This is a Pad Thai recipe that truly stacks up to great Thai restaurants yet is totally doable for every home cook with just a trip to your every day grocery store. With the slippery noodles, signature sweet-savoury flavour, sprinkle of peanuts and tang from lime, this is a Thai food favourite for good reason!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Pad Thai recipe
Pad Thai is one of the world’s most beloved noodle dishes. Along with Thai Green Curry and Red Curry, this is the dish by which every Thai restaurant is measured. In fact, I was trying to find the “best” Thai restaurant in my area just last week and it brought me much amusement that Pad Thai was the baseline of a favourable or unfavourable rating for almost every review!
If you’ve been disappointed by basic Pad Thai recipes in the past, have faith – I promise this one delivers!
What is Pad Thai??
Pad Thai is a Thai noodle stir fry with a sweet-savoury-sour sauce scattered with crushed peanuts. It’s made with thin, flat rice noodles, and almost always has bean sprouts, garlic chives, scrambled egg, firm tofu and a protein – the most popular being chicken or prawns/shrimp.
Authentic Pad Thai
Authentic Pad Thai on the streets of Thailand has a distinct fishy/prawny “funk” (which sounds thoroughly unappetising but is actually completely addictive and the very essence of true Thai street food). If authentic is what you’re after, try this Prawn/Shrimp version I shared from Spice I Am Thai restaurant.
On the other end of the spectrum, a quick Google is all it takes to find a myriad of basic westernised versions which are typically made with not much more than something sour (vinegar, lime juice), soy sauce and sugar. These recipes will not taste like any Pad Thai you’ve had from a restaurant.
This recipe I’m sharing today lies in the middle between hardcore authentic version (which even I find borderline too fishy) and very basic westernised recipes that tend to lack the proper depth of flavour and are typically too sweet.
It truly stacks up to your favourite Thai takeout – except less oily (restaurants tend to use loads of oil) – but you will not need to hunt in the dark corners of an Asian store to find the ingredients.
What is Pad Thai Sauce made of?
Pad Thai Sauce is made with fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and tamarind.
Tamarind is the ingredient that is the heart and soul of Pad Thai sauce, giving the sauce the sour flavour that Pad Thai is known for. It’s an ingredient used in South East Asian cooking, like this Malaysian Beef Rendang.
Authentic Pad Thai is made with Tamarind pulp which comes in a block (size of a soap bar) which is then soaked in hot water, then pressed through a sieve to make tamarind puree.
To make life easy, I use ready made tamarind puree which is sold at supermarkets here in Australia. 🙌🏻🙌🏻 Or Asian stores, obviously (and it’s cheaper).
Can’t find Tamarind Puree?
Believe it or not, a great substitute is ketchup. With a few tweaks to the recipe, you can achieve a similar, extremely good outcome!
The Noodles
Pad Thai is made with flat dried rice noodles which can be found in everyday supermarkets.
I recommend Chang’s “Thai style” rice noodles rather than the actual Thai brand rice noodles (Erawan Rice Sticks – red pack below) that are sold at supermarkets.
Chang’s are less prone to breaking and require just 5 minutes of soaking in hot water.
The Erawan Rice Sticks are far more prone to breaking when stir frying.
Other ingredients in Pad Thai
Here are two more ingredients that are very Pad Thai-centric: firm tofu and garlic chives.
You’ll find firm tofu at the supermarket too – go for the firmest plain tofu you can find (read the label, give the packet a squeeze to check). Don’t even think about trying this with soft tofu – it will just totally disintegrate!
Garlic chives are the big brother of normal chives. They taste like garlicky chives (I know, you’re shocked right? 😂) and are shaped like blades of grass. These are also sold at supermarkets here in Australia (with the other fresh herbs). Sub with extra garlic and green onions if you can’t find them.
How to make Pad Thai
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, the making part is actually very straight forward!
As with all stir fries, make sure you have all the ingredients prepared and ready to toss into the wok or skillet because once you start cooking, things move fast!
I cannot believe how I’ve just written about Pad Thai without barely pausing for a breathe.
I’m going to stop here before I run out of space for the recipe. 😂
So – meet your new favourite Pad Thai recipe. The one you will make over and over again, any night of the week, just by popping into Woolies on the way home. WHOOOOT!!!!! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 125 g / 4oz Chang’s Pad Thai dried rice sticks (Note 1)
Sauce:
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamarind puree , NOT concentrate (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp (packed) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 4)
Stir Fry:
- 2 – 3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 onion , sliced (brown, yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 150 g/5oz chicken breast (or thigh) , thinly sliced
- 2 eggs , lightly whisked
- 1 1/2 cups of beansprouts
- 1/2 cup firm tofu, cut into 3cm / 1 1/4″ batons (see photo)
- 1/4 cup garlic chives , cut into 3cm / 1 1/4″ pieces
- 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts
For serving=:
- Lime wedges (essential)
- Ground chilli or cayenne pepper (optional)
- More beansprouts
Instructions
- Place noodles in a large bowl, pour over plenty of boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and quickly rinse under cold water. Don’t leave them sitting around for more than 5 – 10 minutes.
- Mix Sauce in small bowl.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan (or well seasoned skillet) over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken and cook for 1 1/2 minutes until mostly cooked through.
- Push to one side of the pan, pour egg in on the other side. Scramble using the wooden spoon (add touch of extra oil if pan is too dry), then mix into chicken.
- Add bean sprouts, tofu, noodles then Sauce.
- Toss gently for about 1 1/2 minutes until Sauce is absorbed by the noodles.
- Add garlic chives and half the peanuts. Toss through quickly then remove from heat.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with remaining peanuts and lime wedges on the side, with a sprinkle of chilli and a handful of extra beansprouts on the side if desired (this is the Thai way!). Squeeze over lime juice to taste before eating.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published May 2018. Updated January 2019 with a new video, new step photos. No change to recipe.
More Thai food favourites
Good Thai is sorely lacking in my neighbourhood – so it’s critical to have recipes for all my favourite Thai dishes!
Life of Dozer
Flashback to when I first published Pad Thai back in May 2018 when he tore his cruciate ligament and was confined to a small space during his recovery. He does an excellent sad face. 😢
Happy to report that 3 months later, he was back to his wild, crazy self!
I loved it! I didn’t have all the ingredients for a proper pad thai, so i called it ” pad thai-ish” as i used vermicelli noodles and I didn’t have any bean sprouts. I tried the ketchup substitute and it was delicious. I will be making again… with the proper ingredients.
Excellent! I liked it better than the “authentic” ones with dried shrimp powder. I used shrimp instead of chicken, but everything else as written.
Delicious! I’ve only had Pad Thai a few times in my life, but this recipe was so yummy! My partner also loved it. Will be adding it to the regular recipe list
I’ve never seen this sauce combo before for Pad Thai and was instantly intrigued as I love Tamarind. Added some extras (Lemon Grass, Kafir Lime, Broc Stems, Coriander, Peanut Butter and Snow Peas). I added 50% more sauce ingredients as I knew it was going to be special. End result was a full blown flavour explosion that the kids loved. Note left out Tofu & peanuts & used 1kg of chicken. For a family of four – I actually ran out for the first time in a long time.
Thanks Nagi..made this with green prawns and fresh pineapple….delicious!
I read a couple of negative reviews but I made this for dinner anyway … and it was a triumph! My son said “This is better than the Thai place up the road” 😂. My other son and my hubby gave it a big thumbs up too! I’m not big on tofu so added extra chicken instead; and yes, the lime wedge completes it! Thanks for ANOTHER excellent recipe Nagi! xx
Sorry but this was very disappointing. It was so bland and didn’t taste like Pad Thai at all. I find your recipes hit or miss, some are exceptional like the Green Chicken Curry some are shockingly bad. Would be nice to see this one improved
Amazingly authentic!
Was very good!! Especially the type of noodles.
Soooo good!
SO GOOD. I did everything just as the recipe said and its seriously amazing. I will have a hard time having restaurant Pad Thai after making this. Very good, thank you Nagi!
Hi Nagi,
This Pad Thai recipe is SO YUMMY!!
I used chicken thighs and, feeling a little indulgent, also added fresh prawns. I had left over snow peas so added those as well.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful recipe.
Ren
I’ve made this at least 5 times. It’s great exactly as the recipe says, I also sometimes add things. Tamarind is plentiful in my area so I do it the old-school way and derive the pulp myself. There have been times I don’t have enough bean sprouts and add sliced veggies. I also like to sprinkle some cilantro and basil on top if I have it.
Negative reviews might be from those who are used to more westernized Thai takeout which is very sweet and often missing the authentic tangy/fishy flavor of real Thai food.
I can honestly say that this is only the second recipe of yours that isn’t a hit. I love a good pad Thai and this just one of them. I had an amazing pad Thai in Maui last summer and was excited to make yours. Much too sour for my family and I. I even bought the tamarind puree, to make sure that I had all of the required ingredients..
Oh well, can’t love them all.
Nagi you are the best chef and recipe creator I have come across! I love all of your recipes! This on included! We just added a few extra veggies and next time I think I’ll use a lil less tamarind but not by much at all! I think that’s just personal preference! Husband thought it was bomb!
Woman! You did it again. Trying to lose the covid weight that I gained by over indulging on some of your other recipes. Needed a good pad thai sauce to stirfry with bok choy and sprouts…no noodles. Fried up some tofu in the air fryer and dang deliciousness in less than 15 minutes! Thank you!
Another hit, when I’m looking for a recipe you’re the first person I go to, I really trust your judgment! I haven’t been cooking for very long, but every dish of yours I’ve made turns out delicious, I would’ve started a long time ago if I knew I could make things that taste this good. 💛
This is the best pad Thai recipe I have ever used!! And I had to use the ketchup version because I didn’t have tamarind. It is delicious!! I added some grilled veggies, but everything else the same. Thank you so so so much!
I am so sorry to write this, I love almost everything you do. I am now a home chef with kids, couple things were a little off for me but hey it’s you, so I follow it almost to the T I did double it and did not add the egg (kids can not have eggs) it was way to tangy heavy fish taste. I used organic tamarind puree not concentrated. But so glad so many people loves it.
Looks great, I’m going to try it. However, you suggested a shallot as a substitute for the garlic chives stating a shallot is the same as scallions or green onion. It is not the same at all .
AWESOME RECIPE. We left out chicken and added more tofu, Chinese broccoli and other veggies. Hands down, the best pad thai I have ever had. I love your recipes.