Description
A quick, budget-friendly, and customizable Pad Thai recipe that balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors using tamarind sauce. It’s faster than takeout and easier to make than you think.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces (225g) flat rice noodles
- 3 tablespoons (45g) tamarind paste
- 1/4 cup warm water (for tamarind)
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola or avocado)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces firm tofu, cubed and pressed (optional)
- 4 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 3 stalks green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Red pepper flakes, for heat (optional)
Instructions
- Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 20-30 minutes until soft and pliable. Drain and set aside. Cut noodles in half if too long.
- In a small bowl, mix tamarind paste with 1/4 cup warm water until dissolved. Strain if desired. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness/sourness as needed.
- Prep protein and veggies: Press and cube tofu, mince garlic, chop green onions, and peel/devein shrimp if using.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and shrimp (if using). Cook until tofu is golden and shrimp are pink. Remove from wok and set aside.
- Add a little more oil if needed. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Push garlic to the side, crack eggs into the empty space, and scramble until mostly set. Mix with garlic.
- Add soaked rice noodles to the wok. Pour tamarind sauce over noodles. Add cooked tofu/shrimp back in. Toss vigorously for 2-3 minutes until noodles are tender and coated. Add a splash of water if dry.
- Turn off heat. Add bean sprouts and half the green onions. Toss one last time to wilt sprouts slightly. Plate and top with remaining green onions, crushed peanuts, and red pepper flakes. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Do not boil the rice noodles; soak them in hot water instead to prevent mushiness. High heat is essential for the ‘wok hei’ flavor. Balance the sauce to be slightly too sweet and sour before adding to noodles. If using tofu, press it well to ensure it fries rather than steams. Add bean sprouts at the very end to maintain crunch. This recipe does not freeze well.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: Pad Thai, Thai food, budget meal, weeknight dinner, tamarind sauce, rice noodles, stir fry, family meal, easy recipe