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    Home / Dinner / Pad Thai

    Pad Thai

    The classic stir-fried rice noodle dish with shrimp, tofu, egg, and crunchy peanuts in a sweet-sour tamarind sauce — Thailand’s most famous street food.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 10 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Pad Thai has been Thailand’s ambassador to the world since the 1940s, when the government promoted it as a national dish to bring the country together. Every street stall and every family has its own version, but the soul stays the same: thin rice noodles tossed in a sauce that balances sweet, sour, and salty in one glossy coating. It is the dish most travelers fall in love with first, and the one they come home craving.

    Chef Emily presents Pad Thai

    Sweet, sour, salty, and a little bit smoky

    The noodles are soft and slightly chewy, carrying that tamarind sauce with every strand, while plump shrimp, silky egg, and cubes of pan-fried tofu make each bite a little different. Then comes the crunch of roasted peanuts, the snap of fresh bean sprouts, and a final squeeze of lime that wakes everything up. Simple ingredients, but the balance is what makes it magic.

    Craving more? Explore all Thai Kitchen recipes.

    Featured in our 15 quick weeknight dinners under 30 minutes. This dish leans on the condiments covered in Beginner’s Guide to Asian Sauces & Seasonings.

    Thai recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable but still firm, then drain.
    2. Whisk the tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; set the sauce aside.
    3. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the tofu and fry until golden on all sides, then push it to one side.
    4. Add the shrimp and garlic and stir-fry until the shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes. Push everything to one side of the wok.
    5. Crack the eggs into the empty side of the wok and scramble until just set, then toss them with the shrimp and tofu.
    6. Add the noodles and the sauce and toss constantly with tongs for 2 to 3 minutes, until the noodles are coated and tender.
    7. Fold in the bean sprouts and green onions, then transfer to plates. Top with crushed peanuts and serve with lime wedges and chili flakes on the side.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Soak the rice noodles in warm water, never boiling, or they will turn mushy. Tamarind paste from a jar beats the powdered kind for that true sweet-sour depth.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook10 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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