Pad Thai Recipe
A flavorful, balanced Pad Thai made in just 30 minutes with rice noodles, homemade pad thai sauce, tofu or shrimp, garlic, lime wedges, crushed peanuts, and fresh herbs for an authentic Thai-inspired meal at home.
Ingredients
- For the Pad Thai Sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste or concentrate
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar or palm sugar for traditional pad thai
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp chili flakes optional
- For the Noodles & Protein
- 8 oz rice noodles medium width
- 2 tbsp oil divided
- 1 cup firm tofu cubed (pat dry so it crisps up)
- ½ lb shrimp or chicken optional
- 3 large eggs
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 green onions sliced
- ¼ cup garlic chives chopped (optional but traditional)
- For Garnish
- Crushed peanuts
- Lime wedges
- Extra bean sprouts
- Chili flakes
- Fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Soak the Noodles (10 minutes)
- Place rice noodles in a large bowl.
- Pour hot (not boiling) water over them.
- Let soak 8–10 minutes until softened but still firm.
- Drain and set aside.
- Tip: If they clump later, just add a little more oil.
- Prepare the Pad Thai Sauce (2 minutes)
- Whisk together fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and chili flakes.
- Adjust sweetness or tanginess if needed.
- Cook the Protein (5 minutes)
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan or wok over high heat.
- Add shrimp/chicken OR tofu.
- Cook until golden and crisp on the edges.
- Remove from the pan.
- Sauté the Aromatics (1 minute)
- Add the second tablespoon of oil.
- Toss in the minced garlic.
- Stir just until fragrant.
- Scramble the Eggs (1–2 minutes)
- Push the garlic aside.
- Crack the eggs into the pan.
- Scramble just until set.
- Add the Noodles & Sauce (2–3 minutes)
- Add the soaked noodles to the pan.
- Pour in the pad thai sauce.
- Toss everything together with tongs until the noodles absorb the sauce.
- Bring It All Together (2 minutes)
- Add the cooked tofu/shrimp/chicken back in.
- Add bean sprouts, green onions, and garlic chives.
- Toss until everything is hot and well mixed.
- Serve with Garnishes
- Plate the noodles and top with:
- Crushed peanuts
- Fresh lime wedges
- Extra bean sprouts
- Cilantro
- Chili flakes
Notes
- Prep all ingredients before cooking — Pad Thai comes together very quickly.
- Soak rice noodles in hot water, never boil, to avoid mushiness.
- Taste the sauce and adjust tamarind, brown sugar, or fish sauce as needed.
- Use high heat to achieve restaurant-style smoky flavor.
- Add a little more oil or a splash of water if noodles clump together.
- Squeeze lime over the finished dish to brighten the flavors.
- Not ideal for freezing; rice noodles break when thawed.