Save money on takeout and make this fantastic and easy Pad Thai! It tastes much better, is simple to make, and is actually doable in your home kitchen. Enjoy soft rice noodles tossed in an amazing sauce with a hint of sourness, mixed with delicious protein and fresh veggies - making it a complete meal that's easy to prepare on busy days!
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★★★★★
very delicious, cant stop eating!
easy, quick and very authentic tasting. I have recommended to a lot of my friends
- Daisy
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Why This Recipe Works
As an Asian living in a town in Spain where it's hard to find delicious Asian food, I'm delighted to say that I'm now free from deprivation with this easy Pad Thai recipe! It's the best in town-no apologies-and here's why it's the only Pad Thai we eat!
Authentic yet flexible-This recipe offers the authentic flavors of Pad Thai while allowing you to substitute ingredients while preserving the essence of the meal, as I did with my easy beef pho, Malaysian satay sauce, and slow-cooker beef rendang.
Better and cheaper than takeout-You'd be surprised at how much you can save, even when using the freshest ingredients to make this easy Pad Thai. Moreover, this tastes much better, just like my Thai basil beef and honey sriracha chicken!
Easier than you think-These stir-fry rice noodles should not take more than 10 minutes to cook, as is typical in most Asian stir-fry recipes like my easy lo mein and peanut sauce stir-fry noodles. Follow the steps and tips below, and you'll be all set!
Ingredients For This Recipe
Rice noodles-To achieve the authentic Pad Thai look, I recommend using ¼-or ⅛-inch-wide flat rice noodles. However, don't worry if they're wider; the stir-fry rice noodles will still be equally delicious, like my Penang char kway teow.
Tamarind-I use concentrated tamarind, which is easy to find. Its subtle, almost creamy sourness is the signature flavor and sets Pad Thai apart from other stir-fry noodles. It's an amazing ingredient in Southeast Asian cuisines, as it's used in many recipes like my beef rendang, sambal (chili sauce), and Penang asam laksa. Alternatively, double the amount of lime juice in this recipe.
Fish sauce-For the fantastic umami in our easy Pad Thai, and despite its name, it doesn't taste fishy. It also acts as salt to enhance the whole dish, like in my quick curry laksa. Although not the same, you can use less sodium soy sauce.
Protein source-I love the combination of chicken thighs and shrimp; so flavorful! Chicken breast works well too. Switch the proteins to your liking.
Veggies-Fresh bean sprouts and garlic chives are essential ingredients in authentic Pad Thai recipes. They cook very quickly, which is why they are commonly used in Asian stir-fry noodle dishes. Alternatively, you can use canned bean sprouts or the green part of a scallion.
Sweet preserved radish and dried shrimp-They're very common in Pad Thai but not essential as they may be difficult to find. They add texture and a burst of sweet and salty taste in each bite. Alternatively, add chopped bacon or use extra fish sauce to taste.
Dark soy sauce-I use it solely to give my easy Pad Thai a more vibrant color; it's completely optional as it doesn't add any flavor.
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
Pad Thai Sauce Recipe
What sets Pad Thai apart from other stir-fry noodles is its subtle yet fantastic sauce! It's a balance of savory and sweet, with a beautiful hint of sourness coming from the tamarind. The key ingredient of Pad Thai!
Traditionally, Pad Thai sauce is made by caramelizing palm sugar, then adding water, fish sauce, and tamarind to make it into a sauce. For my easy Pad Thai recipe, I prefer to keep it uncomplicated by omitting unnecessary steps that don't affect the flavors.
My easy Pad Thai sauce recipe is simple: mix tamarind, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Both palm and brown sugar have a hint of caramel. I also use lime juice to brighten the flavors and, optionally, dark soy sauce for a vibrant color. If you can't find tamarind, double the lime juice!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Soak the rice noodles. Never pre-cook rice noodles for stir-fry, as they'll break apart. Soak them in room-temperature water for 1 hour or warm water for 6-10 minutes until they're pliable, and then drain.
Step 2: Make the sauce. In a bowl, add tamarind, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and dark soy sauce. Mix until the sugar is dissolved and set aside.
Step 3: Brown protein source. Heat some oil in a wok or wide pan on high heat. Add chicken and tofu, leaving them untouched for a minute to brown. Mix and leave for another minute.
Step 4: Cook aromatics. Add the onion, garlic, preserved radish, and dried shrimp and cook until the garlic is starting to brown.
Step 5: Add noodles. Add the shrimp, and when they're halfway cooked, add the noodles. Mix everything well for 30 seconds to soften and start cooking the noodles.
Step 6: Season. Pour in the sauce and mix until it coats the noodles well. Cook for another minute until the noodles are cooked, adding a splash of water if needed to help the process.
Step 7: Add eggs. Move everything to a side, add more oil, and crack the eggs in, leaving them untouched for 30 seconds until they're half-cooked. Scramble the eggs, fold the noodles on top, and mix everything well.
Step 8: Add veggies. Turn the heat off. Add in peanuts, bean sprouts, and chives, and fold the noodles on top, leaving them untouched for 30 seconds to steam-cook the veggies. Mix everything well and serve immediately!
Recipe Expert Tips
If you're going to make this easy Pad Thai recipe, make sure to follow these top tips!
- Prepared all ingredients before starting cooking. This will simplify the cooking process, as this easy Pad Thai should be ready in under 10 minutes, typical of most Asian stir-fry recipes.
- Use a big-surface pan. A wok's wide surface and round bottom make it best for stir-frying like in my Malaysian-style village-style fried rice recipe, but a wide casserole, pan, or skillet also works well.
- Use high heat. This is important to prevent the ingredients from steaming. It also adds the smoky flavor to our easy Pad Thai that we enjoy so much.
- Never precook the rice noodles. Soak them just until they are pliable-that's the key! If you precook or oversoak them, they will break when you stir-fry them later. I usually soak them in room-temperature water for 1 hour. When I'm in a rush, I soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- Add a splash of water, if needed, to help cook the rice noodles. Rice noodles vary by brand in terms of texture and cooking time. Adding water helps to soften and cook them quickly.
- Find the flavors. Pad Thai features a delicate balance of sour, savory, and sweet, with a hint of smokiness from the stir-fry. Regardless of any substitutions or adjustments, the goal is to capture these distinct flavors.
How To Serve, Store, And Freeze
Serve-In the authentic Pad Thai recipe, it is typically served hot with lime wedges, crushed peanuts, chili flakes for added heat, and a side of bean sprouts and garlic chives. Lime is essential as it enhances the already amazing flavors!
Store-This easy Pad Thai is best when served immediately, so the recipe is prepared in small portions to avoid having leftovers. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, use a microwave. Be cautious, as rice noodles can break easily with excessive heat and stirring.
Freeze-Unfortunately, it's not freezer-friendly if you want to fully experience the authentic Pad Thai flavors, especially the texture. Cooked rice noodles will break easily when thawed and reheated, especially in a pan. You'd get almost mushed-like noodles.
Recipe FAQs
It's one of the most popular Thai dishes. Pad means "to stir-fry," so Pad Thai means "Thai stir-fry." The dish consists of flat rice noodles cooked in a mixture of fish sauce, tamarind, dried shrimp, protein sources, and veggies such as bean sprouts and chives. It's a famous Thai street food and is often served with lime, chili flakes, and crushed peanuts on the side.
Pad Thai noodles are rice noodles, so yes, it's gluten-free in that sense. However, depending on the recipes, some might add soy sauce, which could contain wheat, thus making it not gluten-free.
Once drained, toss them in some oil. During the cooking process, I like to scoop up the noodles with a flat spatula, shake it, and let the noodles untangle and fall loosely into the wok. Using two fork-like spatulas or kitchen tongs also helps.
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Did you try this Easy Pad Thai?
Please leave us ★★★★★ ratings and feedback below in the comment section. We'd love to know how it went, what you liked, or if there's anything we can improve. Share and tag us on Instagram; we'd like to see your creation.
Thank you! -Bea and Marco
Watch How To Make It
📖 Recipe
Easy Pad Thai
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Noodles
- 4 oz (120 g) dried flat rice noodles
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon concenrated tamarind
- 1 tablespoon lime juice , or ½ lime juice
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce , optional, for color
Protein
- 1 (120 g) boneless skinless chicken thigh
- ¾ cup (120 g) firm tofu , in small cubes (total of 4 oz)
- 10 shrimps
Aromatics
- ½ red onion , chopped
- 4 garlic cloves , coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoon (10 g) dried shrimps , optional
- 2 tablespoon (15 g) chopped sweet preserved radish , optional
Veggies
- 2 cup (120 g) bean sprouts (total of 4 oz)
- ¾ cup (45 g) garlic chives , cut into 2-inch lenght
Condiments
- 2 tablespoon (20 g) crushed peanuts , with extra to serve on the side
- lime wedges , essential
- chili flakes
- bean sprouts and garlic chives
Instructions
Noodles
- Soak them in room-temperature water for 1 hour, or if in a hurry, in warm water for 6-10 minutes until they're pliable, and then drain.
Sauce
- In a bowl, add tamarind, lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and dark soy sauce. Mix until the sugar is dissolved and set aside.
Cook
- Heat oil in a wok or wide pan on high heat. Add chicken and tofu, leaving them untouched for a minute to brown. Mix and leave for another minute. Add the aromatics (onion, garlic, preserved radish, and dried shrimp) and cook until the garlic is starting to brown.
- Add the shrimp, and when they're halfway cooked, add the noodles. Mix everything well for 30 seconds to soften and start cooking the noodles.
- Pour in the sauce and mix until it coats the noodles well. Cook for another minute until the noodles are cooked, adding a splash of water if needed to help the process.
- Move everything to a side, add more oil, and crack the eggs in, leaving them untouched for 30 seconds until they're half-cooked. Scramble the eggs, fold the noodles on top, and mix everything well.
- Turn the heat off. Add in peanuts, bean sprouts, and chives, and fold the noodles on top, leaving them untouched for 30 seconds to steam-cook the veggies. Mix everything well and serve immediately with lime wedges (a must!), chili flakes, crushed peanuts, and more bean sprouts and chives.
Notes
- Prepared all ingredients before starting cooking. This will simplify the cooking process, as this meal should be ready in under 10 minutes, typical of most Asian stir-fry recipes.
- Use a big-surface pan. A wok's wide surface and round bottom make it best for stir-frying, but a wide casserole, pan, or skillet also works well.
- Use medium-high heat. This is important to prevent the ingredients from steaming. It also adds the smoky flavor to the stir-fry that we enjoy so much.
- Never precook the rice noodles. Soak them just until they are pliable-that's the key! If you precook or oversoak them, they will break when you stir-fry them later. I usually soak them in room-temperature water for 1 hour. When I'm in a rush, I soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes.
- Add a splash of water, if needed, to help cook the rice noodles. Rice noodles vary by brand in terms of texture and cooking time. Adding water helps to soften and cook them quickly.
- Find the flavors. Pad Thai features a delicate balance of sour, savory, and sweet, with a hint of smokiness from the stir-fry. Regardless of any substitutions or adjustments, the goal is to capture these distinct flavors.
Originally published on Apr 11, 2019. Updated with improved text, recipe, and pictures on Jun 8, 2024.
Sharon Ennaro says
Make sure to prep the food and line up in order of use. This goes together fast!
Bea & Marco says
Yes, that's the key! It doesn't take long to cook this. Thanks for your feedback, Sharon!
JR says
Made this on a weekday evening even though I was feeling lazy to cook, and everyone loved it including 2 and 5 year olds. It was very easy to throw together. I used tofu instead of chicken. My 5 year old said it was his new favorite dish (after pasta). Can’t wait to try more of your recipes (delighted to have found your website, as a Malaysian living overseas myself too!)
Bea & Marco says
Yeay!! I always feels accomplished when I get to know that kids love it. Yes, do browse around here as we have lots of Malaysian recipes (traditional and simplified). Thanks for your comment!
Chase says
Great recipe. We all loved it.
I never put pickled radish though because we never use it. Overall it's an easy recipe and tasty recipe.
Thanks.
Bea says
Yes, no problem at all if you omit the pickled radish. Glad that you liked the recipe, thank you Chase!
Belle says
Hello! My husband is craving for pad thai. I Googled, saw several recipes but decided on yours as it is the simplest! (I am not very kitchen savvy but I can follow instructions. Hee.) To replace lime juice with tamarind paste, how much of the paste do I need to use? Here in the Philippines, we have tamarind powder. If using that, can you advise as to the quantity to use? Thank you!
Bea says
Hi Belle! I'd say start with 1/2 tbsp of the paste and go from there. Pad Thai needs to have that slight touch of acidic in general, but not until you'd say the meal is sour. Hope it helps and let me know how it goes!
Manuel says
This is so easy and fast to make. My family loved it. Thanks.
Bea says
Glad that everybody loved it. Thank you Manuel!
daisy says
very delicious, cant stop eating!
easy, quick and very authentic tasting. I have recommended to a lot of my friends
Bea says
That's great! It's one of my favs! Thank you so much Daisy!
Joys says
It was awsome 😀
Bea says
It's one of my favourite stir frys :D. Thank you Joys!
Gavin T says
THANK YOU GIRL!!
This has become one of my hubby's favourite! I love it too since it's so easy to cook 😉
Bea says
Right? It's super easy to make. Happy to know that you both enjoy it, thank you so much!
ash gupta says
easy and delicious thank u i cooked it for my kids they love it..god bless u
Bea says
Thank you Ash, I'm excited to know that your kids love it! 🙂