This amazing Pad Thai recipe is easy and comes together in under 30 minutes. It starts with fresh ingredients including rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, tofu, peanuts, scrambled eggs, and fresh vegetables all tossed together in a delicious homemade pad thai sauce.
Looking for more fun 30-Minute-Meals? Try my Creamy Pesto Tortellini, Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Ground Beef Bowls.
I haven’t kept my love for Thai food a secret (here are some of my favorite Thai inspired recipes). My love comes from my mom’s cooking, and enjoying favorite Thai restaurants near my hometown, like My Thai, owned by Dee Benson. Dee also made the best fresh spring rolls and gave us advice for making them. This recipe was created by me in an effort to use ingredients I could find easily, and recreate the taste I love.
For a more Authentic Pad Thai recipe that uses palm sugar and tamarind paste, check out Thai Cooking with Joy.
Why I love this recipe:
- 30 Minutes: From start to finish, perfect for a busy weeknight!
- Easy: A few simple steps and everything gets tossed together in the same pan!
- Flavorful: The fresh vegetables and homemade pad thai sauce really make this meal shine!
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 a 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.
A Note about 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.
How to Make Pad Thai:
Cook Noodles: Follow package instructions to cook noodles just until tender. Rinse under cold water.
Make Sauce: Stir together fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar (or tamarind paste), Sriracha, and peanut butter, if using. Set aside.
Sauté Protein: Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, chicken or tofu, garlic and bell pepper. Cook until meat is done.
Cook Eggs: 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.
Combine and Toss: Add noodles, sauce, bean sprouts and peanuts to the pan (reserving some peanuts for topping at the end). Toss everything to combine.
Serve: Top with green onions, extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately!
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Cut your protein, and chop veggies ahead of time. Stir together sauce ingredients and set aside.
To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe Variations:
- Tamarind Paste: Substitute 2 Tablespoons Tamarind paste in place of the vinegar, for a more authentic sauce.
- Vegan or Vegetarian: Leave out the egg. Use tofu, and substitute the fish sauce for more soy sauce.
- Peanut Butter: In my recipe, I add a big scoop of peanut butter to the sauce because I think it gives the whole dish an added creaminess and boost of flavor.
More Thai Inspired Recipes:
- Panang Curry
- Yellow Curry
- Drunken Noodles
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Peanut Chicken Pasta
- Green Curry Meatballs
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
Pad Thai
Equipment
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 , or Tamarind Paste*
- 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.
- Make sauce by combining sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
- Stir Fry:: Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a wok or large saucepan 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 wok (reserving some peanuts for topping at the end). Toss everything to combine.
- Garnish the top with green onions, extra peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately!
- Store leftovers in the fridge and enjoy within 2-3 days.
Notes
Macros Recipe Adaptation
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, ¼ cup dry roasted peanutsPer Serving Amount
277 gramsMacros
395 kcal, Fat: 15g, Carbs: 34g, Protein: 28gNutrition
Create a FREE Account to save your favorite recipes and create meal plans
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe August 2018. Updated April 2022.
This post contains affiliate links. I love sharing my favorite products with you.
This post contains affiliate links.
I’ve tried several recipes for pad Thai and this is by far my favorite! The sauce was so delicious and this recipe was easy to make. I will definitely be making more of it!
Hands-down, the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had/made. I never order it from a restaurant anymore and just make this at home and everyone loves it!
Outstanding recipe…. I used fresh salmon I got from my local fish monger…. cooked it first, removed from pan, did everything else your. way, then plated the salmon last… So So SO good!!! Will be making this often with different proteins. Thank you very much. This recipe is a keeper.
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)!
Thanks Kevin, I’m really glad you enjoyed it!
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!
Hi Nicole,
I am so happy to hear you liked the recipe! I love the bok choy substitution!
This is so good!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so glad I found your site.
Thanks so much Priscilla! I am glad you found my site as well 🙂
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!
That’s great Denise! I’m so glad you found my website and enjoyed the Pad Thai!
I cannot find fresh bean sprouts anywhere near me 🙁 is there a substitute I can use for them?
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.
If you plan your meals ahead. You could grow your own bean sprouts. Just soak mung beans in just enough water and sunlight for 3-4 days and voila! You have bean sprouts!
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!
That makes me so so happy!!! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
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.
Excellent! Made it tonight with the tamarind paste and peanut butter. . Quick and delicious.
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!
Ah-maz-ing! AND easy? Win-win!
Fish sauce scares me but tastes oh so good….
Thanks so much Betsy! I’m thrilled you loved it <3