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.
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Pad Thai
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 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
For the Pad Thai sauce:
- 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
Instructions
- 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!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
Abby says
This is a really good recipe. I have been craving pad thai a LOT recently and keep getting it for takeout so I decided I should save money and make it at home. I can honestly say this was better than any restaurant I tried. I didn’t change much except added carrots and used whole wheat noodles. Not even the whole wheat noodles could ruin it!
Lauren Allen says
Thanks so much for the great feedback!
Amy says
This recipe is the bomb! So easy to follow and it comes out a-mazing every time! I use the fish sauce instead of tamarind, only because I haven’t found it it yet. This pad thai has become a family favorite and one of the most requested meals. Thank you so much!
Lauren Allen says
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks Amy.
Stephanie M says
Need to perfect my technique but this recipe is AWESOME. Closest I’ve come to my favorite restaurants now that they’ve closed.. THANK YOU so much.
Kristin Appelhans says
This was sooo yummy! Better than any restaurant I’ve eaten. The only thing I changed was to double the amount of chicken. And I didn’t add extra oil before cooking the egg. This will definitely be going in my recipe book!
Note: This came out to be medium spicy, which was a little too spicy for my toddler. I’d use a little less Sriracha for her next time.
Delana says
This was an excellent sauce and awesome recipe. Best Pad Thai I’ve had in a long time.
Lauren Allen says
Thanks Delana! I’m happy you liked it so much!
Sharryl says
This is DELICIOUS!! So quick & easy & I usually add whatever protein & veggies I have on hand.
Lauren Allen says
It’s a great recipe to adapt and use what you have! Thanks for sharing!