Best Pad Thai Recipe with Peanut Sauce (2024)

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This Shrimp or Chicken Pad Thai with savory Peanut Sauce is absolutely better than takeout! Made with rice noodles, shrimp (or chicken), veggies, peanuts, lime, cilantro, in just 30 minutes.

If you love Thai dishes too, then you should also try my Thai Coconut Curry, these Thai Curry Steak Noodle Bowls, or this Sheet Pan Thai Glazed Salmon.

Best Pad Thai Recipe with Peanut Sauce (1)

My track record for ordering takeout has taken a steep plummet in recent years. I think once you realize how much easier and better for you it is to make your own favorite Asian dishes, you just naturally want to try them at home again and again. Plus you don’t have to go through all the awkwardness of requesting customizations – at home you can make it exactly the way you like it. A little spicier? No problem. More veggies? You bet. Extra lime wedges? Hey look at that, there they are on your kitchen counter practically begging for a good squeeze.

The inspiration for this dish comes from my brother. He loves Shrimp Pad Thai so much, I tease him that he should marry it. One time, during the teasing, he joked around that he’d like to see me make a Shrimp Pad Thai that was as good as the one he ordered from his favorite Thai takeout place. Not one to turn down a dare, I gladly accepted the challenge.

Let’s just say I had it down enough after three tries to offer it to him. We even went so far as to do a blind taste-test, with mine in one bowl and the takeout in another. We blindfolded him and let him take bites of each, and what do you know? He thought mine was takeout! His most favorite ever takeout and he couldn’t tell the difference.

If my discerning brother can’t tell then you know it’s good!

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WHAT IS PAD THAI?

Pad Thai is super popular, and for good reason: Not only is it a common food found on the streets of Thailand, but it’s also one of the most requested dishes at your favorite Thai chain. It’s tasty because it’s got a bit of everything — eggs, noodles, veggies, savory and sweet sauces, etc. — and it’s so flexible. You can make it with shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or no protein at all. Plus all the various textures — crunchy, soft, chewy, hard — give it a great mouthfeel in addition to great flavor.

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Customizations


Don’t let the list of ingredients scare you off — it really is super easy, and totally customizable! If you don’t like something, leave it out. If you have other veggies laying around you want to use up, by all means, use ’em!

I like to substitute thinly sliced chicken for the shrimp a lot and also have used steak and pork. I have yet to try a vegetarian version, though I know it would be delicious as well.

You can also use slivered almonds, cashews, or peanuts too to bring some more crunch to the dish. If you don’t like peanut butter in the sauce, you can substitute almond butter or a non-nut butter substitute.

If you don’t have rice noodles, try using another Asian noodle like soba, ramen, or udon. You can also use a thin pasta like spaghetti, linguine, or angel hair pasta.

Other veggies that taste good in Pad Thai include corn, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, and various colors of bell peppers.

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CAN YOU FREEZE LEFTOVER PAD THAI?

Yes, you can freeze leftover shrimp pad thai, but I have to admit, it’s not my most favorite thing to do. The noodles tend to get mushy after you thaw and reheat the dish, as do the shrimp. But this doesn’t seem to bother everyone, so maybe it’s just me. That being said, I think the easiest way to freeze them is in individual portions for a take-and-go lunch to reheat at work or wherever your day takes you. If you want to freeze it in a larger container, then plan on thawing and freezing that whole dish at once.

If you have leftovers in the fridge, you should eat those within three to four days. If you’re not going to eat them in that allotted time, then you should pitch or freeze the remaining Pad Thai.

IS THERE SOY SAUCE IN PAD THAI?

Yes, there is soy sauce in Pad Thai, generally speaking (thought I can’t speak for every Pad Thai recipe everywhere). And, there is soy sauce in this one, too. There’s just a couple of tablespoons so don’t let it freak you out. You can skip it if you like, or cut back on it, or use a lower-sodium soy sauce version if you are watching your salt intake.

Best Pad Thai Recipe with Peanut Sauce (5)

Best Pad Thai Recipe with Peanut Sauce (6)

Pad Thai with Peanut Sauce

This Shrimp or Chicken Pad Thai with savory Peanut Sauce is absolutely better than takeout! Made with rice noodles, shrimp (or chicken), veggies, peanuts, lime, cilantro, in just 30 minutes.

4.79 from 148 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces thin rice noodles - cooked according to package directions
  • 1 pound medium or large shrimp - or 2 large chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ cup bean sprouts - optional
  • 3 eggs - whisked
  • 3 green onions - chopped
  • ½ cup shredded carrots
  • chopped cilantro and lime wedges - for serving

creamy peanut sauce

  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter - microwaved for 30-45 seconds until easily pourable
  • ¼ cup fish sauce - may substitute low sodium soy sauce in a pinch
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic - OR ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce - OR 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup water - more as needed

Instructions

  • Stir together all sauce ingredients until smooth, set aside. It should be easily pourable – if not, add more water.

  • Drizzle a large skillet over medium heat with
    oil. Saute shrimp, bean sprouts, and carrots until shrimp is cooked through.

  • Push shrimp and veggies to one side of the pan, pour whisked eggs onto the uncovered half of the pan. Stir eggs often until scrambled.

  • Stir noodles, sauce, and green onions into the
    pan. Give it a good toss, garnish with cilantro and lime wedges if desired and serve immediately.

Notes

Protein: Easily swap out the shrimp for chicken or steak.

Spice: Play with the heat level by adding more sriracha sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 676 kcal, Carbohydrates: 73 g, Protein: 40 g, Fat: 25 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 409 mg, Sodium: 2677 mg, Potassium: 531 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 8 g, Vitamin A: 2949 IU, Vitamin C: 11 mg, Calcium: 236 mg, Iron: 5 mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Thai

Author: Tiffany

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @cremedelacrumb1 on Instagram and hashtag it #cremedelacrumb!

Best Pad Thai Recipe with Peanut Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is Thai peanut sauce made of? ›

Thai Peanut Sauce is made up of peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, a sweetener (I used maple syrup), rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, a spice and water. In some more traditional versions, coconut milk is used instead of water, but I find this combination to be perfect.

What makes Pad Thai taste so good? ›

If it's only made of those ingredients, what then makes it so unique? A Pad Thai has tamarind, fish sauce, garlic, dried shrimp, palm sugar, and red chili pepper. These simple ingredients make Pad Thai a bowl of five tastes—salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and umami.

What is Pad Thai sauce made of? ›

Pad Thai Sauce is made with fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and tamarind. Tamarind is the ingredient that is the heart and soul of Pad Thai sauce, giving the sauce the sour flavour that Pad Thai is known for. It's an ingredient used in South East Asian cooking, like this Malaysian Beef Rendang.

What to use Thai peanut sauce with? ›

Peanut sauce is the classic dipping sauce for chicken satay (grilled chicken skewers) and makes a delicious dipping sauce for rice paper rolls, shrimp, potstickers, tempura and fresh vegetables including cucumber slices, carrot sticks and red pepper strips.

Do you have to refrigerate Thai peanut sauce? ›

Simply keep it in a cool, dark place. Generally, an unopened bottle of peanut sauce will last about a year if it's stored correctly. While it's a good idea to keep the “use by” date in mind, it's usually just fine for a few months after that date. Once the bottle is opened, you'll need to keep it in the refrigerator.

What are the 5 flavors of Pad Thai? ›

The name of this establishment refers to the five flavors (ha/ห้า=five, roat/รส=flavors) which are present in a good pad Thai: salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and savory.

What is the main flavor in Pad Thai? ›

The dish is mixed with a tamarind sauce and served with lime. The flavors of this dish are centered around a sweet-savory fusion. Salty, nutty, and with that slightly sweet sauce, it's a treat for tastebuds! Of course, every Pad Thai can be different.

What does authentic Pad Thai taste like? ›

Pad Thais can be both sour and sweet, depending on the region they're made in and who is making the dish! Generally, in Thailand, pad thai will include ingredients like dried shrimp and fish sauce which lends tangy umami to the overall dish.

How can I thicken my peanut sauce? ›

If your sauce has become too thin, add more nut butter.

What is peanut sauce called? ›

Satay sauce, also known as Peanut Sauce, Bumbu Kacang or Sambal Kacang is an Indonesian sauce made from ground roasted or fried peanuts, widely used in cuisines worldwide.

How do you tone down peanut sauce? ›

You can reduce the sweetness by diluting it with more peanut butter, or with tahini. Adding sliced green onions, as part of the sauce or as a garnish, will also help balance the sweetness, as will an acidic component like vinegar or lemon juice.

What's traditionally in Pad Thai? ›

Pad thai is made with rice noodles, which are stir fried with eggs and chopped firm tofu, flavored with tamarind juice, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots, and sometimes red chili pepper and palm sugar, and served with lime wedges and often crushed roasted peanuts.

What are the ingredients in a taste of Thai Pad Thai? ›

Ingredients : Rice Noddles (Rice Flour, Water, Modified Tapioca Starch), Pad Thai Sauce (Palm Sugar, Tamarind Juice(tamarind and Water), Water, Soy Sauce(soybean Extract, Salt, Sugar, Wheat), Sweet Radish, Shallot, Garlic, Soybean.

What gives Pad Thai its color? ›

Why is Pad Thai pink? The thing that has turned rice noodle into pink colour is a tamarind sauce and fish sauce that commonly use when cooke Pad Thai. So basically Tamarind sauces add to give a hint of sour and sweet.

What does Thai peanut sauce taste like? ›

It's salty, sweet, acidic and bold — a sauce like no other. For the uninitiated, Asian peanut sauce is a puree of peanuts, soy sauce, ginger, sesame, spices and often garlic, lemongrass and lime.

What does Thai peanut taste like? ›

Authentic Thai peanut sauce is savory, sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once ~ with a creamy texture that makes it one of the world's great sauces for chicken satay, Thai salads, and more.

Is peanut satay sauce the same as peanut sauce? ›

Although commonly associated with Thai cuisine, peanut sauce actually originated in Indonesia (source). What Americans know as peanut sauce is more commonly referred to as satay sauce (or bumbu kacang) in Indonesia, because it's most often served with the popular Indonesian dish, satay (skewered, grilled meats).

Is peanut butter and peanut sauce the same thing? ›

The texture and consistency (thin or thick) of a peanut sauce corresponds to the amount of water being mixed in it. In Western countries, the readily and widely available peanut butter is often used as a substitute ingredient to make peanut sauce.

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