Pad thai has forever been one of my favorite comfort foods. When I’m not feeling my best, this cheers me right up. And now that I’ve learned to make it for myself, I don’t have to wait 45 minutes for delivery. This dish comes together in minutes!
I make my own pad thai sauce from homemade tamarind paste. It requires a bit of work initially, but it makes a big batch that is ready when I need it. It’s also more cost-effective and I know exactly what’s in it. If you have a sauce that you buy that you love or if prefer to buy your tamarind paste online, do what works for you, but I do highly recommend trying to make your own.
Here’s what you need:
Timing is key.
Soaking the noodles is going to take up the most time so get that going first. While they are soaking, begin your prep. Once you start cooking, everything happens really quickly. You won’t really be able to grab anything on the fly. It’s crucial to have everything measured and prepped before you turn on the heat. Personally, I would also read through the recipe before beginning so you have an idea of the order of the steps.
Once you have your ingredients, heat a large pan to medium. First soften the shallot and garlic…
Turn the heat up a bit and add the sauce and drained noodles. Sauté until the noodles are cooked through. If it seems dry, add more sauce or even a tablespoon or two of water.
Scooch the noodles over and add a bit more oil to the empty side. Add the eggs and break them up with a spatula as they cook.
Finally, add the peanuts, green onions and sprouts and sauté until they just begin to wilt and the whole dish is combined.
Serve hot with wedges of lime and sriracha sauce!
For a low-carb version, try my Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai!
Other recipes to try:
Perfect Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 4 ounces rice noodles soaked
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot julienned
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2-3/4 cup pad thai sauce
- 2 eggs beaten
- 4 scallions cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
- 2 tbsp chopped peanuts
- salt
Instructions
- Soak the noodles in warm water for 30 minutes.Measure out and prep all the ingredients before cooking. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté with a bit of salt for a couple minutes then add the garlic and sauté a minute more. Turn the heat up to med-high. Add the drained noodles and sauce and sauté for a couple minutes. Add more sauce if the noodles seem dry. Scoot everything to the side. Add a bit more oil to the empty side then add the eggs. Use a spatula to break the eggs up then combine them with the noodles. Add the sprouts and green onions and chopped peanuts and sauté a couple minutes more. Serve immediately with fresh squeezed lime.
Pad Thai Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tamarind paste
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- Whisk ingredients together in a bowl. Keep refridgerated for up to 3 weeks.
Tamarind Paste
Ingredients
- 1 14.5 ounce block wet tamarind pulp
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Place the block of tamarind pulp in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Use a fork or potato masher to break up the pulp. Pass through a fine mesh strainer to separate the pulp from the seeds and fibers.Pour the pulp into a medium sized sauce pan and simmer from 30-45 minutes until thick and deep brown. As most of the water becomes evaporated the paste will splatter so cover with a lid, leaving a small opening for steam to escape. Pour into a jar and keep refridgerated for up to 2 months.