Easy Pad Thai

Pad thai is—hands down—one of the simplest copycat recipes you can make at home. Our easy pad thai recipe is one of our best 30-minute meals because it tastes just as good as the dish from your favorite restaurant. It’s the perfect quick-cooking meal for an easy weeknight dinner, and making it won’t break the bank.

Our pork pad thai recipe creates a dish filled with chewy noodles, crunchy peanuts and tons of fresh veggie flavors, all swimming in a perfectly tangy, sweet-and-sour sauce. Follow the recipe to a T, or make a few substitutions to customize it. You can make a pad thai recipe easy with chicken or shrimp, or create a vegetarian version by swapping in tofu, tempeh or more veggies and omitting the fish sauce. Your choice!

What is pad thai?

Pad thai is a popular Thai dish with rice noodles, peanuts, scrambled eggs, vegetables, and sometimes meat or seafood stir-fried in an unforgettable sauce. It’s full of fresh flavors, and the sauce perfectly balances sweet, sour and savory tastes.

Although it’s considered a Thai dish, pad thai has Chinese origins. The dish’s full name—kway teow pad thai—roughly translates to “Thai-style stir-fried noodles,” but the cooking method of stir-frying meat, vegetables and noodles with sauce is more Chinese. However, Thailand unified around the recipe as its national dish in the 1930s when Thailand’s prime minister, Phibun, popularized pad thai by distributing the recipe for this nutritious, well-balanced and inexpensive meal. Today, it can be found at almost every food cart in the country.

How do you cook rice noodles for pad thai?

Rice noodles are a bit trickier to cook than flour-based ones because they’re delicate and turn to mush when mishandled. Luckily, preparing rice noodles is simple considering they don’t actually need to be cooked: They need only a quick soak in hot water. Just don’t keep them in the water too long or they will get mushy.

When the noodles appear softened, try one to ensure they no longer taste of raw rice flour. For thick noodles, this process can take as long as 10 minutes. The noodles should feel al dente with a bit of a chew, as they will continue to cook when they’re added to the stir-fry. When you’re happy with the texture, drain the noodles and discard the soaking liquid. Rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. If you’re not using the rice noodles immediately, toss them in a little sesame oil to keep them from sticking.

Ingredients for Easy Pad Thai

• Rice noodles: Noodles are the most important ingredient in an easy pad thai recipe. Their chewy texture brings the meat, vegetables and sauce together. Look for packages labeled rice stick noodles, banh pho or thick-cut vermicelli.
• Pork tenderloin: This lean cut of pork tastes great in stir-fry dishes. Cut the meat into thin strips to help it cook more quickly. If you can’t find pork tenderloin, sliced pork loin or pork chops also work in this recipe.
• Shallots, garlic and green onions: These alliums add subtle flavor to pork pad thai.
• Egg: Scramble one lightly beaten egg into the pad thai to add protein and richness.
• Coleslaw mix: You can use shredded cabbage if you prefer, but a coleslaw mix is a convenient addition to make pad thai an easy recipe.
• Pad thai sauce: We make an easy pad thai sauce with essential Thai ingredients like rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce and lime juice. If you don’t have fish sauce (or want to make a vegetarian version), you can swap in extra soy sauce. Similarly, you can use tamari vs. soy sauce to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Peanuts: Chopped salted peanuts add a nutty finish to pad thai. If you can’t eat peanuts, try using cashews instead.
• Garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, lime wedges and fresh bean sprouts give the dish a fresh finish.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the noodles

TASTE OF HOME

Prepare the noodles according to the package directions.

Editor’s Tip: After adding the water, gently agitate the noodles using chopsticks or a fork to break them apart. When the noodles are tender but slightly al dente, drain and discard the hot water. Rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 2: Stir-fry the pork

TASTE OF HOME

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry the pork in oil over high heat until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.

Step 3: Add the vegetables

TASTE OF HOME

Add the shallot to the pan and cook until tender, about one minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Make a well in the center of the shallot mixture and add the egg. Stir-fry for one to two minutes or until the egg is completely set.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t wipe out the pan before adding the vegetables. There should be plenty of remaining oil to keep the shallots from sticking. When adding the garlic, stir constantly to keep the tiny granules from burning.

Step 4: Add the sauce and noodles

TASTE OF HOME

Add the coleslaw mix, green onion, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili garlic sauce, lime juice and peanuts, and heat through.

TASTE OF HOME

Return the pork to the pan and heat through. Toss drained noodles with the pork mixture.

Garnish with cilantro, additional peanuts, lime wedges and bean sprouts.

JONATHAN MELENDEZ FOR TASTE OF HOME

Recipe Variations

• Add tamarind: Tamarind is an essential ingredient in traditional pad thai, but it’s difficult to find. We used lime juice to make our pad thai recipe easy, but you can swap in tamarind if you have it on hand.
• Swap in chicken or shrimp: Pad thai is an easy recipe to modify, so feel free to make it your own! Instead of pork tenderloin, use chicken breasts or thighs to make chicken pad thai or peeled and deveined shrimp for shrimp pad thai.
• Make vegetarian pad thai: Vegetarian pad thai tastes great, whether made with tofu or extra vegetables. Don’t be afraid to add sugar snap peas, zucchini, mushrooms, chopped bell peppers or anything else that sounds good.
• Use a slow cooker: For a mostly hands-off version, make slow-cooker pad thai by cooking chicken with the sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. After four hours on low, the chicken should be tender and shreddable. Then, cook the onion, garlic and egg in a wok or skillet as directed. Add the slow-cooked chicken and sauce, then toss the mixture with the prepared noodles.
• Change the sauce: Add hoisin or brown sugar to make the sauce sweeter. Or, make it extra spicy by increasing the chili garlic sauce or adding crushed red pepper flakes.

How to Store Easy Pad Thai

Leftover pad thai will last up to three days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. That said, it’s not my favorite leftover. The noodles will soak in liquid as the dish sits, resulting in a mushy, soggy mess. If you can, it’s best to store the noodles separately from the other ingredients.

Can you make easy pad thai ahead of time?

You can prepare pad thai ahead of time, but we recommend storing the noodles separately. Instead of adding them to the stir-fry, toss the noodles with sesame oil and store them in an airtight container. Store the rest of the pad thai in a separate container. The next day, heat up the stir-fry and add the noodles for the last minute to heat them through.

Easy Pad Thai Tips

JONATHAN MELENDEZ FOR TASTE OF HOME

Do you need a wok to make easy pad thai?

You can make pork pad thai with a wok or any large, wide skillet. If you plan to make stir-fries or restaurant-inspired wok recipes on a regular basis, now is the time to invest in a wok. Look for a carbon-steel wok if you don’t mind an initial seasoning process, or opt for a stainless-steel or nonstick wok. Just make sure the wok will work on your stovetop, as some woks aren’t made for electric ranges or induction cooktops.

Is pad thai healthy?

This easy pad thai recipe could be considered healthy for some, depending on your dietary needs. Each serving contains 19 grams of fat, making it a protein-rich option. However, it’s also high in sodium, so anyone looking to reduce sodium in a diet may want to reduce the fish sauce and soy sauce used in the recipe. Pad thai also contains carbohydrates, primarily due to the rice noodles. You can lighten up the dish with zucchini noodles, but you’ll miss out on the original’s delightful chewiness.

What should you serve with this easy pad thai recipe?

Pad thai is a great stand-alone dish, but you can also serve it with vegetable side dishes like Asian green beans or shredded gingered Brussels sprouts. Or, amplify the fresh vibes by pairing the noodles with vibrant fruit salad recipes or cooling cucumber side dishes. You can also serve it with other Thai recipes like larb gai, tom kha gai soup and mango sticky rice.