 2 tablespoons (instead of the
original 4 tablespoons) of tamarind
concentrate, to make it slightly less tangy per
feedback from our readers.
i
Tamarind Concentrate: Please note that
different brands of tamarind concentrate can
vary significantly in terms of potency and
flavor, so the quantity you use may need to be
adjusted. (I also recommend using a Thai brand
of tamarind concentrate, as Indian tamarind
concentrate has a different flavor and is more
i
18. concentrated.) This recipe is intended to have a
fresh and tangy flavor. But if you prefer to have
a sweeter sauce, similar to how many American
restaurants make this dish, I recommend
increasing the amount of packed brown sugar
used to 1/2 cup (or more).
How To Make Shrimp Pad Thai: Season 1
pound of large shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
with salt and pepper. Sauté in 1 tablespoon oil
over high heat until the shrimp are bright pink
and cooked through, stirring occasionally,
about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate
and set aside.
i
How To Make Beef Pad Thai: Thinly slice 1
pound of lean steak (against the grain), then
cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and
pepper. Sauté in 1 tablespoon oil over heat
until the steak is browned on all sides, stirring
occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a
clean plate and set aside.
i
How To Make Pork Pad Thai: Thinly slice 1
pound of lean boneless pork chops, then cut
into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and
pepper. Sauté in 1 tablespoon oil over heat
until the pork is browned on all sides, stirring
occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a
i
19. DID YOU MAKE THIS
RECIPE?
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posted on JANUARY 21, 2019 by ALI
ENTREES / MAIN DISHES, PASTAS, THAI
142 COMMENTS »
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clean plate and set aside.
How To Make Tofu Pad Thai: Slice 1 (14-ounce)
block of extra-firm tofu into 1/4-inch slices.
Sandwich the slices between paper towels,
press and drain for 30 minutes. Cut the tofu
into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and
pepper. Cook the tofu in 1 tablespoon oil in a
non-stick pan in a single layer for 2 minutes,
undisturbed. Then flip the tofu and cook on
the second side for 1-2 minutes, until lightly
browned. Transfer to a clean plate and set
aside.
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