Make the most glorious noodles while getting transported to Thailand from the comfort of your own home! This tangy Shrimp Pad Thai is an easy 30-minute dinner made in one pot for easy cleanup, because let's be honest, you don't deserve a mountain of dishes after such a mouthwatering dinner.
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🎥 Watch How to Make this Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe
🥘 What is Shrimp Pad Thai made of?
This easy Pad Thai recipe is made of 3 main components: dried flat rice noodles, pad Thai sauce, and mix-ins.
- Dried Flat Rice Stick Noodles: I love using medium and small-sized flat rice noodles, which you can easily find at your local Asian market. My go-to brand is Three Ladies. Just soak the noodles in warm water before cooking until they’re soft and pliable—no resistance at all!
- Tamarind Puree: Tamarind paste or puree is a must for that signature tangy and subtly caramel flavor in Pad Thai sauce. You can sometimes find it online or at Asian markets, but it’s more common to buy tamarind pulp blocks to make your own paste at home. And it’s SO easy—just 2 ingredients!
- Fish Sauce: Essential for that salty umami kick! My favorite brand is Squid because it’s affordable and free of mystery preservatives. It’s the one my mom and I have always used!
- Oyster Sauce: This sweet, salty, umami-packed sauce is a pantry staple in every Asian kitchen!
- Shrimp: Peeled and deveined large or jumbo shrimp saves you SO much time for this homemade pad Thai! If you aren’t feeling shrimp tonight, easily swap it from Chicken Pad Thai using that chicken in the back of the freezer, Beef Pad Thai, or even Vegetarian Pad Thai!
- Brown Sugar: Pad Thai traditionally uses rock sugar, but since that’s not always easy to find, brown sugar is a perfect substitute!
- Tofu: Tofu is a great way to add extra protein, and I’m all about those crispy golden tofu nuggets! To save time, I grab fried tofu from the refrigerated section at the Asian market—makes life so much easier. 😉
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Shrimp Pad Thai
Like all stir-fries, this Shrimp Pad Thai recipe comes together SUPER quickly! The majority of the time is spent on prep rather than cooking, making it super simple for weeknights. Make sure your noodles are soaked and drained, your Pad Thai sauce is mixed and ready, and then it’s just a quick stir-fry of the shrimp, aromatics, eggs, noodles, and sauce!
Step 1: Cook the Shrimp. Heat a large wok or pan over medium-high heat with a little oil. Sear the shrimp for 2-3 minutes until JUST pink - keep a close eye so they don’t overcook, otherwise, they’ll turn tough and rubbery. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Cook Vegetables & Noodles in Pad Thai Sauce. Cook shallots for a few seconds, or until soft, then add garlic. Sauté for a few more seconds then toss in shredded carrots. Cook for a few seconds, until slightly tender but still crunchy—they’ll continue to cook later, so you don’t want them to get mushy.
Add drained rice noodles and Pad Thai sauce. Gently stir until evenly coated and noodles have absorbed the sauce. If they’re still too firm, add a splash of water. Be careful not to add too much so the flavor doesn’t get watered-down!
Step 3: Scramble the Eggs. Push the noodles to one side of the wok and add a bit more oil to the empty space. Crack the eggs into the wok and let them cook untouched until they’re about halfway set, then scramble them. Once fully cooked, mix them into the noodles.
Step 4: Add the Final Ingredients. Toss the shrimp back in, along with the bean sprouts and green onions. Give everything a final toss to let the veggies wilt slightly. Turn off the heat and serve your seafood Pad Thai with crushed peanuts (if you’re using them) and lime wedges. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Noodles Need to Be Soft Before Cooking: For the perfect Pad Thai, your dried rice noodles need a bit of prep! Soak them in warm water for about an hour until they’re soft and bendable without any resistance. This way, they’ll turn out bouncy and chewy—no mushy outsides or hard centers!
- Get Everything Ready Before You Start: This easy Pad Thai recipe is a fast 30-Minute Dinner, so make sure all your ingredients are prepped and within easy reach before you fire up the stove. You don’t want to be scrambling for ingredients while cooking—otherwise, you might end up with a sad overcooked dinner!
- Cook on High Heat and Use a Big Pan: Grab your largest wok or skillet and crank up the heat! To get that signature “wok hei” (smoky flavor) you love from takeout, cook on high heat on the largest cooking space you can. If the pan is overcrowded with ingredients, your Pad Thai will steam instead of char, leaving you with soggy mushy noodles and vegetables.
💭 Recipe FAQs
If you happen to have leftover pad Thai, let it come to room temperature then store it in an airtight refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat by popping it in the microwave until warm.
Both are popular Takeout Dishes, but Shrimp Lo Mein is a savory noodle stir-fry from Chinese cuisine. It’s made with yellow egg noodles stir-fried with shrimp and vegetables and seasoned with a soy sauce-based seasoning sauce.
Shrimp Pad Thai, on the other hand, is from Thai cuisine and made of dried flat rice noodles with a tangy flavor from the tamarind juice and balanced with sweet and salty flavors from sugar and fish sauce. It’s typically served with bean sprouts, lime wedges, and crushed peanuts.
🥗 What to Serve with This Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe
This Shrimp Pad Thai recipe is a One-Pot Meal that’s delicious on its own, but if you want to easily add more variety for tonight’s dinner, no problem!
- Make tonight extra glorious with more of Thailand’s iconic noodle dishes! These smokey Shrimp Pad See Ew and spicy Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) are Takeout Classics!
- Serve a comforting bowl of creamy Coconut Soup (Tom Kha) that’s hearty and feeds the soul.
- Did you REALLY have Thai takeout if you didn’t have a tall icy glass of Thai Iced Tea or delicious Mango Sticky Rice with juicy ripe mangos??
Let's Get Cooking!
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Shrimp Pad Thai
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ounces medium-sized dried rice stick noodles
- 6 ounces large or jumbo shrimp deveined & deshelled
- 2 shallots minced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 carrot julienned
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 green onions green part only cut into 2-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon peanuts roughly chopped
- 1 lime cut into wedges
PAD THAI SAUCE:
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste/puree
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons oyster sauce
GARNISHES:
- Crushed peanuts
- Bean sprouts
- Green onions
Instructions
- Soak dry noodles for at least 1 hour in warm water then rinse under cold water. Drain then set aside.
- In a small bowl, make the pad thai sauce by combining tamarind paste, fish sauce, brown, sugar, & oyster sauce. Set aside.
- Heat a large wok or pan on medium-high heat, then add about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shrimp & cook for 2-3 minutes, or until just pink and charred. Keep a close eye so they don’t overcook, otherwise, they’ll turn tough and rubbery. Remove immediately & set aside.
- To the same wok, add a little more oil if needed then add in shallots. Cook for about 1 minute, or until they become golden, then toss in garlic and saute for a couple more seconds, or until soft & fragrant.
- Add carrots and cook until it’s tender but still crunchy. Toss in noodles, pour sauce on top, and gently stir until the noodles have absorbed the sauce. Taste the noodles to make sure they’re tender. If not, a little more water a tablespoon at a time & continue to cook until the noodles are soft and tender. Be careful not to add too much water so the flavor of the noodles don’t water down.
- Push ingredients to the side of the wok, pour about a tablespoon of oil to the empty side of the wok and crack 2 eggs. Let it cook for about 1 minute or until the whites begin to set, then scramble them. Allow them to finish cooking through, then mix them with the rest of the ingredients.
- Toss the shrimp back in along with any of its juices, the bean sprout, and green onions. Give it a final few tosses to combine well. Serve with lime wedges and chopped peanuts on the side.Enjoy!
Notes
- Dried Flat Rice Noodles: Medium-sized (what I use) or small dried flat rice noodles can be easily found at your local Asian market. Three Ladies is my fave brand! Make sure to soak the noodles until they're completely pliable - no resistance!
- Tamarind Puree: This is the key ingredient for the distinct tangy pad Thai flavor! You can sometimes find it at local Asian markets but I highly recommend making Homemade Tamarind Puree from blocks of tamarind pulp you can easily find at local Asian markets or online! It's only 2 ingredients & you can make it in bulk and freeze so you'll always be ready for Pad Thai!
- Protein: Feel free to swap out the shrimp for chicken, beef, or fried tofu.
- Step-by-Step Photos & Key Tips are in the blog post above! Along with storage & reheating details.
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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