Authentic Pad Thai – EASY! (VIDEO)

Ingredient Tips for Pad Thai

What Kind of Noodles Should I Use for Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is traditionally made with thin to medium rice noodles. If you have a wider rice noodle on hand, you can use that, too. I have used both fresh and dried rice noodles. I can usually both either at my local Asian grocery, and I typically look for the medium size for Pad Thai.

If using dried noodles:

• Make sure to hydrate them in room temperature water for 1 hour before cooking.
• Do not use hot or boiling water.
• Do not over-hydrate your noodles – any longer than one hour and they will be soggy once cooked.

Using the Right Tamarind

Tamarind is a key ingredient for Pad Thai – it gives the dish the immediately recognizable tangy flavor. You must use Thai tamarind paste or puree- do not purchase Indian tamarind (puree or concentrate). Indian tamarind has a completely different flavor and will not work at all for this dish (trust me – I’ve tried). I purchase my Thai tamarind at my local Asian grocery; you can even find it on Amazon now!

What Protein Should I Use?

Traditionally, Pad Thai is made with shrimp and tofu – therefore, I’ve written the recipe to include shrimp and tofu. If you prefer a different protein alongside the tofu, you can absolutely substitute – chicken, beef, or even pork would taste great!

For your tofu, make sure to get the firmest tofu you can find. Anything softer will disintegrate during cooking.

Ingredients

• fresh small or medium stick rice noodles – see notes above
• shallot
• garlic
• firm tofu – it must be firm; soft tofu will disintegrate
• dried small shrimp, finely chopped – if this is too hard to find, you can omit this ingredient
• Thai chili peppers, chopped, optional – this is optional but Thai Chili Peppers are used in countless Thai dishes; they’re delicious and spicy and when I can use them, I know they’ll make my dish that much better!
  • They can be hard to come by – I’ve found them pretty consistently only at my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch) but no other grocery stores. If you can’t find Thai Chili Peppers, I would substitute with Serrano Peppers. Note, Serrano Peppers are not as spicy, so you may want to increase the amount, depending on your spice tolerance.
• fresh mung bean sprouts – see notes above
• scallions – traditionally, Pad Thai is made with garlic chives. I have a hard time finding them, so I substitute with scallions.
• eggs
• shrimp, or protein of choice – traditionally, Pad Thai is made with shrimp. You can substitute with another protein of your choice.
• neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Thai food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.

Sauce

• palm sugar, chopped – Palm sugar is commonly used in Thai cooking. It’s made from the sap of coconut palm trees and has a caramel-y color & flavor to it that is most similar to brown sugar. It’s sold in circular blocks; I buy mine from 99 Ranch (a Chinese grocery chain).
  • If you cannot find palm sugar, the best substitute is brown sugar (1-1).
• water
• Thai tamarind paste or puree – see notes above
• fish sauce – brings saltiness and umami to the sauce (Three Crabs Brand is recommended)

Optional Garnishes

• mung bean sprouts
• chopped peanuts
• chili flakes
• lime

Recipe Instructions for Pad Thai

1. Make Pad Thai Sauce

Mix together tamarind paste, fish sauce, and water. Roughly chop palm sugar and slowly melt over medium heat in a small saucepan until a dark blonde color. Once melted, immediately add your premixed sauce and stir until the sugar has dissolved and set aside.

2. Prepare Your Ingredients for Pad Thai

Chop your shallot, garlic, tofu, small shrimp, optional Thai chili peppers, and scallions. Clean mung bean sprouts. Set aside to be easily accessible once you start cooking.

3. Cook Shrimp, Aromatics, Tofu and Chilis

Over high heat add 1 tbsp of avocado oil and cook your shrimp (or preferred protein); once cooked, set aside.

Add 3 tbsp of oil over high heat and add your shallot, garlic, tofu, dried shrimp and optional Thai chili peppers. Stir fry for 30 seconds.

5. Cook Eggs and add Final Ingredients

Push noodles aside and add a bit of oil. Add 2 eggs and scramble until 90% done, then mix together with noodles.

Add scallions, bean sprouts and chopped peanuts and mix. Serve your Pad Thai with your optional garnishes: mung bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, lime, and chili flakes. Enjoy!

Storage and Reheating

Pad Thai can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Rice noodles do not keep well – you will find that the noodles will begin to harden and the texture/bite will be different from when it’s fresh.

I like to rehydrate them in a hot pan or wok with a tiny bit of water. You can microwave leftovers as well, covered with a wet paper towel (to help steam).

Cooking With a Wok

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven. My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your fried rice not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy.

I Love Noodles! What Else Can I Make?

Noodles is a major food group in my diet and I’ve developed and shared many of my favorite noodle dishes – check out my Chicken, Shrimp, or Beef Lo Mein if you’re looking for a Chinese takeout classic! I also love my Beef and Broccoli noodles – the flavors go perfectly with the chewy noodles! If you’re looking for a recipe that requires less than 10 ingredients, try my Scallion Oil Noodles or the BEST Garlic Noodles you’ll ever have!

If you tried this Pad Thai or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!