The BEST Pad Thai Recipe & Video
If you’re looking for the ultimate Pad Thai recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Pad Thai is that perfect mix of tangy, savory, sweet, and just a hint of spice. It’s a dish that never fails to impress, and today, I’m sharing the BEST Pad Thai recipe that will have your taste buds doing a happy dance! Whether you’re a Pad Thai pro or trying it for the first time, this recipe is easy to follow and packed with flavor.
Why This is the BEST Pad Thai
So many of you have asked me to share my Pad Thai recipe, and it’s finally here! This dish has a bit of everything: tender chicken, juicy shrimp, and perfectly stir-fried noodles, all brought together with a tangy, sweet, and savory sauce. What makes this Pad Thai truly the best is the balance of flavors and textures. The secret? Don’t skimp on the oil, and make sure your sauce is ready before you start cooking. Trust me, it makes all the difference.
If you’ve ever felt intimidated by Pad Thai, don’t worry! With these tips, you’ll master it in no time. And remember, the key to great stir-fried noodles is high heat and being prepared. So, let’s get cooking!
Health Benefits of Authentic Ingredients
Not only is Pad Thai incredibly delicious, but it also has some surprising health benefits. Shrimp, one of the main proteins in this dish, is low in calories but high in nutrients like selenium and vitamin B12. These nutrients are great for your metabolism and overall health. The tofu adds a boost of plant-based protein, while the eggs provide essential amino acids.
Another star ingredient is the peanuts. These little guys are packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber, which can help keep you full and satisfied. And let’s not forget about the garlic chives and beansprouts, which are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
Even the sauce has its perks! The tamarind concentrate is rich in antioxidants, and the lime juice you squeeze on top adds a dose of vitamin C. So, not only are you enjoying a delicious meal, but you’re also nourishing your body with every bite.
How to Make the BEST Pad Thai
Ready to dive into the recipe? Here’s what you’ll need to make the best Pad Thai at home:
Ingredients
- 8 oz semi-fresh rice sticks or 4 oz dried rice sticks
- 1/2 boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thinly
- 3 to 4 oz large/jumbo peeled & deveined shrimp
- 3 oz pressed, fried, or extra firm tofu
- 1/2 shallot (approximately 2 oz)
- 2 oz Thai preserved sweet radish (approximately 2 tbsp)
- 2 oz garlic chives, plus more for garnish
- 4 oz beansprouts, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, plus more for garnish
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp cooking oil, plus more if needed
- Lime wedges
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar (you can use regular sugar)
- 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 1/4 cup cold water, plus more if needed
- 1 to 2 tsp Thai sriracha, sriracha, or dried Thai chili powder (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Noodles:
Soak the dried rice sticks in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes until they soften, then drain completely. If you’re using semi-fresh rice sticks, you can skip this step. (I’m using semi-fresh rice sticks.)
Chop & Prep:
Finely chop the shallot, preserved sweet radish, and garlic chives. Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces and chop the roasted peanuts. Set everything aside.
Make the Sauce:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well until the tamarind and sugar have dissolved.
Cook the Proteins:
Heat a wok over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the sliced chicken and shrimp, cooking until they are almost done and golden on each side, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Stir-Fry Time:
In the same wok, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook the tofu until golden on the edges. Add the chopped shallot and radish, stir-frying for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the noodles and sauce, stir-frying until the noodles absorb the sauce completely. If your noodles are cooking slowly, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time.
Add the Eggs:
Push everything to one side of the wok and add a bit more oil. Crack the eggs directly into the wok and let them cook halfway before scrambling. Mix the scrambled eggs into the noodles.
Final Touches:
Add the beansprouts, garlic chives, peanuts, chicken, and shrimp. Toss everything together for about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
Serve your Pad Thai with extra beansprouts, garlic chives, chopped peanuts, dried Thai chili powder, and lime wedges. Enjoy the BEST Pad Thai you’ve ever made!
There You Have It!
There you have it, the BEST Pad Thai recipe you’ll ever try! It’s easy, delicious, and full of flavor. Don’t forget to watch the video below for step-by-step instructions, and let me know how your Pad Thai turns out in the comments. Happy cooking, and enjoy your weekend!
Pad Thai
- Total Time: 26 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 8 oz semi-fresh rice sticks or 4 oz dried rice sticks
- 1/2 boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thinly
- 3 to 4 oz large/jumbo peeled & deveined shrimp
- 3 oz pressed, fried, or extra firm tofu
- 1/2 shallot (approximately 2 oz)
- 2 oz Thai preserved sweet radish (approximately 2 tbsp)
- 2 oz garlic chives, plus more for garnish
- 4 oz beansprouts, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, plus more for garnish
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp cooking oil, plus more if needed
- Lime wedges
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp palm sugar (you can use regular sugar)
- 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 1/4 cup cold water, plus more if needed
- 1 to 2 tsp Thai sriracha, sriracha, or dried Thai chili powder (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Noodles:
Soak the dried rice sticks in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes until they soften, then drain completely. If you’re using semi-fresh rice sticks, you can skip this step. - Chop & Prep:
Finely chop the shallot, preserved sweet radish, and garlic chives. Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces and chop the roasted peanuts. Set everything aside. - Make the Sauce:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well until the tamarind and sugar have dissolved. - Cook the Proteins:
Heat a wok over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the sliced chicken and shrimp, cooking until they are almost done and golden on each side, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the wok and set aside. - Stir-Fry Time:
In the same wok, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Cook the tofu until golden on the edges. Add the chopped shallot and radish, stir-frying for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the noodles and sauce, stir-frying until the noodles absorb the sauce completely. If your noodles are cooking slowly, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time. - Add the Eggs:
Push everything to one side of the wok and add a bit more oil. Crack the eggs directly into the wok and let them cook halfway before scrambling. Mix the scrambled eggs into the noodles. - Final Touches:
Add the beansprouts, garlic chives, peanuts, chicken, and shrimp. Toss everything together for about 1 minute, then remove from heat. Serve your Pad Thai with extra beansprouts, garlic chives, chopped peanuts, dried Thai chili powder, and lime wedges. Enjoy the BEST Pad Thai you’ve ever made!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 11 mins
71 comments
This looks yummy..I will be making this. I will buy Thai preserved sweet radish and tamarind concentrate—what other dishes may I use these ingredients???
Tamarind can be used a lot in the kitchen, one of my favorite way to use it is make sticky tamarind chicken wings! so delicious! Also preserved sweet radish can be added in to a pancake, omelet or any other dish that needs crunch bites. 🙂 Hope this helps!
I found a seedless Tamarind paste.. but it looks a lot chunkier than yours.. can I still use it, or does it need to be the concentrate?
That should be fine!
Can I use a tamarind “sour soup base mix” rather than the concentrate mixed with water? Would I still use 1/4 cup of the soup base? For context, the mix is liquid and ingredients listed are tamarind and water.
Hi Olivia! I haven’t used the sour soup base mix you have, so it’s hard for me to give you a precise answer. The reason for adding water to the sauce is to help the noodles cook properly, not to dilute the tamarind. Since your sour soup base mix is made with tamarind and water, I suggest starting with 1/4 cup as you mentioned, and then tasting it. If you feel it needs more tanginess, you could add an additional 1/4 cup. Hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I have made it multiple times and it always turns out great! I couldn’t find concentrated tamarind paste so instead use a tablespoon of a tamarind block that I dissolve in some hot water.
You work with what you got! So glad I could help out with this recipe! (:
Observed=absorbed …don’t you just hate smart technologies?!? Also do you sprout your own bean sprouts or buy them? Mine get soggy so quickly after I buy them!
I can’t wait to try this…pad Thai is a favorite from my food truck days at Univ. Of Pittsburgh. Thinking the preserved radish might be the thing I could never identify.
Thank you for the spell check! You have no idea how much helpful it is to me! Sometimes I even double check, I still have lots of misspell… English is never easy to me! I do buy my beansprouts, it is kinda hard to grow at my house, because I prefer to do it in a bathtub(easy to water them & always dark) but we have only one bathtub in the house and I love taking hot bath… lol! They are very sensitive about temperature, so always gotta be in a refrigerator straight from the store. Also when you buy them, make sure to check the bottom of the bag- if it’s already kind of watery, it will be bad in 2 days. 🙂 you can still make it without it, but if you want to check out, on the recipe, I linked the Amazon where you can buy it! Good luck in your kitchen~!
Trust me your English is just fine and way better than my Korean! I admire you so much! I was your biggest cheerleader during restaurant Express, even shouting at the TV when I thought some of the men were being condescending! That was before I knew your story! I can not imagine how difficult it must have been coming here, stuck in an apartment all day without friends or family! No place to buy any of the ingredients you know how to cook with! What you have accomplished is nothing short of amazing!
So question… where you say, “First, don’t be afraid of using enough oils. Because of the type of noodles, without generous amount of noodles, you will end up a huge chunk of noodles and you don’t want that right? ” do you mean without a generous amount of oil rather than noodles and what is generous? A couple of teaspoons
A. Tablespoons?
PS I made this last night and it was awesome even if bi overcookedcvthe noodles …my husband gave himself a belly ache because he couldn’t quit eating it. He is also a huge fan of the quick and easy rib recipe…so am I! 2 ingriedents…whats not to like about that? Any time you would like help editing I would be thrilled to assist. I am a teacher, k-12, so I know a bit about grammer and punctuation.
Hi Maggie, thank you so much for the encouraging words! When I mentioned the ‘generous amount’ on the video, it was remind to people to not to afraid of a couple tablespoons of oil that recipe calls. Some people just do however they want to make it regarding the recipe, which I understand. So it was more of warning and reminder. 🙂
Love your blog, “Asian at home”, Seonkyoung!! And a comment for Maggie, k-12 teacher, who offered to help you with editing, because she knows about “grammer” – Maggie, there were several spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes in your post!! Sorry, couldn’t resist – it was just too ironic!
This is the best pad Thai I have ever had! I have been searching for an authentic recipe as I love to cook Asian food and my kids love to eat it! I have made this several
times and the flavor is the absolute best! I am struggling with the noodles though- they break up into small pieces. I have tried different brands, followed the directions on the package and also tried other suggestions online. Can you explain the texture the noodles should be before stir frying them?
I read online a way to keep beansprouts fresher is to transfer to a bowl, cover with water, add lemon slices. Refrigerate with a loose lid so they breathe. Change water every day. I have found my beansprouts have stayed much fresher this way, and the lemon really doesn’t alter the flavor much at all. Give it a shot!
wow! Thanks for the tip Steven! I will definitely give a shot!!! 😀 Also thank you for sharing on here so many other readers can get the useful tip!!
I freeze my beansprouts ilittle baggies. I portion them out prior ro freezing. When using,,, saute without thawing out. From the freeser straignt to the hot pan. They come out just like if used fresh.
I made this today and it was AMAZING. Thank you so much for this great recipe!
This was simply delicious….We had leftovers so the next night I sautéed more shrimp and chicken to have 2 meals—I definitely will be making again…(I had to leave out radish tho…my local Asian store doesn’t carry it)…I live in Rancho Mirage, Ca. so limiting on exotic Asian food…I’ll have to buy some stuff when I go to Los Angeles…Thanks for the recipe…
I’m so glad you tried and loved it Lyn!!! 😀 Super happy, thank you for letting me know how it went!! <3 Since LA has almost unlimited Asian ingredients, hope you can find anything you need!!
Can you share your favorite Sticky Tamarind chicken wings???? Thanks:)
I haven’t shared my sticky tamarind wings, but I do have Thai Hot Wings recipe if you want to try! 😀
https://seonkyounglongest.com/thai-hot-wings
Hi Seonkyoung,
thank you for such a great recipe and instructions. I made the Pad Thai dish tonight (used a little too much fish sauce) and it was delicious! Just like the Thai restaurant in our neighbourhood. Your recipes inspire me to cook healthy meals. Thank you. Paddy-Boy, Canberra, Australia
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that Paddy-Boy! 😀 Thai foods are so amazing, can’t have enough! lol Happy cooking~!! 😀
if i have pad thai sauce do i still need to add the fish sauce and sugar ? ( its the healthy boy brand )
Taste your pad Thai sauce, and add more flavors as you need/want! Sour for tamarind, salty for fish sauce and sugar for sweetness. 🙂 If the pad Thai sauce is perfect for your taste, then you won’t need to though!
Your recipe looks great. For a vegetarian guest what would be a good substitute for the fish sauce? Liquid aminos? What do you suggest to make sauce vegetarian ? Also why palm sugar vs white sugar?
Many thanks!
light soy sauce will do the job, but instead using water, using veg broth will add more impact flavor as well for vegetarian version. 🙂 Palm sugar gives more authentic sweet flavor than just using white sugar in my opinion. Good luck in your kitchen David!!
Any substitute for sweet radish?
You can use Danmuji, which is Korean version of it… If it’s hard to find around where you are living, you can just skip it and it will be still delicious!
I have made this a few times now, but the noodles never seem cooked enough? How should the texture of the noodle be when it is done properly? I am using the same semi-fresh noodles that you used, and I have also added some extra water. The noodles have a little bite to them. Other than that, it tastes great!
If you prefer more softer texture noodles, just add extra water and a bit more oil (to prevent form sticking too much while cooking with extra water) and cook a bit longer or until you are happy with the texture! 🙂
thanks so much for sharing
Hi! Does it have to have the preserved radish in the dish? It is one of those things that are really difficult to find!
You can omit it, it’s more for the texture but not “Must” ingredients. 🙂
Hi Seonkyoung! My cousin made a mistake when he bought the preserved radish, I ended up with the “salty” one, can I stil use that one or maybe I sould put it in water first to get rid of the salt?? What do you think?
Hi Seonkyoung! I am so anxious to try that recipe. My cousin made a mistake when he bought the preserved radish, I ended up with the “salty” one, can I still use that one or maybe I sould put it in water first to get rid of the salt?? What do you think?
Hmmmm soak the radish in sugar water (1:1 ratio) for over night (the radish should completely covered with sugar water). Squeeze all the juice as much as possible and repeat one more time. I believe then you are able to use it! 🙂 I’m so sorry I couldn’t reply to your comment earlier than today! I was traveling Korea filming a show “Life in Korea”… XOXO
I tried this recipe tonight and OMG I love it! I managed to find the preserved sweet radish 🙂
Thank you for the great recipe xx
From Ottawa, Canada
YAY~!! So happy to hear that Ethel!!
Where did you buy your wok?! I can’t find a non- Stick one like that! Can’t wait to try this recipe! My husband loves Pad Thai!
The wok and the skillet I use the most(in the video & real life) are T-fal 8inch non stick wok & large nonstick skillet. The wok is Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution line but I haven’t seen for a long time at the market. But you can find similar ones any kitchen stores or online! This is the similar one I could fine! http://amzn.to/23rT92Y
Oh, and RachelRay brand makes similar one with a lid!(http://amzn.to/20rsFw0)
☺️
The wok and the skillet I use the most(in the video & real life) are T-fal 8inch non stick wok & large nonstick skillet. The wok is Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution line but I haven’t seen for a long time at the market. But you can find similar ones any kitchen stores or online! This is the similar one I could fine! http://amzn.to/23rT92Y
Oh, and RachelRay brand makes similar one with a lid!(http://amzn.to/20rsFw0)
Say Seonkyoung, For your enjoyment, order Whitley’s Peanuts from Virginia [internet]. There is no other peanut company like it and the peanuts are huge. Enjoy, David
Thank you for the recommendation David, I will definitely look for the Whitely’s Peanuts!!
Hey Seonkyoung,
I accidentally bought just firm tofu and would still like to use it. How would you recommend I put it in the recipe?
Thank you very much!
Sonya
Hey Seonkyoung,
I got firm tofu by accident. I was just wondering how would I use it in this recipe?
Thank you!
Sonya
Cut into bite sizes and fry them separately before. And then follow the recipe as it is!
Hi I’m a korean girl got into thai cooking lately. I’m trying to use korean ingredients I have at home than buying new ones. I’ve substitute shrimp paste with 새우젓 when making green curry paste on last week. Do you think 고추장 be substituable for this recipe’s sauce, to mimic tangy + salty + sweet taste? Also when making thai chili boh, can I use 고춧가루 instead of soaking dried red chili as ideal direction? Or are they all likely turn out to be different dish? ^^;
Hello Lisa! Gochujang’s flavor and Thai’s sweet, tangy and slaty flavor is very different. So, of course it will be turn out to a different dish when you substitute all the seasoning ingredients into different ingredients. If you are into Thai cooking, it might be a great idea to get the right ingredients to try out at home! 😉
Hi seonkyoung!
I would love to make this recipe, but I don’t have that Thai chili sauce. Do you think that regular sriracha sauce would still be good?
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes, the’re always so easy to follow!
Olivia
I made this today and it was very salty, followed ingredients and directions exactly,any idea what it should have been?
Maybe the brand of the fish sauce you are using. All brand of fish sauce has different saltiness and some are extremely salty. The fish sauce I’m using is more milder and slightly sweet. http://amzn.to/1KfOCu8v
I live in a town where there are a bunch of asian stores but none have the same soft palm sugar that you used. where did you get yours? and also tried to find the tamicon tamrind. tried to look for it in stores so i wouldn’t have to order it online..i used the hard palm sugar im sure its the same but i just want to use the same exact ingredients as you (;
I got it from my local Asian grocery store. You can also get it from online: http://amzn.to/2n7BpJe
This recipe is delicious and easy to follow. I never thought I could make Pad Thai at home!
Do you have any tips on how to prevent the noodles from clumping together? I use semi-fresh noodles but they always seem to clump together. What should I do differently?
There is only one solution for the clumping noodles… add more oil! You can’t be habitat about how much oil goes in to Pad Thai. 🙂
I can’t find the tamicon tamarind concentrate 🙁 I’m from quebec, canada and not only is there none in the stores but none of the sellers on amazon ship to where I live 🙁 I did find one of another brand but its way more pale.. will it work the same?
I tried the recipe but no matter how much water I added the noodles wouldn’t soften. I used the same brand too. I tried putting a lid and setting it on low heat to soften. Any advice?
What is the brand of the fish sauce you used? The Amazon links are not working anymore. I tried this recipe and the sauce I used was too salty :,(
Thank you!
What is the brand of the fish sauce you used? The Amazon links are not working anymore. I tried this recipe and the sauce I used was too salty :,(
I use 3 crab brand! That is my favorite brand for fish sauce.
Tried this. Flavors is good but dry. How can I fix this?
I asked my asian grocer for tamarind paste and it seems to have whole seeds or beans in it and came in a block rather than a jar. is this the right thing to use? it was all that was available but it does not seem to be breaking down in the same way your is.
Hello! I’m really excited to try this recipe! I have had a hard time in the past with thai noodle dishes and my Thai friend said that a wok and fire stove are essential. I can get a wok but do you think it will be possible to make this with an electric stove?
Thank you!
Sogole
Yes that gas fire and wok is essential to this and many other recipes. However, this does not mean you can’t make these recipes. You can still use a wok with high heat and still produce a very similar flavor. Hope this helped!
Made this today and it was really good. I didn’t use the preserved radishes because I forgot but did everything else. I had to substitute onion for shallots cause I didn’t have any. I did double the recipe and it was a little dry but flavor was good. Next time 3x sauce to 2x everything else. I cook for 7 people so they all had a thumbs up. Thanks for the recipe.
Excellent
Easy to make! So yummy.
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.