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Home / Recipes
27 minutes
4.75 from 12 votes
12 Comments

Pad Thai

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by: Joanna Cismaru
07.22.19
Updated: 10.04.20

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This Pad Thai with shrimp and tofu gives you all the flavors and taste of the authentic Pad Thai, in the comfort of your own home. Who needs takeout when you can do this in less than 30 minutes!

a bowl with chopsticks full of pad thai topped with peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges

Ah, Pad Thai! One of my favorite dishes, if not my favorite dish to order at a Thai restaurant. I’ve managed to find some restaurants that sell this delicious and satisfying dish, but nothing can quite compare to homemade.

My recipe is chock full of salty and satisfying dried shrimp, perfectly roasted peanuts, as well as cubed firm tofu. If you’re unfamiliar with this little flavor sponge, I’m excited to introduce you to your new favorite protein replacement! It’s all served over perfectly tender rice noodles slathered in a supremely tasty sauce.

What Is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai just means stir fry, so it’s essentially just a Thai stir fry. This means it’s a fabulous blank canvas for us to develop tons of flavor. In Thailand this dish is considered street fare and as Thailand’s street food is world renowned, this popular dish is a stand out for a reason.

chopsticks lifting noodles out of a bowl of pad thai

Ingredients

Don’t be scared of the list of ingredients. Some may be hard to find like the dried shrimp or the Chinese chives, but I have provided substitutes for them all. However, if you have a good Asian market nearby, I really recommend going there and buying all these ingredients. You’ll find them all. Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  • Noodles – I’m using rice noodles today, I’ve included how to properly make rice noodles before as it requires special care.
  • Aromatics – You’ll need shallots and garlic diced up fine. If regular onion is all you have just use a little less as shallot has a less intense flavor.
  • Shrimp – Dried shrimp and fresh plump shrimp are going in this dish today. Dried shrimp needs to be rinsed and chopped. Shrimp pastes can be substituted for dried shrimp.
  • Daikon – We’re using sweet Daikon radish, available in the produce aisle.
  • Tofu – Firm tofu cubed and cut into small pieces.
  • Sriracha – To add some heat to the dish, be as stingy or as liberal as you’d like with this ingredient to change the spice profile.
  • Sprouts – I love to add fresh sprouts as a nice crunch and juicy acidity in this dish.
  • Chinese chives- Chinese chives (or garlic chives) look like regular chives but much bigger and leafier. They are garlicky in flavor, juice and crisp in texture. They can be substituted with regular chives or scallions.
  • Peanuts – Roasted and finely chopped. Some recipes call for peanut butter which can be used as a substitute but crushed peanuts are traditional and so much better.
  • Oil – Peanut oil, it’ll carry that flavor through.
  • Eggs – We’re going to create almost a scramble with these eggs in our noodles.

Sauce

  • Brown sugar – Will help us develop a complex flavor profile for this sauce and rounds out our flavor profile.
  • Tamarind paste – A common ingredient around the world, tamarind paste is both sweet and sour so I would substitute it with equal amounts of lime juice and brown sugar.
  • Fish sauce – A common ingredient in lots of Asian dishes, fish sauce must be stored in the fridge after buying. It’s pretty commonly found in most grocery stores.
  • Water – To adjust the consistency of our sauce.

Toppings

We’re going to top this dish with even more bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and the chopped roasted peanuts. We will also want to include some of these:

  • Cilantro – Fresh and chopped up well.
  • Lime – Cut into wedges and squeezed over the finished dish.
  • Sriracha – Even more hot sauce if you like a fiery dish!
chopsticks lifting noodles out of a wok full of pad thai

Mise En Place

The whole idea to making this dish is mise en place. I’ve explained mise en place before, and it basically means getting all your ingredients ready first, including chopping your vegetables, chopping the nuts, making your sauce, etc. If you do all this first, then the dish is a piece of cake, because basically all you have to do is cook the ingredients, which takes no time at all.

How To Make Pad Thai

Mise en place

  1. Prepare the rice noodles: Place noodles in a large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover them and let them rest for 1 hour or until noodles are pliable but not soft. Drain well in a colander. They will change color from translucent to white
  2. Assemble the ingredients: In a small bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside. In a bowl combine the shallots, garlic, dried shrimp, radishes, tofu and Sriracha. In another bowl combine the bean sprouts, chives, and 1/4 cup of the peanuts.

Cook the dish

  1. Cook the shrimp: In a medium skillet heat 1 tbsp of peanut oil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook and stir about 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp turns pink and starts to slightly char. Transfer to a bowl. Add the rest of the oil to the skillet or wok.
  2. Build the base: Add the tofu mixture to the skillet and saute for about minute. Add the noodles and sauce to the wok and toss everything. There is water in the sauce so the noodles will cook and absorb the liquid.
  3. Scramble the eggs: Move the noodles to the side of the wok and add the egg and break the yolks. Add a bit more oil if necessary before adding the eggs. Let them cook for 30 seconds then scramble them. Toss everything together.
  4. Finish the Pad Thai: Add the bean sprouts and chives mixture to the skillet and toss everything. Turn off the heat.

Serving

  1. Serving Pad Thai properly: To serve divide noodles mixture among 2 or 4 plates, depending on the size of the meal you want. Top with shrimp then sprinkle each serving with bean sprouts, extra chives, peanuts and lime wedges. Serve with fresh cilantro and Sriracha on the side.
a bowl with chopsticks filled with pad thai topped with peanuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Working With A Wok

These dishes are usually cooked in a wok over really high heat which is why they cook so fast. Every time you add something, you basically just cook it for 30 seconds, add the next ingredients, another 30 seconds, more tossing and that’s about all there is to it. Which is why preparing your ingredients first makes all the difference.

Once you start cooking you do not have time to go and chop this or that so be sure to follow my mise en place instructions above to get the most out of this dish. Although I used a wok for this recipe, a large skillet will work just as well.

a wok full of pad thai with shrimp, tofu, scallions, and bean sprouts

Leftovers

This Pad Thai will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish as the egg and rice noodles don’t thaw well after time in the freezer.

More Thai recipes to try:

  • Thai Meatball Lettuce Wraps
  • Spicy Thai Chicken And Veggie Noodles
  • Thai Red Chicken Curry
  • Easy Thai Steak Salad
  • Thai Chicken Salad
  • Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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side view shot of chopsticks taking a bite of pad thai

Pad Thai

4.75 from 12 votes
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 7 mins
Total: 27 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 4
Print Pin Rate
This Pad Thai with shrimp and tofu gives you all the flavors and taste of the authentic Pad Thai, in the comfort of your own home. Who needs takeout when you can do this in less than 30 minutes!

Equipment

  • 14-inch Wok

Ingredients

For Sauce

  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup tamarind paste
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp water

Pad Thai

  • 6 oz rice noodles
  • 2 medium shallots minced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp dried shrimp rinsed and chopped
  • 2 tbsp sweet Daikon radishes chopped
  • 8 oz firm tofu cut into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 cup Chinese chives (or garlic chives)
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts finely chopped
  • 2 to 3 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1 lb shrimp shells removed and deveined if needed
  • 2 eggs

Additional Toppings

  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 cup Chinese chives
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts chopped
  • lime wedges
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (optional)
  • Sriracha sauce
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Place noodles in a large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover them and let them rest for 1 hour or until noodles are pliable but not soft. Drain well in a colander. They will change color from translucent to white.
  • In a small bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
  • In a bowl combine the shallots, garlic, dried shrimp, radishes, tofu and Sriracha.
  • In another bowl combine the bean sprouts, chives, and 1/4 cup of the peanuts.
  • In a medium skillet heat 1 tbsp of peanut oil over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook and stir about 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp turns pink and starts to slightly char. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Add the rest of the oil to the skillet or wok. Add the tofu mixture to the skillet and saute for about minute. Add the noodles and sauce to the wok and toss everything. There is water in the sauce so the noodles will cook and absorb the liquid. Move the noodles to the side of the wok and add the egg and break the yolks. Add a bit more oil if necessary before adding the eggs. Let them cook for 30 seconds then scramble them. Toss everything together.
  • Add the bean sprouts and chives mixture to the skillet and toss everything. Turn off the heat. 
  • To serve divide noodles mixture among 2 or 4 plates, depending on the size of the meal you want. Top with shrimp then sprinkle each serving with bean sprouts, extra chives, peanuts and lime wedges. Serve with fresh cilantro and Sriracha on the side.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. Tamarind paste is a common ingredient used throughout the world. The paste is prepared from tamarind, which is a sticky sour tasting fruit that grows on bean-like pods on tamarind trees. Tamarind paste is both sweet and sour so I would substitute it with equal amounts of lime juice and brown sugar.
  2. Chinese chives (or garlic chives) look like regular chives but much bigger and leafier. They could be considered more vegetable rather than garnish. They are garlicky in flavor, juice and crisp in texture. Look for these chives in Asian markets. They can be substituted with regular chives or scallions.
  3. Dried shrimp are shrimp that have been sun-dried and shrunk to a small size. They are used in a lot of Asian dishes and give a unique umami taste. They can be found in Asian markets. Shrimp pastes can be substituted for dried shrimp.
  4. This Pad Thai will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this dish as the egg and rice noodles don’t thaw well after time in the freezer.
  5. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1servingCalories: 618kcal (31%)Carbohydrates: 58g (19%)Protein: 47g (94%)Fat: 23g (35%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Cholesterol: 452mg (151%)Sodium: 2137mg (93%)Potassium: 553mg (16%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 14g (16%)Vitamin A: 1003IU (20%)Vitamin C: 29mg (35%)Calcium: 351mg (35%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
Course:Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine:Thai
Keyword:pad thai
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Megan Kossowan says

    July 23, 2019 at 8:24 am

    So this may be the impossible…. but any stories/success with making pad Thai without peanuts?! My son is allergic, but we love all Thai food. Thanks 🙂

    Reply
    • Nicole Beaulieu says

      July 23, 2019 at 10:02 am

      The peanuts are just sprinkled on top so you can simply leave them out! Use olive oil instead of peanut oil.

      Reply
  2. Harriet Vogel says

    June 21, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    please tell me what are: UDON NOODLES. I can’t find them in my grocery store. May I substitute something similar?

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      June 21, 2017 at 8:11 pm

      Hi Harriet! Udon noodles are Japanese thick wheat flour noodles. You can usually find them in the Asian foods section of your grocery store. Feel free to just use regular spaghetti noodles, they will also work. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Lk says

    June 9, 2017 at 8:42 am

    4 stars
    That’s soooo much sodium for one serving… ughhhh looks yummy like I was back in Phuket

    Reply
  4. Rose Richardson says

    January 20, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    My noodles didn’t turn out very well but they were brown rice noodles. I went to three stores looking for them and finally found them. They are simmering right now Im hoping for the best. Everything else seems right.

    Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
    • jo says

      January 20, 2013 at 11:09 pm

      You’re very welcome, I hope they turn out good.

      Reply
  5. Sarah says

    October 4, 2012 at 5:26 am

    5 stars
    Your picture looks beautiful! Love pad thai – look forward to trying this recipe!

    Reply
  6. Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says

    October 3, 2012 at 7:59 am

    5 stars
    I love Thai food and always try to recreate recipes of the Thai dishes. Your pad thai looks very delicious on your photo!

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 3, 2012 at 12:09 pm

      Thank you, I hope you try it. 🙂

      Reply
  7. Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says

    October 3, 2012 at 6:48 am

    5 stars
    Pad Thai is my favorite! I always order it at Thai restaurants, as well. I tried making it at home once and it was a big fail. I will have to try your recipe out!

    Reply
    • jo says

      October 3, 2012 at 12:09 pm

      Let me know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂

      Reply

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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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