Pad Thai
intro
Classic tangy, sweet, and savory Thai stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, and crunchy garnishes, balancing all five core Thai flavor profiles.
Ingredients
Steps
Soak Noodles and Prep Sauce
First, prep noodles and sauce: Place 150g dried 3mm rice sticks in a large heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over to fully submerge, and soak for 8-10 minutes until chewy-tender (not mushy, as they will cook further in the wok). Drain thoroughly and toss with 1 tsp (5ml) of vegetable oil to prevent sticking, then set aside. While noodles soak, stir 60ml concentrated tamarind paste, 45ml fish sauce, and 30g grated palm sugar in a small bowl until sugar fully dissolves to make the signature Pad Thai sauce.
Pan-Fry Pressed Tofu Cubes
Heat 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil in a carbon steel wok or large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat (175C/350F) until the oil shimmers. Add the 100g cubed pressed tofu, pan-fry for 3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on all edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer tofu to a clean plate, leaving the remaining oil in the wok.
Stir-Fry Garlic and Dried Shrimp
Add the remaining 1 tbsp (15ml) vegetable oil to the wok, keeping heat at medium-high. Toss in 15g minced garlic and 10g chopped dried shrimp, stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant (take care not to burn the garlic, as it will turn bitter). Push the garlic and dried shrimp to one side of the wok, pour the 2 lightly beaten eggs into the empty side, and let set for 45 seconds before scrambling lightly into soft, small curds.
Cook Shrimp and Add Sauce
Add the 200g raw shrimp to the wok, toss continuously with the egg and aromatic mixture for 2 minutes until the shrimp turn fully pink and opaque on all sides. Pour the pre-mixed Pad Thai sauce into the wok, bring to a gentle simmer (about 30 seconds) before adding the drained, oiled rice noodles. Use tongs to toss the noodles evenly with the sauce for 2 minutes, until every strand is evenly coated in glossy brown sauce.
Toss Tofu and Vegetables
Turn heat down to medium (150C/300F). Add the fried tofu back to the wok, along with 100g of the bean sprouts and 35g of the garlic chives. Toss all ingredients together for 1 minute, until the vegetables just start to wilt but still retain a crisp, fresh crunch. Turn off the heat immediately to avoid overcooking the vegetables and turning noodles mushy.
Plate and Garnish Pad Thai
Divide the finished Pad Thai evenly between 4 plates. Top each serving with the remaining 50g raw bean sprouts, 15g remaining garlic chives, an equal sprinkle of the 45g crushed roasted peanuts, optional red chili flakes, and 1 lime wedge per plate. Serve immediately while hot, so noodles stay chewy and garnishes stay crisp.
Tips
2.Maintain consistent medium-high heat during stir-frying: low heat will make noodles soggy and prevent the light, smoky 'wok hei' flavor that defines well-made Pad Thai.
3.Skip ketchup in the sauce for authentic flavor: traditional Pad Thai gets its bright tang from tamarind paste, and grated palm sugar adds a deeper, less cloying sweetness than refined white or brown sugar.
OMG this is SO good!!! I’ve tried so many pad thai recipes that tasted nothing like the street cart stuff I got in Bangkok years ago, and this nailed it. Took the full 30 minutes even with me prepping veggies ahead, totally worth it. My kids devoured two servings each and asked for it again next week for our family dinner night!
Total game changer for my weekly meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday, portioned it out with extra tofu and crushed peanuts on top, and it held up perfectly all week for work lunches. Way better than the takeout spot down the street that charges $15 a plate. Only note is I added a little extra chili flakes because I love heat.
Really solid recipe, tasted exactly like the pad thai I get from my favorite local food truck. Only reason it’s not 5 stars is I messed up the rice noodles the first go-round — I soaked them too long and they got mushy when I stir fried them. Next time I’ll soak them for half the time the package says like the tip mentioned! Cook time was right at 30 minutes once I got the noodles sorted.
Brought this to my neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were begging for the recipe! I used shrimp like the recipe suggested, but tossed in a handful of extra bean sprouts right at the end for crunch. Even my picky mother-in-law went back for seconds, which is basically a miracle tbh.
Okay flavor was on point, but this was way harder than I expected for a medium difficulty recipe? I feel like I was juggling 6 things at once with the wok, the sauce, the eggs, the noodles. Ended up with a little bit of scrambled egg stuck all over my pan, but it still tasted good enough that I’ll try again once I get my stir fry rhythm down.
Just finished making this for date night and my boyfriend said it’s better than any restaurant pad thai we’ve had in the city! I used chicken instead of shrimp because that’s what we had in the fridge, added a squeeze of extra lime on top before serving. 10/10 will be adding this to our regular rotation. The 30 minute cook time is no joke, too — I was shocked how fast it came together once I had all my mise en place ready.
My granddaughter has been begging for pad thai ever since she tried it at a school food fair, and this recipe did not disappoint! I was worried it would be too spicy for her, so I left the chili flakes on the side for people to add their own, and she ate a whole big bowl. Even my husband, who swears he doesn’t like 'foreign food', had two helpings. Who knew!
Flavor is 10/10, but I wish the recipe noted that you need a pretty hot wok to get that little charred street-style edge! My stove is electric and doesn’t get super hot, so I didn’t get that same smoky flavor I was hoping for. Still tasted great, just missing that one note I love from cart pad thai.
Just made this for the first time and WOW. I’ve been intimidated to make pad thai at home for years because I thought it would require a million specialty ingredients, but I found everything I needed at my regular grocery store. The balance of sweet, sour, salty is exactly right. I topped mine with extra crushed peanuts and cilantro, chef’s kiss.
Game changer! I’ve been using a different pad thai recipe for years that was way too sweet, and this one has the perfect tang from the tamarind. I added pressed pan-fried tofu for a vegetarian version and it worked so well. Even my roommate, who hates tofu, said he loved it.