Pad Thai
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Got a taste for Thai? Using easy-to-find ingredients and my simple recipe, you can create restaurant-quality pad Thai right in your own kitchen!
Pad Thai is a popular stir-fried noodle dish that originated in Thailand, where it’s commonly enjoyed as a quick and easy street food. Today, it’s a popular Thai restaurant dish in many parts of the world. If you love this noodle dish as much as I do, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s surprisingly easy to make in your own kitchen.
While traditional pad Thai calls for a daunting list of hard-to-find ingredients, from tamarind liquid and dried shrimp to pickled white radishes and garlic chives, a simplified “Westernized” version can be just as delicious with a few ingredient substitutions (yes, that’s why the recipe strangely calls for ketchup!).
Table of Contents
“Made it last night and it is the best pad Thai ever! Easy to make and customize. Thank you!”
What You’ll Need To Make Pad Thai
- Flat rice noodles: Serve as the base of the dish, providing texture and substance. Available in the Asian or Thai food section of most large supermarkets. (These noodles are also used in dishes like pho and Thai chicken and rice noodle soup.)
- Eggs: Scrambled into the noodles, adding protein and richness.
- Fish sauce: Contributes a salty, umami depth essential to the dish’s authentic flavor. Look for a brand from Thailand or Vietnam, and don’t worry about buying a large bottle—it keeps forever.
- Soy sauce: Adds additional savory notes and color to the noodles.
- Rice vinegar: Introduces a mild acidity, balancing the dish’s flavors.
- Ketchup: Used as a convenient substitute for tamarind paste, offering a hint of sweetness and tang.
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness, balancing the savory and acidic elements.
- Shrimp: Provides a quick-cooking protein, making the dish more hearty and flavorful.
- Garlic and scallions: Add aromatic depth to the dish.
- Peanuts: Offer a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
- Bean sprouts: Add freshness and a crisp texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Soak the Rice Noodles
Bring a large pot or wide skillet of water to a boil.
Off the heat, add the noodles. Briefly swish them around to separate them, then let sit, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the noodles are soft and pliable but still not tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Drain and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook the Pad Thai
In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, for two minutes. Add the garlic and light green scallions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute more.
Transfer the shrimp, garlic, and scallions to a large plate, using a rubber spatula to scrape the pan clean. To the pan, add 1 teaspoon of oil to the hot pan. Add the eggs and scramble until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the eggs to the plate with the shrimp.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the hot pan. Place the drained noodles in the pan, along with the sauce mixture. Cook, tossing the noodles gently so as not to break them, until the liquid is absorbed by the noodles and the noodles are cooked through, a few minutes. If the noodles are still firm to the bite when the sauce is absorbed, add a few tablespoons of water and continue cooking.
Add the contents of the plate and the dark green scallions to the noodles and toss gently to combine, until everything is warmed through.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter and top with peanuts, bean sprouts, and cilantro (if using). Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike what-based pasta, which is typically boiled until al dente, rice noodles are usually soaked in hot water off the heat. After soaking until they’re just soft and pliable bit still not tender, the noodles are then drained and quickly rinsed to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. This prepares them perfectly for stir-frying for dishes like pad Thai. This method prevents them from becoming too soft or mushy.
Fish sauce is essential in achieving the authentic flavor for pad Thai. However, if you’re vegetarian or allergic to fish, you can substitute fish sauce with a combination of soy sauce and a little lime juice for tanginess. This won’t replicate the exact flavor of fish sauce but will work as good substitute.
Authentic pad Thai is made with tamarind paste, which gives the dish its distinct tangy-sweet flavor. It is available at Asian markets or in the international aisle of some grocery stores. For the best results, consider finding a recipe specifically designed to incorporate authentic ingredients like tamarind paste.
Absolutely, you can easily substitute the shrimp with various other proteins. Popular choices include chicken and tofu, both of which can be thinly sliced and stir-fried just like the shrimp. Just make sure that your chosen protein is fully cooked before it’s mixed with the noodles and sauce.
Pad Thai Video Tutorial
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Pad Thai
Got a taste for Thai? Using easy-to-find ingredients and my simple recipe, you can create restaurant-quality pad Thai right in your own kitchen!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces flat rice noodles (linguini or fettuccini width)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 2½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons ketchup
- ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
- ¾ pound large (31/35) shrimp, peeled and deveined, thawed if frozen
- Salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 scallions, light parts thinly sliced, dark green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup dry roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot or wide skillet of water to a boil. Off the heat, add the noodles. Briefly swish them around to separate them, then let sit, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the noodles are soft and pliable but still chewy to the bite, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the water, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, for two minutes. Add the garlic and light green scallions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute more. Transfer the shrimp, garlic, and scallions to a large plate, using a rubber spatula to scrape the pan clean.
- Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the hot pan. Add the eggs and scramble until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the plate with the shrimp.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to the hot pan. Add the drained noodles to the pan, along with the sauce mixture. Cook, tossing the noodles gently so as not to break them, until the liquid is absorbed by the noodles and the noodles are cooked through, a few minutes. If the noodles are still firm to the bite when the sauce is absorbed, add a few tablespoons of water and continue cooking. Add the contents of the plate and the dark green scallions to the noodles and toss gently to combine, until everything is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving platter and top with peanuts, bean sprouts, and cilantro (if using). Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 579
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Sodium: 1,411 mg
- Cholesterol: 230 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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My daughter asked for this dish for her birthday dinner. I had made this recipe at home and she had had it at a really good Thai restaurant but she specifically asked me to make it again because she liked mine more. Glad to say, this recipe is now a family favorite – as are so many of your recipes!
I made this for our dinner for the first time last night. It was delicious and easy to make! My husband likes it spicy. He added a little chili garlic sauce. I will definitely make this again! Is there a particular kind of fish sauce that you prefer?
So glad you enjoyed it! I like Red Boat brand fish sauce.
This was excellent! I made this recipe exactly as written and my boyfriend (who loves pad thai) loved it! My roommate even raved over it. This was her first time ever tasting pad thai. Will definitely make it again.
Absolutely amazing! As good as anything you can buy in a Thai restaurant. So easy to make and phenomenally delicious! I had to sub fresh cauliflower for the broccoli, but it was so yummy! I will definitely make it again!
I just made this a few hours ago – it turned out amazing ! The family loved it. The recipe was so easy to follow. Also love that all the ingredients are available at most grocery stores. The only change I would make next time is to cut down on the oil in the last step.
This is SO good! It’s a relatively quick and super easy recipe for weeknights, and most ingredients I already have on hand. I’ve made many ingredient subs too that work beautifully. I’ve used leftover rotisserie chicken in place of shrimp, if I don’t have fresh ginger I’ve used the ginger paste I keep in the fridge, and I’ve even used leftover rice in place of the noodles. Very versatile recipe, but is also perfect as is!
This recipe was really good. BUT, like Jenn says, you really have to watch the noodles. I thought I had them at the perfect al dente(and maybe they were) but after adding them and everything else to the pan, I maybe cooked them a little too long and they got a little mushy, so watch that. Also the shrimp will also cook a bit once adding them back into the pan, so make sure to not overcook them in the first step. Great recipe though.
Delicious! Nicely balanced flavor and texture. A nice amount of heat that allows the individual ingredients to be enjoyed.
This was awesome!! My whole family loved it!! The only problem was there were no leftovers. Jen, I have made at least 35 of your recipes and they have all been incredible! I cook and bake a lot and your site is by far the best site. So many favorites from your site. My husband and I only use your site now. Thanks for sharing such fantastic recipes!!! My favorite dessert is your Coconut Dream Pie!! It is unbelievable!!!
So glad you and your family are enjoying the recipes, Denise! And the Coconut Dream Pie is a favorite at our house as well ?.
I already had a pretty good Pad Thai recipe, but this one is better. My hubby doesn’t love Pad Thai like I do but he will eat it. This recipe he liked a lot. Thanks.