This iconic Thai street food features chewy rice noodles tossed with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors, topped with crushed peanuts and fresh lime. Quick to prepare yet bursting with authentic flavor, Pad Thai is the ultimate comfort dish that brings the vibrant essence of Bangkok to your kitchen. Whether you make it with shrimp, chicken, or tofu, this beloved noodle dish delivers restaurant-quality results in under 30 minutes.
⏱️30 min
📊Easy
👥4 servings
🍽️Main
quickspicyfamily
Ingredients
300 gdried rice noodles
400 glarge shrimp
3 tablespoonstamarind paste
3 tablespoonsfish sauce
2 tablespoonspalm sugar
3 tablespoonsvegetable oil
4 piecesgarlic cloves
2 pieceseggs
150 gbean sprouts
3 piecesgreen onions
100 groasted peanuts
2 piecesfresh lime
1 teaspoondried chili flakes
0.5 teaspoonwhite pepper
Instructions
1SOAK THE NOODLES: Place the dried rice noodles in a bowl of room temperature water and let them soak for 30-45 minutes until they are pliable but still firm and slightly brittle. They should bend without breaking but maintain their structure. This ensures they won't become mushy when stir-fried, giving you the perfect chewy texture that's characteristic of authentic Pad Thai.
2PREPARE THE SAUCE: In a small mixing bowl, combine the tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the ingredients are well incorporated. The sauce should have a balanced sweet-sour-salty flavor with no grittiness. Taste and adjust the proportions to your preference—add more tamarind for tartness, more sugar for sweetness, or more fish sauce for umami depth.
3PREPARE INGREDIENTS: Mince the garlic cloves finely, slice the green onions into 2-inch pieces, roughly chop the roasted peanuts, and cut the lime into wedges for serving. Having all ingredients prepped and within arm's reach is crucial for stir-frying, as the cooking happens very quickly over high heat and you won't have time to chop while cooking.
4HEAT THE WOK AND COOK SHRIMP: Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke, approximately 1-2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque throughout. The shrimp should have a light golden sear on the exterior while remaining tender and juicy inside.
5COOK THE EGGS AND NOODLES: Push the shrimp to the side of the wok, crack the eggs directly into the empty space, and scramble them quickly with a spatula until mostly cooked, about 1 minute. Add the drained rice noodles to the wok and pour the sauce over them, tossing everything together constantly for 2-3 minutes. The noodles should separate and become coated with the sauce, softening slightly as they absorb the flavors while maintaining a slight chewiness.
6FINISH AND SERVE: Add the bean sprouts and green onions to the wok, tossing gently to combine and warm through for about 30 seconds—the vegetables should remain slightly crisp. Transfer to serving plates and top with crushed roasted peanuts, white pepper, and dried chili flakes to taste. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side, squeezing fresh lime juice over the noodles just before eating for brightness and acidity that ties all the flavors together beautifully.