This Pad Thai recipe is hands-down one of the easiest, tastiest recipes on the blog. It’s a Thai noodle dish made with simple ingredients and can be made with chicken, shrimp or tofu! Vegan-adaptable and Gluten-Free adaptable. Once your ingredients are prepped, it only takes 15 minutes to cook it up.
Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. ~ Dalai Lama
Here’s a simple easy recipe for the best Pad Thai that contains very accessible ingredients and only takes about 15 minutes of actual cooking time, once the ingredients are prepped. The Pad Thai Sauce is so flavorful and balanced- it is as close as comes to the real deal without having to take a trip to the Asian market.
Believe me, when I tell you, I’ve had a lot of Pad Thai in my life. Here and all across Thailand! It’s one of my favorite things to eat, and so I’ve made a practice of learning how to perfect this dish. It’s all about the flavor balance of the sauce, and the texture of the noodles.
So yes, I may be biased but I think this tastes pretty darn amazing! Seriously! But don’t take my word for it….give it a try yourself and see what you think. What I love about this Pad Thai recipe is how adaptable and customizable it is. Make this with chicken, or shrimp or tofu. YES, you can even make vegan Pad Thai !!! Here’s my recipe for vegan fish sauce that will come in handy. 😉
how to make pad thai! | 30-second video
Simple and easy!
How to Make Pad Thai (in a nutshell):
- Whisk together Pad Thai Sauce
- Prep the protein and vegetables
- Whisk the eggs
- Cook the noodles
- Stir fry it all together!
I have paired this Pad Thai recipe down to its simplest components. I also make a more authentic version here, emulating what we learned in Thailand- using tamarind and such, but here I’ve wanted to create it with ingredients most everyone has on hand.
It really doesn’t need to be complicated to taste amazing. It is ALL about balance!
Give it a try. Once you have the ingredients prepped, see if you can cook it in 15 minutes! It’s a fun challenge. It took me 20 minutes the first time, then finally down to 15!
Cooking Tips:
- Read the whole recipe through first and then give it a go.
- Practice! The more you make this the faster and easier it will be!
- Use a wok! A skillet will work in a pinch but a wok gives the best results!
- Pad Thai works best made in smaller batches, so the noodles can fry! If doubling, fry in batches!
- Prep everything ahead, and place it near the stove. Cooking goes very fast here!
Pad Thai Variations:
Make the Pad Thai with tofu (like you see above) or chicken or shrimp — take your pick. If going for chicken, make sure to read the notes at the bottom of the recipe, especially if looking to reduce fat.
We’ve been poaching the thinly sliced chicken in a bit of water instead of frying it, and this is the way it was done at the restaurant. In fact, they actually poached the chicken in water ahead to save even more time, which is always an option.
Cutting the chicken very thinly really cuts down on cooking time, plus it just works better in the recipe. Remember to cut across the grain. So here I’ve cut it into ⅛ -¼ thin strips about two inches long.
To save a few calories, I poach it in a little salted water, until cooked through which just takes a couple of minutes. Then I set it aside.
Another secret to this flavorful pad thai recipe is the shallot. And of course garlic. But shallot more than anything adds so much flavor to this dish, way more than substituting onions. So try to seek out shallots at your grocery store, it will make a big difference -trust me!
Sometimes I’ll add ginger, but it’s not imperative- and to save time, I’ll use store-bought, already peeled garlic.
Ginger paste, which comes in a tube is also another time-saving product I’ll buy at the grocery store.
Saute the garlic and shallot and prep the remaining ingredients.
Pad Thai Sauce Ingredients!
The secret to the best Pad Thai is the sauce! It must be balanced. Salty, sweet, and sour!
- Fish sauce ( or vegan fish sauce) and soy sauce add the salty component.
- Brown Sugar or honey add sweetness. (In Thailand it is traditional to use palm sugar.)
- Rice Vinegar or tamarind paste and lime juice, add the sour component.
There is a delicate balance between salty, tart and sweet, and when you find it, totally elevates the dish! This sauce to my palate is perfectly balanced.
Try it and see for yourself. You may adjust to your personal taste.
AND please do not leave the sugar component out. You will end up with fishy, sour pad thai that tastes terrible. TRUST ME.
Noodles to use in Pad Thai:
- Pad Thai is typically made with Rice Noodles.
- These also called Rice Stick!
How to cook Rice Noodles:
Pour boiling water over rice noodles in a baking dish and let them soak until they are pliable (about 7-8 minutes) but not overly soft. Or follow the directions on the package. Each brand is different. They don’t need to be fully soft, as they will soften as you sauté them.
Then place everything by the stove and cook it up!
Vegan Options:
- If going for a vegan pad thai, make the vegan fish sauce recipe ahead, it’s actually quite good, and keeps for months.
- Make crispy tofu as the protein.
- Leave the egg out!
How to Garnish Pad Thai:
Pad Thai is typically garnished with fresh lime juice- so serve it up with lime wedges, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts (or try this amazing Peanut Chili Crunch!) scallions or Thai basil. Serve with sriracha or chili paste for extra heat.
I hope you after you make this, you’ll think this is the best Pad Thai recipe you’ve ever made too! 😉
Haha! Let me know in the comments below! 🙂
Happy weekend.
xoxoxo
You may also like:
- 20 Delicious Thai Recipes!
- Kimchi Noodles
- Singapore Noodles!
- Chinese Sesame Noodles with Veggies!
- Kung Pao Noodles!
- Veggie Lo Mein Noodles!
- FAST & HEALTHY WEEKNIGHT DINNERS!
- Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- 15 MINUTE THAI COCONUT NOODLE SOUP (KHAO SOI)
Easy Pad Thai Recipe ( Chicken, Shrimp or Tofu)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Main
- Method: stir-fried
- Cuisine: Thai
Description
An easy recipe for Pad Thai with simple accessible ingredients with the most amazing flavor! The best part … once you have your ingredients prepped it only takes 15 minutes of actual cooking time! See recipe notes for tips and tricks! Read the directions all the way through before starting.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dry pad thai noodles (rice noodles)
- Boiling water to cover noodles
- 1 large shallot, finely diced ( much better than onion here)
- 4 chopped garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon chopped ginger (optional)
- 2 eggs, whisked with a fork with a generous 3-finger pinch salt ( if vegan, leave it out)
- 6–8 ounces tofu, chicken breast or peeled prawns
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, wok oil or coconut oil
- 1 lime
Pad Thai Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce (see notes- or use vegan fish sauce)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar, palm sugar or regular sugar) see notes
- 3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar (or tamarind water– see notes)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or GF liquid aminos like Braggs)
Garnish:
- lime wedges, fresh bean sprouts, chili flakes, chopped scallions, roasted peanuts.
Instructions
- COOK NOODLES: Cook noodles according to package instructions (or place rice noodles in a shallow bowl or baking dish and boil enough water to cover them. Cover with boiling water for 7- 8 minutes, until tender, then drain. They don’t have to be totally soft, just bendy and pliable)
- Chop shallot, garlic and ginger and set aside.
- Whisk the two eggs in a bowl with a fork and add a generous, 3-finger pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Make the Pad Thai Sauce Whisk fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce. (see notes) in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Prep and Cook the protein: Chicken: slice chicken into very thin strips and season with salt and pepper. Crispy Tofu: Blot tofu with paper towels pressing down firmly. Cut tofu into ¾ inch cubes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and for extra crispy, dredge in a little corn starch. Shrimp: Peel and season with salt and pepper. COOK: Sear the seasoned chicken, shrimp or tofu in a wok with hot oil until cooked through over medium-high heat. Set aside, on top of a paper towel, wipe out the pan. Turn heat off.
- STIR FRY the PAD THAI: Gather your chopped shallots, whisked eggs, cooked noodles, cooked protein and Pad Thai sauce around the stove. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in the wok over medium heat, add shallot-garlic-ginger and stir, cooking just a few minutes until golden and fragrant.
- Make a well in the center of the wok, scooting the shallot mixture to the side of the pan, add the whisked eggs. With a metal spatula, scramble them and break them apart into little bits, letting them brown just a little, and incorporate them into the shallots continuing to break them into small bits.
- Add the drained, semi-soft noodles and toss with the egg mixture, stirring, flipping, frying constantly for 3-4 minutes until noodles become soft and pliable.
- Add the Pad Thai Sauce and cook 1 minute. It will smell quite fishy at first – turn your fan on – but it will mellow out perfectly. Add the cooked chicken, tofu or shrimp and turn and toss the noodles for a few more minutes. Cook until the noodles are soft (but still a little chewy) adding just a little water if it seems too dry.
- Toss in the bean sprouts and roasted peanuts (or serve on the side) and sprinkle with chili flakes and scallions. Squeeze with a little lime juice. Taste. Adjust salt, lime and sweetness to your liking adding a pinch of salt, more lime or more a pinch more sugar to taste. Give one more toss and serve immediately. Divide among two plates.
- Garnish with more bean sprouts, fresh scallions, cilantro or basil, chili flakes, lime wedges and roasted crushed peanuts. Or make this Peanut Chili Crunch!
Notes
DO NOT BE tempted to cut out the sugar – understand that Pad Thai Sauce is a very delicate balance between sweet (sugar), salt (fish sauce) and acid (vinegar or tamarind) . I’ve already lowered the sugar as much as I could while preserving the balance. That being said, if you are intent on cutting the sugar back, cut back the on the vinegar and fish sauce as well. 🙂 *Leaving the sugar or honey out will result in terrible Pad THAI! Also the same with leaving out the fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce) or leaving out the acid.
Fish sauce: If you are not accustomed to fish sauce, or are using a brand you haven’t tried before (some are fishier than others) feel free to go a little lighter on the fish sauce. It is an acquired taste. If going less, you will need to add a little more salt to taste.
DOUBLING: Doubling the recipe will double the time and be much harder to manage all at once, in one wok. If doubling, I highly recommend cooking in two batches in the wok.
Use time-saving ingredients like store-bought peeled garlic (or minced garlic) and ginger paste in a tube. Using pre-cooked chicken is fastest -leftover rotisserie chicken is perfect. Also you could make the Pad Thai sauce ahead!
Tips for health: An easy way to cut back on the oil in the recipe is to poach the thinly sliced chicken in a little salted water (just enough to barely cover) and poach in the pan or wok for just a few minutes. Drain and set aside. The thinner you slice the chicken the faster it will cook.
TIPS for flavor:
- Peanut Oil and chili flakes really really elevate this dish!
- Tamarind: If using tamarind (instead of rice vinegar) make tamarind “water” by mixing 1 -2 teaspoons tamarind paste with 2 tablespoons water. Or use 1-2 teaspoons tamarind “concentrate” with 2 tablespoons water. Use this in place of the vinegar. This is more traditional but I realize not everyone has access to tamarind. Tamarind is extremely sour so if unfamiliar, go light. You can always add more.
- TEXTURE IS KEY! Everything from frying the noodles to adding the bean sprouts and roasted peanuts elevates this.
Keywords: Pad Thai, best pad thai, pad thai recipe, best pad Thai recipe, vegan pad Thai pad, easy pad thai, authentic pad thai, chicken pad thai, pad thai recipe with tofu, vegan pad thai recipe, vegetarian pad thai recipe
c
How much honey do I replace the sugar? 3 tablespoons of sugar = 3 tablespoons of honey??
Yes Marcy!
How well does this keep as a leftover? I was thinking of making it for a friend for a food train. Thank you!
So actually, I don’t recommend this for leftovers. I think it is best served right away. Sorry… what about making something like the Lo Mein Noodles?
Or the Thai Noodle Salad- that one keeps really well!
Made this today – very disappointed. My husband and I both felt it was blah and dry. Followed the instructions exactly. I had high hopes for this recipe, but sadly I won’t be making it again.
Huh, sorry about that, not sure what happened. It really shouldn’t be dry?
I am a Pad Thai nut! This is THE BEST recipe I’ve ever made! It can be a bit daunting at first, but its really easy, after a couple of times. And don’t skimp on the proper ingredients: it really does make a difference!
★★★★★
Thanks Duane, appreciate this!
Oh man, I dont know if it’s just me, but this turned out really bad. The ginger was a bad idea and too much fishy flavor. a
Sorry this didn’t work for you Tamara.
First time I made a thai meal and this recipe turned out fantastic. All family loved it, I like the way you explain everything and break it down to easy steps. Thank you so much for sharing. I found my new obsession! Love Home Made Thai Food..❤️
★★★★★
Great to hear!
Hi Sylvia,
I’m going to try this recipe soon but I saw the cholesterol amount (Cholesterol 248.1mg; 83% Daily Value) and was quite shocked! I have high cholesterol and have to watch my intake. I can’t figure out where all that cholesterol is in the recipe unless I would be using butter, chicken with skin on, and maybe bacon added. Is this cholesterol level accurate for this recipe?
Thank you.
It is from the two eggs and the chicken breast. You could cut eggs down to one, and use tofu?
What a great, easy and quick recipe! It’s the first time i attempt to do homemade pad thai and it was delicious. I also halved the fish sauce because I’m not a fan but appreciate the fact that it’s a must for this dish!
★★★★★
This recipe is amazing! Very similar to the Pad Thai at our local Thai restaurant. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you!
★★★★★
I’ve made other recipes from this site but this one was not good. I can appreciate that recipes like this obviously won’t be “authentic.” But it wasn’t even that. It just wasn’t very good. I made this exactly the way it was written against my better judgement and then had to make several adjustments at the end to fix what was wrong. Def shouldn’t be listed as a “15 min” recipe (clickbait!) Sauce was not right. Incorporation of ingredients was out of order and sauce was nowhere close to what it should or could have been. I’m actually mad because I feel like I was sucked in by the idea of some kind of magical simplified Pad Thai and this was not it.
Hi Lauren, I can feel your frustration, and I’m truly sorry it didn’t work for you. It is one of those recipes that sometimes takes a couple times to get it down. For the sauce did you use vinegar or tamarind? I will look over the recipe to see if there is away to improve or simplify it. I appreciate you sharing your feedback. Sylvia
Hi! I have a question. I am making this recipe in about a week for 4 people. Would this recipe as is be sufficient or should I plan to double it?
Double it but stirfry in two batches.
we have made this recipe at least 5 times now and LOVE it! i always make a little more sauce because I prefer extra sauce on just about everything. We’ve done chicken (and always slice it thin! totally agree with you), tofu and shrimp and all tasted delicious. I’m careful with the fish sauce since my husband doesn’t like it when i get heavy handed with it and i add garlic red chili paste to it or more spice. Highly recommend and thank you for such an easy recipe for one of our favorite restaurant foods.
★★★★★
Delish! Thank you for an authentic Thai recipe.
★★★★★
I just made tonight, and it was absolutely Yummy!!! thanks for sharing the recipe
★★★★★
I find it quite sour and the proportion of other ingredients seem to outweigh the noodles. I used 100grams of rice noodles as per recipe now I wonder if my conversion is wrong. I watched the video and it seems like the noodle is more than just 100grams.
It may not have been enough noodles?
Fantastic. Tasted just like the real thing. Sauce was perfect.
★★★★★
The flavour was amazing, but I found the list of ingredients to be incomplete which added some frustration for my first attempt at this recipe. Everyone loved it which is what is really important, so I will definitely be making it again. Now that I’ve done it once, the next time will be much easier. Thank you for sharing!
Oops. Forgot to rate on my previous review.
★★★★
It will be easier, I promise.
Fantastic recipe. I’ll probably only use 2 tablespoons of brown sugar instead of 3 next time I make it.
★★★★★
Seriously, the best pad thai recipe out there. We use spaghetti squash instead of rice noodles and it is absolutely amazing.
★★★★★
I don’t know what I did wrong. I am an experienced cook and I followed the recipe carefully. Sadly it was horrible.
I’m so sorry about that Andrea- I will reach out in an email and see if you can give more specifics about what went wrong.
Just made this exactly as recipe states, using tamarind paste and prawns, OMG it was wonderful! Thank you so much for the recipe, I’m feeling very accomplished 🙂
★★★★★
Really good! Amazingly authentic tasting without all the harder to find ethnic ingredients. Added two heaping tablespoons of chunky peanut butter for peanut flavor and one teaspoon of sriracha to the sauce mixture for a little heat.
★★★★★
I have made a lot of different versions of pad thai using different store-bought sauces. This beats them all. The sugar truly makes it. Thank you.
Thanks David, appreciate this!
Delicious!! Doubled the sauce amounts and added a tablespoon of peanut butter. Thanks for the recipe !!
★★★★★
Wow, tastes like the real thing! Delish
★★★★★
Fabulous! Do you teach cooking classes in the Bay Area? So many of your recipes are amazing!!
I don’t….but thanks!!!
Wow- this was spot on delicious! I chopped up my large shrimp to stretch it a bit more- but wow, wow, wow! So good!
★★★★★
Great recipe – really authentic – a triumph!
★★★★★
yay Phil! Glad this worked for you!
My whole family loved it! We’ll work it in to our monthly rotation… perhaps even more often. I think it’s better than most restaurant Pad Thai… less oily. I feel it’s a healthy meal with a great balance of vegetables and healthy protein ratio to noodles (we used tofu). I love that this recipe can be made without planning ahead, since I have most of the ingredients on hand all the time. I doubled the recipe for my family of 6. I might triple next time. We made it in a 16″ Presto electric skillet, and it was easy to manage a double quantity… I feel sure we could manage a triple size recipe and recommend the skillet if you have a large family!
I tossed about 1/2 cup chopped peanuts and 3 large green onions at last step. Then I put another 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, 3 more minced green onions, and a whole chopped red pepper in bowls to add in, super yum!
It was easy (but I’m slow… it took me at least 45 minutes the first time… I think I could do better next time, speed isn’t my forte in the kitchen). I tossed my tofu in a little soy sauce and baked it in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, flipping 1/2 way through… I just love tofu baked.
Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
★★★★★
Love it Tanya, thanks for sharing!
This is the best pad this recipe we’ve tried. I like how you keep it authentic and don’t add peanut butter. Perfectly balanced and not too sweet.
★★★★★