Best Pad Thai Recipes

SPICY THAI BASIL CHICKEN (PAD KRAPOW GAI)

Steps:

• Whisk chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a bowl until well blended.
• Heat large skillet over high heat. Drizzle in oil. Add chicken and stir fry until it loses its raw color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in shallots, garlic, and sliced chilies. Continue cooking on high heat until some of the juices start to caramelize in the bottom of the pan, about 2 or 3 more minutes. Add about a tablespoon of the sauce mixture to the skillet; cook and stir until sauce begins to caramelize, about 1 minute.
• Pour in the rest of the sauce. Cook and stir until sauce has deglazed the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until sauce glazes onto the meat, 1 or 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
• Stir in basil. Cook and stir until basil is wilted, about 20 seconds. Serve with rice.

PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak rice noodles in cold water 30 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.
• Heat butter in a wok or large heavy skillet. Saute chicken until browned. Remove, and set aside. Heat oil in wok over medium-high heat. Crack eggs into hot oil, and cook until firm. Stir in chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Add softened noodles, and vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and red pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender. Add bean sprouts, and mix for 3 minutes.

AUTHENTIC PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with several inches of room temperature water; let soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain.
• Whisk sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil and minced garlic in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir in eggs; scramble until eggs are nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken breast slices and rice noodles; stir to combine.
• Stir in tamarind mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; cook until noodles are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with bean sprouts, chives, paprika, and lime wedges.

PAD THAI

Steps:

• For the Pad Thai Sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, vinegar, paprika and chili sauce. Set aside.
• For the Pad Thai: Soak the noodles in enough warm water to cover for 1 hour.
• If using, cut the banana leaf into round shapes using an overturned bowl. Place on the serving platter and hold for plating.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil and coat the skillet completely. When the skillet starts to smoke, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 seconds. Add the tofu and dried shrimp and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Push ingredients in the skillet to one side and let the oil settle in the center of skillet. Crack the eggs into the oil and let set until half-cooked, about 30 seconds, then lightly scramble. Combine with the remaining cooked ingredients in the skillet, scraping the bits from the bottom before they burn. Add 3 cups of the drained noodles and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Reserve the noodle soaking water.
• Add the salted turnip and shrimp. Cook until both the chicken and shrimp are at medium doneness, about 1 minute. Add the sauce and fold together until all the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Place half of the bean sprouts, half of the crushed peanuts and the garlic chives (or scallions) in the center of noodles, and then spoon some noodles over them to cover and let steam for 30 seconds. If the skillet seems dry, add a small amount of the noodle soaking water. Transfer to a serving plate with the banana leaf circle, and garnish with the remaining bean sprouts, peanuts and lime.

EASY PAD THAI

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions., In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry pork in oil over high heat until lightly browned; remove and set aside. Add shallot to pan and cook until tender, about 1 minute; add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Make a well in the center of the onion mixture; add egg. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until egg is completely set. , Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, lime juice and peanuts; heat through. Return pork to pan and heat through. Drain noodles; toss with pork mixture. Garnish with cilantro, additional peanuts, lime wedges and bean sprouts.

SHRIMP PAD THAI

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions., In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in oil until shrimp turn pink; remove and set aside. Add onion and garlic to the pan. Make a well in the center of the onion mixture; add egg. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until egg is completely set. , Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and peanuts; heat through. Return shrimp to the pan and heat through. Drain noodles; toss with shrimp mixture. Garnish with cilantro.

CHICKEN PAD THAI

Steps:

• For the noodles: Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.
• For the sauce: Stir together the fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind, sriracha and lime juice in a small bowl until well combined.
• For the stir fry: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Push the tofu to the side, allowing the excess oil to drip down into the middle of the skillet. Add the chicken and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is opaque and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Push to the side with the tofu, allowing the excess oil to drip down into the middle of the skillet. Add the beaten egg to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and chopping to break up, until cooked through, about 30 seconds. Push the egg to the side with the tofu and chicken. Add the peppers to the skillet and cook just to soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles, bean sprouts, scallions and sauce to the skillet. Combine the tofu, chicken and egg into the ingredients and stir fry, coating the ingredients with the sauce, and simmer to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Pile the stir fry onto a serving plate and top with chopped peanuts and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

SPICY SHRIMP PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside until noodles are softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
• Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Combine rice wine vinegar, ketchup, fish sauce, chile sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Set aside.
• Add shrimp to the wok. Cook and stir until pink, about 4 minutes. Add the ketchup mixture and stir. Move all ingredients to one side to clear a small space in the pan. Pour in eggs and cook without stirring until partially set, about 3 minutes.
• Stir the drained noodles into the shrimp and egg mixture. Add 1/2 cup peanuts, 1/4 cup bean sprouts, and carrots. Cook and stir until noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes. Garnish with the remaining peanuts, bean sprouts, lime wedges, green onions, and cilantro.

QUICK VEGGIE PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place the noodles in a large bowl and completely cover with boiling water. Allow them to soak and soften while you prepare the sauce and vegetables, checking and tossing the noodles occasionally to separate them and see when they are ready (they will still have a bit of a bite), 6 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• For the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, peanut butter, fish sauce, chile garlic sauce, lime zest and juice in a blender, along with the whites of the scallions, garlic and ginger. Blend to combine, 15 to 20 seconds. Set aside.
• Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Next, throw in the asparagus and red bell pepper, cooking for another minute or two. Push the veggies to the outer edge of the skillet and add the egg, stirring in the center of the skillet until the eggs scramble, then mix in with the vegetables. To ensure the vegetables keep their color and crunch, remove the vegetable-egg mixture from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the noodles and the sauce to the hot skillet and stir to combine. Allow to come to a boil and cook, tossing to coat completely and allowing the sauce to thicken slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vegetables back to the skillet and carefully toss to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot water. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the bean sprouts. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped peanuts, cilantro, reserved scallion greens and as much sriracha as your heart desires.

PAD THAI (THAI STIR-FRIED NOODLES)

Steps:

• Boil noodles until just soft (do not overcook).
• Drain water and place noodles in separate bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp oil in wok on high heat.
• Add garlic, shallots, oyster sauce, chicken and stir-fry until cooked.
• Move mixture to 1/2 of wok and add eggs on empty 1/2 of wok.
• Cook eggs.
• Mix eggs and chicken.
• Add noodles, fish sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper and brown sugar, stirring quickly so that noodles do not stick together.
• Stir in bean sprouts, green onion and peanuts.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro and a quick squeeze of lime juice.
• Serve immediately, with Pad Thai sauce, as desired.

AUTHENTIC PAD THAI NOODLES

Steps:

• Soak rice vermicelli noodles in a bowl filled with hot water until softened, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and set aside.
• Heat peanut oil over medium heat in a large wok.
• Cook and stir tofu in the wok, turning the pieces until they are golden on all sides.
• Remove tofu with a slotted spoon and drain on plate lined with paper towels.
• Pour all but 1 tablespoon of used oil from the wok into a small bowl; it will be used again in a later step.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok over medium heat until it starts to sizzle.
• Pour in beaten egg and lightly toss in the hot oil to scramble the egg.
• Remove egg from the wok and set aside.
• Pour reserved peanut oil in the small bowl back into the wok.
• Toss garlic and drained noodles in wok until they are coated with oil.
• Stir in vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar. Toss and gently push noodles around the pan to coat with sauce.
• Gently mix in tofu, scrambled egg, salt, chili flakes, and 3 tablespoons peanuts; toss to mix all ingredients.
• Mix in bean sprouts and green onions, reserving about 1 tablespoon of each for garnish. Cook and stir until bean sprouts have softened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Arrange noodles on a warm serving platter and garnish with 3 tablespoons peanuts and reserved bean sprouts and green onions. Place lime wedges around the edges of the platter.

VEGETARIAN PAD THAI

Steps:

• Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse well and drain again. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and lime juice., In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry carrots and pepper until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Add green onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from pan., Reduce heat to medium. Pour eggs into same pan; cook and stir until no liquid egg remains. Stir in carrot mixture, noodles and sauce mixture; heat through. Add bean sprouts; toss to combine. Top with cilantro and, if desired, peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

THE BEST SHRIMP PAD THAI

Steps:

• Cook the noodles according to package instructions and set aside.
• Stir together the fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind concentrate, lime juice and sriracha in a small bowl until well combined.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Push the tofu to the side, allowing the excess oil to drip down into the middle of the skillet. Add the shrimp and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Push to the side with the tofu, allowing the excess oil to drip down into the middle of the skillet. Add beaten egg to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally and chopping to break up, until cooked through, about 30 seconds. Push the egg to the side with the tofu and shrimp. Add the peppers to the skillet and cook just to soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles, scallions, bean sprouts and sauce to the skillet. Incorporate the tofu, shrimp and egg into the ingredients and stir fry, coating the ingredients with the sauce and simmering to thicken, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the stir-fry to a serving dish and top with chopped peanuts and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

STIR-FRIED THAI NOODLES: PAD THAI

Steps:

• Soak the dried rice noodles in cool or lukewarm water for 30 minutes, or until they're limp but still firm to the touch; later cooking in the wok will soften them more. Drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
• In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, tamarind juice, and sugar; stir well to melt the sugar. Taste and adjust flavors to the desired combination of salty, sour, and sweet.
• Heat a wok over medium-high heat until it is smoking hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and quickly stir-fry the shrimp until they turn pink and are almost cooked through; 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp to a plate and cover to keep warm.
• Add the remaining oil to the wok and toss in the garlic, shallots, and chile; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Push the garlic and shallots to 1 side of the wok and pour the egg into the center. Scramble the egg lightly until set, breaking it up into pieces with a spatula. Add the drained noodles to the wok, stirring and tossing quickly with 2 spatulas to separate the strands. Pour in the fish sauce mixture, tossing well to coat the noodles and keep them from sticking (if the noodles are still too firm, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help them cook.)
• When the noodles are in good shape, toss in 1/2 of the bean sprouts and peanuts; save the remaining for garnish. Continue to stir-fry, to combine. Return the shrimp to the wok and toss the pad thai together to warm everything through. Serve the pad thai on a platter, pile the remaining bean sprouts and peanuts on 1 side of the dish and garnish with the lime wedges and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over each portion before eating.

PAD KRAPAO (THAI STIR-FRY PORK WITH BASIL)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Add garlic and chile peppers and cook until garlic starts to brown, about 30 seconds. Add pork and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes. Pour in dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and fish sauce. Cook and stir until liquid has reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
• Add chile paste, onion, and bell pepper. Stir-fry until pork is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in basil leaves and season with pepper. Stir until well combined.

PAD THAI WITH CHICKEN AND SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, peanut butter, and chili paste until smooth.
• Heat a large wok over medium-high heat, and add canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and ginger and let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the vegetables, chicken, and shrimp, and stir-fry until chicken and shrimp are browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add noodles and toss to coat.
• Add peanut/spice paste, brown sugar and cider vinegar and toss to distribute. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Spread chopped romaine on a platter. Serve pad Thai on top of lettuce and garnish with mung bean sprouts, lime, cilantro and chopped peanuts.

THAI STIR-FRIED NOODLES (PAD SEE EW)

Steps:

• Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak until tender, 4 to 8 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water and leave in a colander to drain.
• Combine oyster sauce, water, dark and regular soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl.
• Place a wok over high heat; add oil and mince garlic straight into the wok. Heat until oil is hot and garlic is starting to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add chicken and broccoli; stir-fry for 1 minute. Move chicken and broccoli to one side. Crack egg into the skillet and scramble it, about 1 minute.
• Add noodles and sauce; fold gently to combine, until sauce evenly coats the noodles and caramelizes a bit, and chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes.

SLOW-COOKER PAD THAI

Steps:

• Place chicken in a 1-1/2- or 3-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the next 6 ingredients; pour over chicken. Cook, covered, on low until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, about 4 hours. Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred chicken with two forks and return to slow cooker., In a large saucepan, cook noodles according to package directions. In a small nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Pour in eggs; cook and stir until eggs are thickened and no liquid egg remains., Drain noodles. Stir eggs and noodles into slow cooker. Top with green onions, peanuts and cilantro.Freeze option: Double the chicken mixture. Freeze half of cooled chicken mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Prepare noodles and eggs as directed; stir into chicken mixture. Garnish as desired.

KAO PAD (THAI-STYLE FRIED RICE)

Steps:

• Choose and prepare vegetables. Select a combination with a variety of colors.
• In a wok, heat the oil and stir fry the ginger and garlic until golden.
• Remove them with a slotted spoon and save for later.
• In the same oil, stir-fry the vegetables until just cooked. Add the harder ones (like carrots) first, and the tender ones (like sprouts) last.
• Remove the vegetables from the wok and set aside.
• Add the rice to the wok and heat thoroughly.
• With your stirring spoon, make a hole in the center of the rice, down to the wok and put in the eggs.
• Stir until they are pretty well set before you mix them into the rice. The more you cook the eggs before stirring them into the rice, the drier the dish will be.
• Add the tomatoes, the reserved ginger and garlic and the stir-fried vegetables.
• Finally, mix in the chili sauce, soy sauce and lime juice.
• For serving, top each serving with thin slices of scallions. Put thin slices of lime on the side.

SIMPLE SHRIMP PAD THAI

Steps:

• Cook noodles according to package directions., Meanwhile, stir-fry shrimp and garlic in oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok until shrimp turn pink; remove and keep warm. Add eggs to skillet; cook and stir until set., Add the marinara, soy sauce and brown sugar; heat through. Return shrimp to the pan. Drain noodles; toss with shrimp mixture., Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro. Serve with lime and, if desired, Sriracha.