How to Make Pad Thai

Pad Thai is a delicious, satisfying dish you can find all over Thailand, both in restaurants and at small roadside stalls.

No surprise it became a staple in our regular meal rotation. If you think about it, it could easily be called our “default” dish, in the best possible way 😊.

So What is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish in a flavorful sauce, considered one of the most popular and beloved dishes in Thai cuisine.

The ingredients can vary depending on the region or restaurant, but typically include rice noodles, egg, bean sprouts, and chives, along with tofu, fresh shrimp, chicken, or beef.

It’s commonly served with crushed peanuts, chili flakes, a wedge of lime, and cilantro or green onion. Since we are vegetarians, we always went for the tofu version.

We fell in love with this iconic dish so we decided to learn how to make it at home too.

📝 Pad Thai Recipe

Learned during a cooking class in Chiang Mai

Ingredients:

• 200g rice noodles
• 200g chicken or 300g tofu
• 200g bean sprouts
• 1 red onion
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup water
• 6-8 stalks of green onion
• 2-3 carrots
• 8 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (or 2 more tbsp soy sauce for a vegetarian version)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (total 4 tbsp for vegetarian)
• 4 tbsp oyster sauce (or 4 tbsp mushroom sauce for vegetarian)
• 4 tbsp tamarind paste
• 3-4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
• Crushed unsalted peanuts (for serving)

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Soak the rice noodles in room-temperature water for 1 hour before cooking.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together with 1/4 cup water.
3. Slice the red onion into thin rings (about 5mm thick).
4. Cube the tofu into 1.5 × 1.5 cm pieces.
5. Chop the green onions into 3-4 cm segments.
6. Julienne the carrots into matchsticks, ideally using a peeler or slicer.
7. Heat the oil in a wok and add the sliced onion.
8. Stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes, then add the tofu cubes.
9. Fry for a few more minutes until the tofu starts to lightly brown.
10. Push the onion and tofu to one side of the wok and crack in the eggs.
11. Scramble the eggs until set, then mix them with the tofu and onions.
12. Add the soaked noodles to the wok.
13. Pour in the sauce and stir well for one minute.
14. Add the remaining water and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
15. When the noodles are almost done, add the bean sprouts, carrots, and green onions.
16. Continue stirring for about 5 more minutes, until the carrots are tender.

🥜 Serve With:

• Crushed peanuts
• Fresh bean sprouts on the side
• A wedge of lime, chili flakes, and fresh herbs (optional)

Bon appétit!