Description
An authentic-tasting, restaurant-style Pad Thai that is ready in just 20 minutes. This recipe balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors using tamarind paste, fish sauce, and fresh lime, with customizable proteins and veggies.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces (225g) flat rice noodles
- Warm water (enough to cover noodles for soaking)
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons white sugar (or palm sugar)
- 1–2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3–4 stalks green onions, sliced (white parts for cooking, green for garnish)
- 1 pound (450g) protein (shrimp, chicken, or tofu)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
Instructions
- Soak rice noodles in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes until pliable but firm. Drain well and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and half of the lime juice. Taste and adjust sweetness/sourness as needed.
- Slice protein into thin, bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic and slice green onions. Have all ingredients prepped (mise en place).
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook protein until just done (2-3 mins for shrimp, 4-5 mins for chicken). Remove protein and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add minced garlic and white parts of green onions. Stir-fry for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add drained noodles to the pan. Pour the sauce over the noodles. Toss constantly with tongs or spatulas for 2-3 minutes until noodles are tender, glossy, and coated in sauce. Add a splash of water if too dry.
- Push noodles to one side. Crack eggs into the empty space and scramble until just set. Mix eggs into noodles. Add cooked protein back to the pan and toss to combine.
- Turn off heat. Add bean sprouts and toss to wilt slightly. Taste and adjust with remaining lime juice if needed.
- Serve immediately, topped with crushed peanuts, green onion tops, lime wedges, and red pepper flakes.
Notes
Do not boil the rice noodles; soak them in warm water only. High heat is essential for the stir-fry to prevent soggy noodles. The sauce should taste slightly too sweet and sour before adding to the pan. Fresh lime juice added at the end provides the best flavor. Do not freeze leftovers as noodles become grainy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate per serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: Pad Thai, Thai food, tamarind sauce, stir fry, rice noodles, quick dinner, Asian cuisine, shrimp pad thai, chicken pad thai, vegetarian pad thai