Easy Pad Thai Recipe (Better Than Takeout!)

Ready in just 30 minutes, this easy Pad Thai recipe is packed with bold Thai flavor and made with simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Add chicken, shrimp, or tofu to customize it your way.

What Is Pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a classic Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with rice noodles, scrambled eggs, garlic, shallots, and your choice of protein. It’s tossed in a flavorful sweet, sour, and savory sauce, then topped with crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, scallions, and lime. This dish is one of Thailand’s most popular street foods—and for good reason.

Why You’ll Love This Pad Thai Recipe

• Quick and Easy: Cook it in 30 minutes or less
• Simple Ingredients: Nothing fancy or hard to find
• Customizable: Make it with chicken, shrimp, tofu, or just veggies
• Better Balance: Not too sweet, unlike many takeout versions
• Diet-Friendly: Gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily made vegetarian or vegan

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Noodles:

• 4 oz rice noodles (about ¼-inch wide)
• Boiling water for soaking

Protein Options:

• 8 oz chicken breast, shrimp (peeled and deveined), or extra-firm tofu
• Salt and pepper

Stir-Fry Base:

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or avocado or coconut oil)
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs, whisked (omit for vegan version)

Pad Thai Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (or palm, coconut, or white sugar)
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (or tamarind water)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or gluten-free liquid aminos)

Toppings and Garnish:

• 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
• Lime wedges
• Crushed roasted peanuts
• Sliced green onions
• Thai basil or cilantro (optional)
• Red chili flakes (for heat)

How to Make Pad Thai (Step-by-Step)

1. Soak the Rice Noodles. Place the noodles in a shallow bowl and cover with hot boiling water. Let soak for 5 to 7 minutes until soft but still slightly firm. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Prep the Sauce. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. Prepare Your Protein. Slice chicken thinly or pat tofu dry and cube it. Season with salt and pepper. If using shrimp, peel and devein. Set aside.
4. Stir-Fry the Protein. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the protein until fully cooked, then transfer to a plate.
5. Cook the Aromatics and Eggs. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir-fry the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Push them to the side of the pan. Add more oil if needed, then scramble the whisked eggs until fully cooked. Break into small pieces and combine with the aromatics.
6. Add Noodles and Sauce. Add the soaked noodles and a bit more oil. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the Pad Thai sauce and stir well. Let the sauce bubble and slightly caramelize for about 30 seconds to develop flavor.
7. Combine Everything. Return the cooked protein to the pan. Toss in half of the bean sprouts and sliced green onions. Stir everything together and squeeze in fresh lime juice.
8. Garnish and Serve. Divide into bowls and top with extra bean sprouts, chopped peanuts, chili flakes, lime wedges, and Thai basil if available.

Pad Thai Cooking Tips

• Read the full recipe before starting
• Cut chicken thinly to speed up cooking
• Tofu works best when pressed dry and pan-fried until crispy
• Don’t skip the sugar; it balances the tangy sauce
• Let the sauce slightly caramelize for rich, smoky flavor
• Prep everything ahead—stir-frying goes fast

What Not to Do

• Don’t add ketchup or peanut butter
• Don’t use white vinegar (too acidic)
• Don’t skip the sweetener or the sauce will be unbalanced
• Don’t overcrowd the pan—make small batches to keep noodles crispy

What to Serve with Pad Thai

• Asian Cucumber Salad: Cool, crunchy, and tangy. A refreshing side.
• Thai Crunch Salad: Packed with veggies and a light peanut dressing.
• Easy Asian Slaw: Colorful slaw with the best sweet-savory dressing.

How to Store Leftovers

Pad Thai tastes best fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or wok over medium heat, stirring until warmed through.

FAQs

Easy Pad Thai

This Easy Pad Thai is a quick, 30-minute noodle dish packed with sweet, tangy, and savory Thai flavors. Made with rice noodles, scrambled eggs, and your choice of chicken, shrimp, or tofu, it's the perfect weeknight dinner that tastes better than takeout.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2 bowls

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Thai

Calories: 409

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 4 oz rice noodles soaked in hot water until pliable
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil or avocado or coconut oil, divided
• 8 oz chicken breast, shrimp, or tofu thinly sliced or cubed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large shallot finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 eggs whisked
• 1 ½ cups bean sprouts divided
• 1 lime cut into wedges

Pad Thai Sauce

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce or vegan fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut or palm sugar
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar or tamarind water
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce or gluten-free liquid aminos

Garnishes

• crushed roasted peanuts for topping
• green onions thinly sliced
• chili flakes to taste
• Thai basil or cilantro optional

Equipment

• Wok
• Mixing bowls
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Tongs or spatula

Method

 

1. Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft but still firm. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the fish sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. Season your choice of protein with salt and pepper. Cook it in a hot wok with 1 tablespoon of oil until fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes. Push them to one side of the pan.
5. Pour in the whisked eggs. Scramble until cooked through. Break them into small pieces and mix with the garlic and shallots.
6. Add the drained noodles and another tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, letting the noodles slightly crisp up.
7. Pour in the Pad Thai sauce. Stir well and let it caramelize for about 30 seconds to build flavor.
8. Add the cooked protein, half of the bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime. Toss everything together.
9. Serve in bowls and top with remaining bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, green onions, chili flakes, and Thai basil or cilantro if using.

Notes

For best results, read the recipe through before cooking. Prepare all ingredients in advance. Avoid using ketchup or peanut butter to keep the flavors authentic. Use tamarind for a more traditional taste if available. Pad Thai is best served fresh but can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.