It’s takeout night! Dive into a glorious mountain of thick chewy noodles and plump juicy shrimp calling your name! Impress your squad with this quick and easy Shrimp Pad See Ew caramelized and charred to perfection with tips on not-so-broken noodles. Get the dinner table ready because we’re feasting in under 20 minutes!
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🎥 Watch How to Make the Recipe
📖 What is Shrimp Pad See Ew?
Shrimp Pad See Ew is a Thai street food Noodle Dish popular in Thai cuisine made of chewy rice noodles cooked with succulent shrimp, Chinese broccoli, and egg. They’re seasoned with a sweet and savory soy-based sauce that gives them a rich savory flavor. The key to its signature taste is the wok hei, or smoky charred flavor, created by cooking the ingredients in a piping hot wok! It’s a comforting and satisfying One-Pot Dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes!
🥘Pad See Ew Ingredients
Where to Buy Pad See Ew Noodles
Pad See Ew is usually made with either fresh wide rice noodles or dried wide rice noodles and can be found at local Asian markets.
Fresh rice noodles called sen yai are typically used when making Pad See Ew but if you can’t find it at the store, don’t sweat it!
This Shrimp Pad See Ew recipe uses dried wide rice noodles instead! While they aren’t as thick as the fresh ones, they have a long shelf life, making them perfect for last-minute Asian Takeout at Home anytime! Just soak the dried noodles to make them soft and pliable before cooking.
Pad See Ew Sauce
- Dark Soy Sauce: Want to get that dark rich color like your fave Thai restaurants or recipe photos? The not-so-secret trick is dark soy sauce, which you can pick up at local Asian grocery stores. Unlike regular or light soy sauce, it’s mostly used for the color it gives food rather than its flavor.
- Regular Soy Sauce: This adds extra saltiness and savory umami.
- Fish Sauce: Fish sauce is even saltier than soy sauce and adds a deeper flavor to the seasoning. My go-to brand is Squid—just three simple ingredients, no mystery stuff!
- Oyster Sauce: This is the base of the pad see ew sauce and an absolute in every Asian kitchen! It’s the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and umami flavors.
See recipe card below for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Shrimp Pad See Ew
Step 1: Soak the dried rice noodles according to the package instructions until they’re soft and pliable. There should be no resistance! Drain and set aside. If you’re using fresh noodles, check the “Key Tips” section below for prep tips!
Step 2: Marinate & Sear Shrimp. Marinate the shrimp for a few minutes while getting the rest of your ingredients ready. Then, heat some oil in a hot wok, shake off any extra marinade from the shrimp, and sear it for 1-2 minutes until JUST pink and charred. Keep a close eye on the shrimp so it doesn’t overcook, otherwise, it’ll turn tough and rubbery! Remove shrimp, set aside, and add a little more oil to the wok if needed.
Step 3: Cook vegetables & egg. Saute garlic for a few seconds, until fragrant, then add the gai lan stems. Stir fry until they start to soften but still crunchy in the center. Throw in the leaves and cook until just wilted. Push everything to one side of the wok, add more oil if the pan looks dry, then crack in the egg. Cook until it’s halfway set, then scramble it up and mix it with the veggies. Remove, set aside, and add more oil if needed.
Step 4: Add noodles and pour sauce. Toss in noodles and pour in the pad see ew sauce. Gently flip the noodles until they’re evenly coated in the sauce. Let them cook untouched for at least 30 seconds to a minute, or until they start caramelizing. Flip them again and let them char for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is fully absorbed and the noodles have a smokey char. Add the shrimp, veggies, and egg back in, then give your stir fried noodles a final mix. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- If Using Fresh Noodles: Double the quantity since this Shrimp Pad See Ew recipe uses dried noodles, which expand when rehydrated. Gently separate the fresh noodles into individual strands for even cooking and less breakage. If your noodles are cold and stuck together, heat them in the microwave for a few seconds until warm & soft enough to easily separate. If you like extra-wide noodles, grab fresh rice noodle sheets and cut them to your preferred width!
- Thinly Slice Chinese Broccoli: Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle to create long, thin strips that cook faster. Thicker pieces will take longer to cook.
- Cook in Small Batches: This is key to achieving that signature charred flavor, known as wok hei. Avoid overcrowding the wok with too many ingredients, otherwise, they’ll steam instead of developing that signature smoky taste. This is also why the noodles are cooked separately from the other toppings—fewer ingredients in the wok make it easier to char!
- Prevent Noodle Breakage: Separate the noodles and make sure they’re flexible (no resistance!) before adding them to the wok. Handle them gently and avoid moving them too much to allow caramelization and prevent breakage—especially with fresh noodles! Once they’re caramelized on one side, flip them rather than stirring.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Let your shrimp pad see ew to cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you're ready to eat, just microwave it until it's warmed through.
Pad See Ew and Pad Kee Mao (aka Drunken Noodles) are popular Thai stir-fried noodles but differ in flavor and ingredients. Both use savory wide rice noodles, but Pad See Ew has a slightly sweet taste, while Drunken Noodles are spicier and more aromatic from the fresh herbs and chilies mixed in.
No, Shrimp Pad See Ew is best enjoyed freshly made.
It’s made with fresh Chinese broccoli and shrimp for protein for a nutritious meal. Since it’s filled with carbs from the noodles, it’s not low-carb friendly, and if you follow a strict diet, check the nutrition info on the specific ingredients you get to ensure they fit within your diet!
🥗 What to Serve with Shrimp Pad See Ew
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Shrimp Pad See Ew
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ounces dried wide rice noodles*
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ cups of Chinese broccoli/gailan sliced at 45 degree angle* with stems & leaves separated
- 1 egg
SHRIMP MARINADE:
- 4 ounces large or jumbo shrimp
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon of cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon of oil
SAUCE:
- 1 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Soak dried rice noodles in warm water for 1 hour or until flexible without any resistance. Rinse under cold water, drain, & set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mix together the shrimp with the marinade ingredients - soy sauce, cornstarch, and oil. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare rice noodles by gently separating the noodles from each other so they’ll cook evenly. If noodles are hard to separate, heat them in the microwave for 1 minute at a time until warm and easy to separate. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together sauce ingredients - oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok on high heat. Sear shrimp, shaking off any excess marinade before placing in the pan and being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until meat for about 1-2 minutes, or until it’s golden brown & cooked through. Remove & set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the wok and saute garlic for a few seconds, or until soft and fragrant. Add in the Chinese broccoli / gailan stems and cook for a few seconds, or until the stems are tender but still crunchy. Toss in Chinese broccoli leaves and saute for a few seconds, or until they’ve wilted.
- Push ingredients to the side, add a little more oil to the empty side of the wok, & crack an egg. Allow egg to cook until about halfway set, then scramble the egg. Once the egg is fully cooked, combine with the rest of the ingredients. Remove & set aside with meat.
- Heat wok to high heat, add a little more oil, then toss in rice noodles & pour the sauce on top. Gently toss until noodles are well coated in the sauce. Let the noodles cook for 30 seconds without moving them so they caramelize and create the signature char flavor. Flip the noodles and let them caramelize for another 30 seconds.
- Quickly add meat, vegetables, & eggs back in, then toss together until well combined. Remove then enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Dark / Regular Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce adds saltiness, easily found in grocery stores. Dark soy sauce gives rich color, available at Asian markets. Using dark soy sauce is highly recommended for dark rich color.
- Rice Noodles: This shrimp pad see ew recipe uses wide dried rice noodles, but you can also use fresh rice noodles found at Asian markets. If using fresh rice noodles, double the noodle weight in the recipe and check the "Key Tips" section in the blog post above on how to prep them!
- Gai Lan / Chinese Broccoli: You can find it at local Asian markets, otherwise, you can swap it for broccolini. Cut thick stems thinly at a 45-degree diagonal for quick cooking. Leaves shrink when cooked.
- Getting the Char: Cook Pad See Ew in a wok in small batches that iconic smokey charred flavor. Overcrowding creates steam instead of char.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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