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Authentic Pad Thai Recipe

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4.2 from 2 reviews

This classic Pad Thai recipe serves up a deliciously tangy, sweet, and savory stir-fried noodle dish featuring tender rice noodles, your choice of shrimp, chicken, or tofu, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful homemade sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight meal that’s easy to customize and garnish with crunchy peanuts, lime, and cilantro.

Ingredients

Noodles and Protein

  • 8 ounces flat rice noodles
  • 8 ounces uncooked shrimp, chicken, or extra-firm tofu, cut into small pieces
  • 2 eggs

Vegetables and Garnishes

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts (plus extra for topping)
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Sauce Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce (or more, to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (optional)

Cooking Oil

  • 3 tablespoons oil (divided for stir-frying)

Instructions

  1. Cook the noodles: Prepare the flat rice noodles according to package instructions until they are just tender. Once cooked, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
  2. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, light brown sugar, rice vinegar (or tamarind paste), Sriracha hot sauce, and creamy peanut butter if using. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved and set the sauce aside.
  3. Stir fry the protein and vegetables: Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, chicken, or tofu along with the minced garlic and sliced red bell pepper. Cook shrimp for about 1-2 minutes on each side until pink; chicken should be cooked through in about 3-4 minutes, flipping only once. Tofu should be cooked until lightly browned.
  4. Cook the eggs: Push the cooked protein and vegetables to one side of the pan. Add a little more oil if needed, then pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble them gently, breaking them into small pieces with a spatula as they cook.
  5. Combine noodles and sauce: Add the cooked noodles, prepared sauce, fresh bean sprouts, and dry roasted peanuts (reserve some peanuts for topping) into the wok. Toss everything together thoroughly to combine and heat through.
  6. Garnish and serve: Remove from heat and garnish the Pad Thai with chopped green onions, extra dry roasted peanuts, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.
  7. Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2 to 3 days.

Notes

  • For authentic flavor, use tamarind paste instead of rice vinegar if available.
  • Peanut butter is optional and adds creaminess to the sauce.
  • You can substitute shrimp or chicken with tofu to make it vegetarian.
  • If using chicken, cut pieces smaller to cook evenly and quickly.
  • Adjust Sriracha hot sauce to your preferred spice level.
  • Make sure not to overcook the noodles to avoid mushiness.
  • Leftover Pad Thai is best reheated quickly in a pan to maintain texture.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/authentic-pad-thai-recipe/