This amazing Pad Thai recipe is easy and approachable and can be made in under 30 minutes. It starts with fresh ingredients including rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, tofu, cilantro, bean sprouts, peanuts and scrambled eggs tossed in a delicious homemade pad thai sauce that is so good it tastes like it came from your favorite Thai restaurant.
I’ve not kept my love for Thai food a secret here (here are some of my favorite Thai recipes), but I really can’t believe it’s taken me so long to share a homemade pad thai recipe. Just see the recipe card for proof of how easy it is to make from home!
What is Pad Thai?
Pad Thai is stir-fry dish made with rice noodles, shrimp, chicken, or tofu, peanuts, a scrambled egg and bean sprouts. The ingredients are sautéed together in a wok and tossed in a delicious pad thai sauce. It’s common street food in Thailand and one of the most popular menu items at Thai restaurants around the country.
To make vegan or vegetarian pad thai, leave out the egg and substitute the fish sauce for more soy sauce.
How to make Pad Thai Sauce:
Traditional pad thai sauce includes fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and tamarind paste. Tamarind paste is not easily found at a regular grocery stores so I substituted rice vinegar. If you would like to use tamarind paste, substitute about 2 Tablespoons in place of the rice vinegar in this recipe. I also added a big scoop of peanut butter to my sauce, because I think it gives the whole dish an added creaminess and boost of flavor that I love.
Love Thai Food? Try these favorite recipes:
FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
This amazing Pad Thai recipe is easy, approachable and can be made in under 30 minutes, fresh ingredients and a delicious homemade pad thai sauce.
- 8 ounces flat rice noodles
- 3 Tablespoons oil
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 8 ounces uncooked shrimp, chicken, or extra-firm tofu , cut into small pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 1 red bell pepper , thinly sliced
- 3 green onions , chopped
- 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 2 limes
- 1/2 cup Fresh cilantro , chopped
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 5 Tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar * see note
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce , or more, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter , optional
Cook noodles according to package instructions, just until tender. Rinse under cold water.
Mix the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium-high heat.
Add the shrimp, chicken or tofu, garlic and bell pepper. The shrimp will cook quickly, about 1-2 minutes on each side, or until pink. If using chicken, cook until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes, flipping only once.
Push everything to the side of the pan. Add a little more oil and add the beaten eggs. Scramble the eggs, breaking them into small pieces with a spatula as they cook.
Add noodles, sauce, bean sprouts and peanuts to the pan (reserving some peanuts for topping at the end). Toss everything to combine.
Top with green onions, extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately!
Recipe Video
To use tamarind paste in the sauce, substitute 2 Tablespoons in place of the vinegar.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Betsy says
Ah-maz-ing! AND easy? Win-win!
Fish sauce scares me but tastes oh so good….
Lauren Allen says
Thanks so much Betsy! I’m thrilled you loved it <3
Jen Vincent says
This is totally a fan favourite with eaters, picky and not! Thanks for this! My range is 11-19 and it is loved waaaaaay more than take away!
Don says
Excellent! Made it tonight with the tamarind paste and peanut butter. . Quick and delicious.
Trina Eddy says
Delicious despite a few adjustments due to what I had. Replaced rice vinegar with Tbsn malt and braggs, used shitaki noodles and salted mixed nuts instead of peanuts. Loved every bite.
Jill says
This is the BEST Pad Thai that my husband and I have ever had!!! Thank you for the recipe. I’m making it again tonight!
Lauren Allen says
That makes me so so happy!!! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Olivia says
I cannot find fresh bean sprouts anywhere near me 🙁 is there a substitute I can use for them?
Lauren Allen says
You could use canned bean sprouts :-). I would drain and wash them and soak them in ice water before adding them to the dish, to make them a little more cold and crisp.
Denise says
I love pad thai and it is such a hassle to have to dine out every time I get a craving and let’s face it, the meal kits from the grocery store are not good. I decided to learn to make it and chose this recipe based on the “amazing” and “easy” comments, and it did not disappoint! So good and if you have any leftover, it’s even better the next day! I followed the recipe exactly using the rice vinegar version and included the peanut butter. YUMMY!
Lauren Allen says
That’s great Denise! I’m so glad you found my website and enjoyed the Pad Thai!
Priscilla Rodriguez says
This is so good!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so glad I found your site.
Lauren Allen says
Thanks so much Priscilla! I am glad you found my site as well 🙂
Nicole says
Wow! Made sauce as is with peanut butter. I did omit chicken and added bok choy and carrots. So good!! Person I cooked for said best pad Thai ever, I agree! Never made without tamarind paste and this made me nervous, but was not missed! Thank you so much! Definitely a keeper! May never make pad thai any other way! And so easy!
Lauren Allen says
Hi Nicole,
I am so happy to hear you liked the recipe! I love the bok choy substitution!
Kevin says
Fantastic – perhaps a bit more time to prepare if you’re a dad on his own, but it’s just time chopping and preparing. Fabulous flavor. Beware, the recipe makes a pile (and is good for lunch the next day)!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks Kevin, I’m really glad you enjoyed it!
Gillian says
This was great, thank you. Bookmarking as a recipe to repeat. We had leftover vermicelli (thinner noodles) and it worked great. The key is to make sure you get the noodles crispy, not just “boiled” in the sauce. Great recipe.
Mona says
EASY AND SO TASTY!!!
Sharri says
How big a taste difference will result from using soy sauce instead of fish oil? Thank you!
Lauren Allen says
They do taste different but I imagine it could be fine with soy sauce.
Karen says
OMG! I was very skeptical when I read the ingredients but this recipe is awesome! I would have been happy if I got it in a restaurant. Well done :)!
Raven says
This recipe is so easy but very delicious! I tried this with tamarind paste and with shitake mushroom to veganize. Thank you!
Sally says
Do peanuts come already roasted? Or do hey come raw and have to be roasted? Sorry I don’t usually cook stuff like this so I do t know.
Lauren Allen says
You can buy them either way. I usually by them roasted.
Candace says
I’m a cook in the Coast Guard and tried this with my crew, they loved it! Multiplied the sauce by 4 but used 4 bags of noodle, no meat.
Lauren Allen says
Thank you so much Candace–that is amazing! Thank you for your service.
Natalie says
This is amazing! My picky boys & husband loved it! I followed the recipe exactly except omitted bean sprouts (not a fan), added bok choy, mushrooms & chicken. I will definitely be making this often! Thanks!