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This homemade Pad Thai recipe is restaurant quality and can be changed based on whatever protein, vegetables and spice level you prefer.
Pad Thai is one of those dishes you can never go wrong with, at least in my opinion. It's one of the few out there that hits all five flavor profiles - salty, sour, sweet, spicy and bitter. Even better, this easy Pad Thai recipe is quite simple to make.
The funny thing is, while you'll find it at any Thai restaurant and it is probably their most popular dish, it probably isn't even Thai. A dish with noodles and a stir-fry usually originate from China. Just some food for thought, but it doesn't matter in the end as it is delicious.
This is actually a recipe I got from my father-in-law, although I did change a few things to it. And before you judge, I will say, no it's not a traditional Pad Thai sauce. There is no tamarind juice or paste and the sugar comes from maple syrup instead of palm sugar.
But believe me when I say this sauce is what make this easy Pad Thai recipe outstanding. So if you are craving some Thai food, and want to mix it up a little, I'd give this homemade Pad Thai a try.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Brown rice noodles - works well for this Pad Thai recipe.
- Olive oil - used to cook the protein.
- Protein - tofu, beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp work great.
- Eggs - added protein.
- Carrots, bean sprouts, peas, green onions, lime, cilantro, garlic, ginger - a wonderful combination of flavors.
- Peanuts - for the crunch.
- Coconut milk - a little unconventional but it works great.
- Peanut butter - gives some extra peanut flavor and creaminess.
- Maple syrup - adds sweetness.
- Soy sauce - adds saltiness.
- Fish sauce - gives the dish some umami flavor.
- Chili garlic sauce - adds some spice.
- Toasted sesame oil - gives a nutty flavor.
How to Make Pad Thai
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the coconut milk, peanut butter, maple syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, garlic and ginger. Simmer until the sauce comes together, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add the lime juice and toasted sesame oil. Set aside.
- Heat large wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Cook protein. Depends on which protein you use on how long you cook. See notes below. While protein is cooking, boil noodles according to package instructions.
- Move protein to one side and add beaten eggs, cooking to scramble.
- Add the carrots, bean sprouts and peas and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in noodles, sauce and scallions and toss to combine. Serve with some fresh lime juice, cilantro and crushed peanuts.
Pad Thai Variations
The great thing with this homemade Pad Thai recipe is that you can customize it to your preferences, including a different protein, vegetables, zoodles and type of sauce.
Protein Options
Whether it's tofu, which I included in the recipe below or chicken or beef or pork or shrimp. If using a protein besides tofu, just follow the directions below to make them with this easy Pad Thai recipe. For every option, you want to use 1 pound of protein.
- Chicken Pad Thai: Cut the chicken (boneless chicken breasts or thighs) into 1/2" pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté for 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally. The chicken should be lightly golden browned on the edges and cooked through. Transfer to side of pan when ready to add eggs.
- Beef Pad Thai: Thinly slice the beef (lean steak) against the grain and cut into 1/2" pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan over high heat. Add the beef and sauté for 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until beef is browned on all sides. Transfer to side of pan when ready to add eggs.
- Pork Pad Thai: Thinly slice the pork (lean boneless pork chops) and cut into 1/2" pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan over high heat. Add the pork and sauté for 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until pork is browned on all sides. Transfer to side of pan when ready to add eggs.
- Shrimp Pad Thai: Peel and devein large shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large pan over high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté for 1-2 minutes, tossing occasionally, until shrimp are bright pink. Transfer to side of pan when ready to add eggs.
Vegetable Options
You don't have to use just carrots, bean sprouts and peas. In fact if you don't like one of them just remove them. You could add bell peppers, snap peas, mushrooms, onions or whatever your heart desires.
Zoodles
Want to save on some carbs? Just replace the noodles with zucchini noodles or another vegetable noodle.
Sauce Options
If you order Pad Thai at a restaurant, they give you spice options. So if you want it to be spicier, just add more chili garlic sauce or crushed red pepper flakes. Or if you want no spice at all, just remove them all together. You can also make it sweeter or less sweet by adding or removing some of the maple syrup.
Vegan Option
If you want to make a vegan Pad Thai recipe, then use the tofu for the protein and remove the fish sauce from the Pad Thai sauce. Do those two things and you'll have a tasty vegan Pad Thai.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Rice noodles are the only way to go with this homemade Pad Thai. You can try other noodles but they don't work well with this dish.
- Whatever protein you use, be consistent with the cuts so they cook evenly.
- While it isn't traditional in a Pad Thai sauce, the peanut butter adds additional complexity to the dish and makes it a mix of Pad Thai and Satay.
- If you don't have maple syrup for the sauce, you replace it with honey or brown sugar.
- If you have a wok use it. This allows you to push eggs and protein to the sides without overcooking them as you are preparing this Pad Thai recipe.
- Only cook the noodles till al dente and then throw in cold water to stop the cooking process. They will cook more as you add to the wok and toss with the sauce.
- If you want some additional crunch for this Pad Thai recipe, toast the peanuts although it isn't a necessary step.
Other Thai Recipes
- Vegetable Pad Thai (Noodle-Free)
- Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
- Thai Veggie Curry
- Thai Satay Chicken
- Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
If you’ve tried this homemade Pad Thai recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Homemade Pad Thai
Ingredients
Pad Thai
- 1 lb brown rice noodles
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb extra-firm tofu, uncooked beef, chicken, pork or shrimp cut into small pieces
- 4 large eggs, whisked
- 2 cups carrots, shredded (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped
- lime wedges, chopped cilantro and crushed red pepper flakes for garnish
Pad Thai Sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp lime juice (1 lime)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add coconut milk, water, peanut butter, maple syrup, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, garlic and ginger. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce comes together and has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice and sesame oil and set aside.
- Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions to be al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil to prevent noodles from sticking and set aside.
- Drain the water from the tofu and place on a paper-towel lined plate. Press down for 15-30 minutes with something heavy. I have a panini press that I use but also have heard tofu presses are great as well. Slice the tofu into 3/4" pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the tofu in 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan in a single layer for 2 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook on the other side for 2 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Move tofu to the side of pan add 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook the eggs until scrambled.
- Add bean sprouts, peas and carrots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the noodles, sauce and scallions into the pan with the vegetables and eggs and toss to combine.
- Serve immediately and garnish with some peanuts, cilantro, fresh lime juice and crushed red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Rice noodles are the only way to go with this easy Pad Thai recipe. You can try other noodles but they don't work well with this dish.
- Whatever protein you use, be consistent with the cuts so they cook evenly.
- While it isn't traditional in a Pad Thai sauce, the peanut butter adds additional complexity to the dish and makes it a mix of Pad Thai and Satay.
- If you don't have maple syrup for the sauce, you replace it with honey or brown sugar.
- If you have a wok use it. This allows you to push eggs and protein to the sides without overcooking them as you are preparing this Pad Thai recipe.
- Only cook the noodles till al dente and then throw in cold water to stop the cooking process. They will cook more as you add to the wok and toss with the sauce.
- If you want some additional crunch for this Pad Thai recipe, toast the peanuts although it isn't a necessary step.
Yes!! Better than take-out!
Definitely better than takeout!