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Pad Thai as served, showing the finished dish

Dinner recipe

Pad Thai Recipe

A practical, source-aware recipe for pad thai, with the history kept close to the method.

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Pad Thai. Photo: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).

Developed by the Recipe Desk. This original editorial recipe uses measured ingredients, explicit timing and yield, allergen notes, storage guidance, and step-by-step visual cues. Use the stated doneness and texture cues because ingredients, ovens, and kitchen equipment vary.

Recipe card

Pad Thai

A practical, source-aware recipe for pad thai, with the history kept close to the method.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Yield
2 Servings
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 6 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons 1x½x⅛-inch slices pressed tofu (bean curd)
  • 1 tablespoon sweet preserved shredded radish, rinsed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 5 tablespoons tamarind water, or 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon tamarind paste mixed with 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
  • 1½ tablespoons (or more) Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
  • 1½ tablespoons simple syrup, preferably made with palm sugar
  • 4 garlic chives, 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon ground dried Thai chiles, divided
  • 2 tablespoons crushed roasted, unsalted peanuts, divided
  • 2 lime wedges

Method

  1. Step 1 for Pad Thai, showing the ingredients and preparation at this stage
    Step 1: Step 1 for Pad Thai.
    1

    Step 1

    Place noodles in a large bowl; pour hot water over to cover. Let soak until tender but not mushy, 5–10 minutes. Drain; set aside.

  2. Step 2 for Pad Thai, showing the ingredients and preparation at this stage
    Step 2: Step 2 for Pad Thai.
    2

    Step 2

    Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add egg; stir until barely set, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, if using. Cook, stirring, until shrimp and egg are almost cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Add tofu and radish; cook for 30 seconds. Add noodles and cook for 1 minute. Stir in sprouts. Add tamarind water, fish sauce, and simple syrup and stir-fry until sauce is absorbed by noodles and noodles are well coated, about 1 minute. Stir in chopped garlic chives. Add 1/4 tsp. ground chiles and 1 Tbsp. peanuts and toss well. Transfer to serving plates.

  3. Step 3 for Pad Thai, showing the ingredients and preparation at this stage
    Step 3: Step 3 for Pad Thai.
    3

    Step 3

    Garnish with remaining 1/4 tsp. ground chiles, 1 Tbsp. peanuts, and lime wedges.

Storage

Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat only when the texture benefits from it.

Allergens

No major allergens identified from the listed ingredients. Always check product labels for cross-contact.

Why this dish belongs here

The history behind the method

This dinner recipe connects to the broader history of noodles in global food culture.

Explore the ingredients

Trend and context sources

  1. [1]Original Pad Thai recipe — Bon Appétit
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Written by The Foods That Shaped Us Research Desk

The Foods That Shaped Us Research Desk is the publication byline for collaboratively maintained food-history articles, Case Files, Trend Desk analysis, and original Recipe Desk development. Historical work is grounded in cited sources. Recipes use measured formulations and receive an editorial consistency, safety-note, and image-provenance review before release.

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